Regacy

It's probably a phase, both mine have been through it (and thankfully out the other side)
We used this.....
Controlled crying

If all other methods have failed, controlled crying is the most effective way to sleep-train babies over 6 months.

It is an intense technique and takes a lot of commitment and perseverance but can be very successful in getting your baby to sleep through. If your baby is still feeding in the night, however, it's a good idea to try the core night method to ensure he isn't crying from genuine hunger.

Start controlled crying in the evening on the first day. The same procedure should be carried out no matter how many times your baby or toddler wakes up in the night.

Day 1
Step 1 Decide on a regular time to start the bedtime routine and stick to it. Allow at least one hour for the bath, milk feed and settling.
Step2 Settle your child in his bed before he gets too sleepy. Kiss him goodnight and leave the room.
Step 3 Allow a minimum of five to 10 minutes of crying before returning to reassure him. Reassurance should be kept to the minimum. You can stroke him or say 'ssh-ssh' softly, but resist the urge to pick him up. Leave the room after two minutes even if he continues to cry.
Step 4 After the first half hour of crying, the times between visits should be increased by five to 10 minutes each time, to 15-20 minutes between visits.
Step 5 Continue with the checking plan every 15-20 mins until your baby or toddler falls asleep. Reassurance should still be kept to a minimum of no more than two minutes and he shouldn't be lifted out of the cot.
Step 6 If your baby wakes in the night, continue to follow the same plan for the evening, gradually increasing the time between visits, until you are going in every 15-20 minutes.
Day 2

For daytime naps, it is important you start where you left off in the night.
Step 1 Wait at least 20 minutes before checking your baby and continue to keep visits to him to a maximum of two minutes, with the minimum of reassurance.
Step 2 If your baby or toddler falls asleep closer to the time he's meant to be getting up, allow 15 minutes in the morning nap and 45 minutes at the lunchtime nap so he won't end up sleeping after 3pm in the afternoon. If your baby's very tired he may need a short nap of 15-20 minutes late afternoon, so he doesn't become over-tired.
Step 3 Follow the same settling procedure as the first night in the evening, this time waiting 20-25 minutes before returning. During visits on the second night, reassure your baby by saying "ssh-ssh", but don't stroke or touch him.
Step 4 If your baby is still crying after the first hour, the time between visits should be increased to 35-40 minutes.
Step 5 If he wakes in the night, you should wait 45 minutes before checking him, and you shouldn't speak to him or stroke him. Reduce visits to one minute.

Day 3

By the third day, the majority of babies and toddlers will be settling themselves at all sleep-times within 20 minutes and there's no need to check on them.
Step 1 If your baby backtracks at one of the steep-times and you have to go back to checking him, start off with looking in on him every 15-20 minutes and increase the interval until you are back to 4-5-50 minutes.
Step 2 Once your child has done a few days of settling within 20 minutes, you should be able to use the crying-down method for getting him off to sleep. Within a couple of weeks, the majority of babies and toddlers will be going to sleep without any fuss at all.

MJW

Controlled crying is definitely the way to solve this problem. Our 3 year old hardly slept for the first 2 years and I know what a complete waking nightmare it is !

It's the attention and the fact that you're going in every 2 minutes that's making her do it more - kids of that age quickly fall into habits so you have to condition them. They constantly test your boundaries. If it's not the light, she'll be asking for a drink, or something to eat, or just any ploy to get you into the room - you must teach her that bedtime is quiet time and that nothing interesting ever happens at night.

It's pretty tricky letting them cry, but you've got to tough it out for your own sanity. Don't creep round the house like a ninja assassin either, let her get used to falling asleep with a small amount of sound going on or you'll make a rod for your own back. One tip I heard for this is to put a radio in their room, slightly de-tuned so there's background noise

Our 3 year old now puts the light on herself if she wants it on by stacking stuff up to stand on so she can reach the switch and I really don't know how she sussed the child-proof catches on the cupboard doors cos even I can't open the buggers !

Julz1983

Well I'm still knackered this morning but........................... She had a full nights sleep and so did I , I left her crying when she first went to bed and when I went to bed I left her light on and made no effort to go in and see if she was fast asleep or anything. I only left the light on incase she did wake up and started screaming, so it was more a case of leave it on and I'm chanced to be able to sleep through. I'm off out at the weekend to get a lamp or torch of her own so she has something she can put on and off herself.
She does attention seek, I knew that lastnight when I wouldn't go upstairs so she threw everything from her room over the stairgate in to the passage, obviously thinking I would go up and be there to put things back in her room then she would be able to get me to bring her downstairs etc.

MrsDibbleyUK

i have a three year old sister...
she does exactly the same and has done for about a year...
i did just ignore her until it got to the point where i ouldnt sleep because she was screaming so much....
apparently mosters were going to get her
i soon found out the 'monsters' were the cows in the field next to the house which i cant hear as im at the other end of the house but she can....
they best thing that sent her to sleep was lavender bath (johnsons is great) and hot milk...

or you could just be mean and ignore her

MrsDibbleyUK

oooo
one more thing
i used to have a light you could plus into the socket...
i knwo you plus all lights in but... ooo i know what i mean
it was a mylil pony one *cringe* but it literally was the shape of the horse and plugged straight in like a safety thing does on a plug socket.. no wires
etc

Julz1983

Yeah I know what you mean, I had a snoopy plug one *cringe evenmore* lol
She's really lively this morning after her good nights sleep lol, looks like world war 3 has set in in the house, shes off to playschool this afternoon so hopefully she will be knackered for bed again tonight.

Sport160

We had sleep problems with our 2nd child that went on for ages and ages (year +) In the end we spoke to health visitor as we were on our last legs, they suggested 2/3 (Seemingly) minor changes to her bedtime routine, the result were amazing.

Our issues were different to yours, but what I trying to get at is, speak to the health visitor. These people have experience of 100's of different cases and can offer advice and suggestions that work.

No offence to anyone on here, your getting good advice from maybe 20/30 people, a health visitor should be able to call upon a much broader experience to offer advice.

scoobyangel

well done you... amzing how quick they learn really, and it was obviously the attention thing she was looking for... be prepared for a couple more nights of screaming, but then i bet she goes down like a little angel again