[Pooks*potters]

DS has been a challenging sleeper right from the start. It has been well documented on here, our highs and lows, the sleep school, the exhaustion, the contortions we make to accommodate him to maximize his sleeping potential... He does sleep, now, but only under strict conditions and if even one of these is not unto young laddy's satisfaction, we are aware of it... Swiftly.

Tonight DP's parents visited, I asked them when DP, who apparently an extremely non-sleeping child, grew out of it.

Their response was laughter.

He didn't. It just stopped being as much of a problem. He would play in his room after they had put him to bed, and eventually he would put himself to bed and sleep. He was sometimes tired the next day, but as he got older that was less of a problem than an overtired baby or toddler.

Hmm. Great.

So tell me about YOUR non-sleeper. Surely, at some point, they got some sleep. Right?

Give us struggling with the little ones some hope... Light at the end of the tunnel. Please?

[tibs]

Sorry don't think you'll like my answer. Mine is now 5, just started school and despite the supposed overwhelming tiredness the first week of school brings...was still awake at 9:30 when I checked in on him, 3 hours after the school's recommended bedtime for kindergarten kids and 2 hours after we put him to bed.

But I have some hope for you - after him I went on to have 2 daughters who are awesome sleepers, who knew you could put a baby down at sleep time and they woud just go to sleep

[melaine]

My first wasn't a great sleeper, my second was worse.

First now sleeps 7pm-7am and can't be woken! He was napping until 4 year old kinder started.

Second son sleeps less - can be awake till 9-10pm if something throws him. Hasn't napped at home since 2y3months. Napped at Childcare - couldn't sleep at night.

He wakes 5/7 nights - very briefly (I mean covers back on him type waking), and wakes early but really he's pretty good. He's 3.5 years.

[vitaechel]

Ds is now 3.5 and finally will go to sleep fairly easily with books, singing and holding hands - still cannot self settle (has been since about November - prior to that it was usually a good hour or 2 of tantrums and getting up. Bad nights up to 4 hours). He does wake during night and climb into bed with us most nights tho. I still think compared to what it was this is great. DD sleeps through the night which is AWESOME and she self settles.

[hell kitty]

DD didn't sleep more than 2 hours at a time until we went to sleep school at 15 months. Totally sorted her out, I think she woke once a night for the first couple of nights after sleep school, then slept through after that.
She's now 4, has an occasional waking in the night (not very often and usually something like she wants a drink, or something random 'I want a Hi 5'...wtf) and goes straight back to sleep.
Getting to sleep is still a bit of a pain...she calls out wanting a drink, toilet, she's uncomfortable etc....tonight we just got a new kitten...OMG!!!! But she's usually asleep by 9 (goes to bed about 8 ish).
I remember what she was like as a baby and she is 100000% on that now!!

[joy6328]

My DD is 2 and still doesn't sleep.
Some nights she just wont GO to sleep. Other nights she wont STAY asleep. Other nights it is up and down on the hour, every hour.
During the day I try to be philisophical about it... during the night I want to smash my head into a brick wall.
On average she would actually sleep a full night (from 7pm - 5am) possibly 2 nights per week? On a good week.

My hubbys older brother was the same and apparently didn't grow out of it until he was 9...

[~Supernova~]

DS is a nightmare sleeper, and these stories aren't reassuring! I will say however, that my niece finally started sleeping through not long after one. I live in hope that one day I will sleep again...

[VJs Mummy]

My dear 2 year old still doesnt sleep, my first slept through from 2 weeks 7pm-7am and had dream feed at 10pmhe is in year 2 and sleeps from about 730-8 to 6-7am in the morning now , my 2nd didnt sleep through till 18months but he was in and out of hospital till he was 2 and a half, he is now 5 and he falls asleep anywhere from 330- 730 in the afternoon wakes for dinner then next morning you have to wake him. My mr 2 year old now im lucky to get more then 4 hours out of him ( In saying that tonight has been the best ever although he went to sleep around 1am he still asleep and in his bed ( touch wood he stays asleep for bit longer ) he also usually wakes every hr or two and screams the place down
he doesnt have naps during the day and if he does it basically a 10min power nap and he is re energised my partner mum said he was the same and she cant remember when he stopped i have hope that he will sleep through eventually lol,

[cinnabubble]

When she was five and we moved her little sister in to share her room, she finally started sleeping through the night.

[mintjoolips]

DS 11 yrs still goes to bed later about 930-10 sometimes earlier if he has been particularly busy. Sleeps like a log until 830-9 or I wake him for school, trying to make him sleep earlier is futile particularly now he can tell the time!