Only limited success in freeing up my evenings here, it is very hit and miss. Overnight he is an angel but after 27 months of being a great sleeper his sister is now the one causing issues, she moans and talks in her sleep which wakes me up, and about once a week is waking up screaming for me and then won't go back to sleep on her own, but if I am in her room I can't hear DS (DH wears earplugs - and all he could do would be come and get me anyway) so I have to move the monitor and then once I leave her have to move it back! Only good thing is she doesn't seem to mind me leaving her if he is screaming! but otherwise wants me to stay. So at least if he wakes up I get to go back to my own bed. The other issue is she is very sensitive to him crying, I don't do CIO but I do let him whinge a little when he is going down for a nap (normally whinges for a minute then goes to sleep) but the problem is she is then at me "Stirling's crying pick him up mummy" all the time - not really that sure how to deal with that.

Tilda, I do wake a sleeping baby - I just find it impractical to never do it - especially as have commitments with DD - it all depends on the situation but I do tend to look at it as sometimes as adults we have to get up earlier than we would like, and we cope, so I figure they can too. I had the same approach with DD and apart from the recent overnight waking she has been a great sleeper, and in general will sleep anywhere, and even if she falls asleep in car etc will get out come in and finish her nap in bed - so although people say never wake a sleeping baby it doesn't seem to have done her any harm. Also I hate being stopped from sleeping when I am falling asleep (I think it is one of the worst things to be forced to fight sleep e.g. when watching a movie, in a meeting etc), so I never stop my two from sleeping if they are dozing off, but I will wake them up (as that is my preference and I figure they should be a little bit like me :-))