Sleep training a toddler

shatzileh

Wed, Apr 28 2010, 1:30 pm

My 21-month old son was never a wonderful sleeper, but he was OK. Between moving to America, moving to my own apartment, starting at a Babysitter and Mommy starting a job, the regular routine was forsaken, and we /did/ lie down with him (in his room, on a bed) if he was upset going to bed, or the middle of the not, because we believe it's the right thing to do.

However, we'd like him to start sleeping more "normally." I or my husband lie down next to him until he falls asleep, which is something we'd like to keep doing because everyone enjoys it. However, when he wakes up in the middle of the night, now we either hold his hand until he falls into a deep enough sleep that we can get away, or just lie down with him in the bed the rest of the night.
Invariable, sometime between 5:30 and 7:30 he wakes up and will only fall back asleep (and, yes, he needs it) if one of us lies down in the bed with him. He'll then wake up at any time between 7:30 and 9:30/10.

I'm not too happy with letting him cry. I've done it before, and it's worked, but I feel like now he's more mature and it'll just end up a big battle that no one wants to fight in the middle of the night. Plus, it makes me sad.

I put "The No Cry Sleep Solution" on hold at the library and am waiting for it to come in.

Any other advice?