3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Jack wakes up almost every night lately. I either rub his back, or if I'm really tired just hop into bed with him (usually around 1am).

I can't take it anymore. He's whining a bit now and I refuse to go in there at 11p when I'm in the middle of cooking for tomorrow night.

What can I do about this? Is there even a CIO for 3 year olds

Message edited 12/30/2010 11:03:27 PM.

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

We have this problem too and its awful It comes in waves - like we have good weeks where he sleeps through the whole night every night and then bad weeks. Sadly, I think for us, the more I go in and lay down with him the worse it gets. It usually starts when he is sick or something so I end up sleeping in his bed for hours at a time and then he gets used to it and always wants me there. Any excuse and he is up - sometimes he yells "I have to pee pee, I have to pee pee," other times its that his pillow has fallen, he is thirsty, his teddy isn't in the right place etc. etc. and then, I NEED to stay or he won't go back to sleep. Some times I am just SO tired I just give in!

The only way i have had some success is with saying no - telling him when he goes to sleep that he is a big boy and has to sleep through the whole night by himself in the bed for xyz tomorrow. Then, if he wakes up - same story. Problem is, its sort of like CIO b/c you end up being up half the night anyway reasoning with them. But, after a night or two I find it works. Also, getting him a pillow pet seemed to help a bit for a while too I'm all about the bribery

Sorry I can't be more of a help!

Message edited 12/30/2010 11:09:35 PM.

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Thank you!! Thankfully he went back to sleep just now but I'm sure that he'll wake up again. I know it's a pattern with him. He is used to me going in there now. I'm bad too because part of me loves snuggling with him, but after I've gotten my butt kicked by him for a half hour it gets old pretty quickly.

Tonight I'm thinking I may send DH in there if he wakes (although it should be fun getting him up )

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

same.exact.issue.

and it happened the past 2 nights..he wakes up and wants his foot rubbed. I told him, this isn't the Plaza Hotel, you can't just request a massage at any time of night!!

.....the bad thing is, he's already in the bed with us.

It doesn't happen every night, but it happens often enough - and its enough to make me want to scream, because its always at 2 am, and then i can't fall back to sleep after HE does, and then next thing you know, I'm getting up for work even super earlier than I normally would.

So, I have no advice, but I can relate.

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

HAPPENS HERE TOO!!!!!!!!

He does it every night. If I don't go in and fully wake him up, he will scream every 10 minutes. I think he's having night terrors. Although this morning he told me it was the heat blowing on him last night. We got a different vent cover for tonight, so we will see.

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Is he having night terrors/nightmares, or just waking up?

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Rylan calls me in up to 10 times a night...it's horrible. I swear when I was typing the word night he called me in

With Rylan it's for stupid things...most of the time it's to fix his blanket. He is flip flopping from one end of the bed to the other all night long so his blanket gets tangled around him. He's been sleeping with a rubber stegasaurus since xmas so sometimes he calls me in to find that. I literally walk in and out...he doesn't ask me to stay. Either way I want it to stop. I also have no choice but to run in there when he calls because he shares a room with Xavier.

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Dawn, I don't know how you do it, I am losing my mind! DH is rubbing his back now!

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Posted by itsbabytime

We have this problem too and its awful It comes in waves - like we have good weeks where he sleeps through the whole night every night and then bad weeks. Sadly, I think for us, the more I go in and lay down with him the worse it gets. It usually starts when he is sick or something so I end up sleeping in his bed for hours at a time and then he gets used to it and always wants me there. Any excuse and he is up - sometimes he yells "I have to pee pee, I have to pee pee," other times its that his pillow has fallen, he is thirsty, his teddy isn't in the right place etc. etc. and then, I NEED to stay or he won't go back to sleep. Some times I am just SO tired I just give in!

The only way i have had some success is with saying no - telling him when he goes to sleep that he is a big boy and has to sleep through the whole night by himself in the bed for xyz tomorrow. Then, if he wakes up - same story. Problem is, its sort of like CIO b/c you end up being up half the night anyway reasoning with them. But, after a night or two I find it works. Also, getting him a pillow pet seemed to help a bit for a while too I'm all about the bribery

Sorry I can't be more of a help!

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Posted by speakthetruth

same.exact.issue.

and it happened the past 2 nights..he wakes up and wants his foot rubbed. I told him, this isn't the Plaza Hotel, you can't just request a massage at any time of night!!

.....the bad thing is, he's already in the bed with us.

It doesn't happen every night, but it happens often enough - and its enough to make me want to scream, because its always at 2 am, and then i can't fall back to sleep after HE does, and then next thing you know, I'm getting up for work even super earlier than I normally would.

So, I have no advice, but I can relate.

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Is your DS potty trained? Because mine was sleeping through the night until he was potty trained and now he wakes up once a night to pee and then it takes a bit to get him back to sleep. Maybe your DS is feeling the urge to go to the bathroom?

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

I wish I knew bc Eddie (3 year 3 months) has been doing this EVERY night too! I try getting him to settle back down, but he usually ends up crying and at 2am, all I want to do is sleep, so I just let him come to bed with us.

I dont know why he is waking in the first place!

I feel your pain!!!

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Are they in the same room? Will he wake Tyler if you let him cry?

Noah's worse...he just gets up and comes into our room and climbs into bed with us...and 99% of the time we don't even hear him..just wake to find him there. I don't feel comfortable locking him in his room even with the monitor..if could malfunction etc..but our Ped or someone...can't remember...suggested it..putting the child handle on the inside....

Hang in there!

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

My 3 1/2 year old, and my 2 year old both wake up multiple times a night UNLESS they are in our bed, or one of us is in there bed.

I CAN"T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!! We are actually going to put them in the same room to see if that help. They both use my hair as a security blanket (it is insane) and I know that is the problem. Short of shaving my head, I am not sure what to do


Sorry to say, but it makes me feel better that its not just my kids...it seems everyone that I know, there kids sleep like champs

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

A few weeks ago, I was having this problem (still am) and you helped me! Now, this thread has me convinced that it has nothing to do with his new baby brother but his age! Whoever coined the phrase "terrible twos" had it all wrong....it's "terrible threes" for sure!

I started to do a sticker chart but that was after I did a sticker chart for a month just to get him to go to bed in the first place....now that issue has resurfaced again too!

I give up....is there a service similar to "Supernanny" where they come to your house, observe your issues and offer advice because I am losin' it over here!?!?!?!

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

It's probably a growth spurt.. Mine went through the same thing.. my ped said that they have lucid dreams during this spurt which makes them wake up.. I would give him a hug and a kiss and explain in a firm but loving voice that he has to stay in bed. You could sit with her for a few minutes, but explain that you will be leaving the room and he must stay in his bed.

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

Re: 3.5 year old waking in the middle of the night. HELP ASAP!

hopefully its a quick phase.... he isnt on any new meds right? just discovered a med was to blame for this