Sleep Regression

[lakecountrygal]

Is anyone else going through a major sleep regression? DS screams like someone is trying to kill him and is waking multiple times a night where he was STTN from a year until recently.

I'm starting a new job and this lack of sleep and ongoing screaming is killing me. He will stop if he knows that I'm right outside his crib but I can't sit in his room all night nor do I want him to think he can only sleep with me right there. DH is no help because he works 12s and has been on overnights and therefore isn't home when it's happening. We've tried to keep our bedtime routine as close to normal as possible but it's just not working lately. He's refusing to nap and is so over tired at night that he won't relax and go to sleep.

Please offer any suggestions that may work. CIO isn't right now because his screams can be heard from outside (with the windows shut) and the last thing we want is a neighbor calling the cops on us (yes they would do that because they are that mean).

[mrssmith613]

No suggestions but we're dealing with this too... I have been taking him to ds1 bed and laying with him until he falls asleep then putting him back in his crib. Ds1 sleeps with us still and I was wondering if maybe LO notices that so maybe it was his way of getting in to our bed too but he's also getting two molars in so I am hoping that's the actual reason and we can go back to normal soon. Hope you can get over this hump soon.

[bsouls]

Tabitha just went through something similar the past couple of weeks. She'd take an hour to go to sleep and wake up crying at night. Most of the time she'd stop crying if I held her, but would scream at the thought of going back in her crib.

For wake ups, she'd have to be up for about 30 minutes before she'd go back to bed. Sometimes I'd try Tylenol. To get her to go to bed in the first place, I was giving her a favorite toy or switching them out to get her to fall asleep.

[Deleted]

We had this with DD when she was about a year old. We ended up putting a small mattress on the floor and "camping in" her room until she passed out. I kept a pillow and a blanket in there so I could fall asleep if I was exhausted. It worked. After she got used to that we started sleep training. She didn't really need much "training" at night, it was mostly for naps.

Are you sure your LO isn't teething?

[lakecountrygal]

Well it's night 2 where he's only content touching me or knowing I'm right there.

@babylentilbean he's gotten all of his molars and we haven't had any issues when they are actually coming through. I also don't want him to think he can only sleep with me close by. We don't have an extra mattress laying around and I can't sleep on the floor. With everything going on my stress levels are so high that even sleeping in a bed is painful.

Tonight he wasn't really screaming so we did CIO and after an hour (flame all you want, but I needed to get stuff done for work) I caved and spent an hour snuggling him. Now we are back to him in his crib with me sitting next to it and he's totally content. I've actually told him that if he doesn't lay down I'm leaving, but I'm dreading the screamfest that will follow me leaving. I've had a migraine all afternoon and nothing has helped with it. I seriously can't parent anymore.

[fish8412]

Aug 10, 2015 21:37:25 GMT -5 lakecountrygal said:

Well it's night 2 where he's only content touching me or knowing I'm right there.

@babylentilbean he's gotten all of his molars and we haven't had any issues when they are actually coming through. I also don't want him to think he can only sleep with me close by. We don't have an extra mattress laying around and I can't sleep on the floor. With everything going on my stress levels are so high that even sleeping in a bed is painful.

Tonight he wasn't really screaming so we did CIO and after an hour (flame all you want, but I needed to get stuff done for work) I caved and spent an hour snuggling him. Now we are back to him in his crib with me sitting next to it and he's totally content. I've actually told him that if he doesn't lay down I'm leaving, but I'm dreading the screamfest that will follow me leaving. I've had a migraine all afternoon and nothing has helped with it. I seriously can't parent anymore.

If it isn't teething then he might be having separation anxiety.

[zandeela]

lakecountrygal, Could you try doing what you are doing (sitting by his crib), then every few nights move a little further away. It will take time, but may go easier if you don't want to CIO cold turkey. I did a version of CIO and LO did just fine in about 2 days.

We have had her waking up at night around 2-3am, but usually just needs me to walk in the room and hug her without picking her up, then she will lay down and go back to sleep. I don't know if she is having bad dreams or if it is her ears.

Good luck and let us know if you find something that works

[ellabee]

Ugh. I'm sorry you are struggling with sleep regression. That's the worst. .

I don't really have any tips for middle of the night wake ups but I'll make a few comments on the separation anxiety at bedtime.

I have noticed recently that when it's time for me to put E in her crib for bed she's been a lot more clingy and will sometimes cry when I leave the room.

For us, I found the following minimizes the separation protest:
-make sure she is really tired. If she woke up late from her nap, sometimes I push bedtime back by 15-30 mins. Sometimes just 15 minutes makes a difference. When E isn't tired enough she will stand up and cry when I leave the room.
- spend a good amount of time cuddling before I put her in her crib. I tell her it's quiet time before bed. I make it clear by repeating "quiet time then bed".
-once in the crib I say the same exact thing each night "goodnight, I love you, I'll see you in the morning, shhhh it's time for sleeping". After I say this I leave. She now knows that after I say that I don't come back in. We've found that it really helped her if we were consistent.

[Deleted]

Aug 11, 2015 8:27:19 GMT -5 zandeela said:

lakecountrygal, Could you try doing what you are doing (sitting by his crib), then every few nights move a little further away. It will take time, but may go easier if you don't want to CIO cold turkey. I did a version of CIO and LO did just fine in about 2 days.

We have had her waking up at night around 2-3am, but usually just needs me to walk in the room and hug her without picking her up, then she will lay down and go back to sleep. I don't know if she is having bad dreams or if it is her ears.

Good luck and let us know if you find something that works

This method is the sleep lady shuffle. My brother and SIL have had great success with this method. It's not a CIO. You will be in the room and each night you slowly move closer to the door until you aren't needed in their anymore.

[lakecountrygal]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will be trying the sleep shuffle one with the routine of what to say tonight.

We ended up CIO last night because I couldn't function anymore. He did somehow end up in bed with me though. He wasn't in bed when DH got home from work but was when we woke up this morning.

[Deleted]

Aug 11, 2015 15:07:42 GMT -5 lakecountrygal said:

Thanks for the suggestions. I will be trying the sleep shuffle one with the routine of what to say tonight.

We ended up CIO last night because I couldn't function anymore. He did somehow end up in bed with me though. He wasn't in bed when DH got home from work but was when we woke up this morning.

Do what you gotta do. Sleep deprivation is no joke. Good luck tonight. Hopefully this is all a phase and won't last much longer.

[lakecountrygal]

Thanks @babylentilbean!

I have no clue what happened tonight or if it was because of his late short nap. He's in bed didn't put up a fight just laid down and closed his eyes tonight. He did go to bed almost 2 hours later than normal but I didn't force bed either because I don't work tomorrow and he took such a late nap.

I would love it if the phase was short and it's over, however I don't think I'll be that lucky.

[lakecountrygal]

Tonight is back to square one and we were even extremely routine driven today. I'm sitting next to his crib and he's standing there screaming at me because he wants out.

[Deleted]

Whatever method you are choosing to use just be consistent. It takes time for them to adjust to it. Just make sure your consistent. That is the key.

[jtizzay]

Yes. Consistency. And wine.

We're not in a regression but it's something. She usually loves her nighttime routine and now it's the worst.

[lakecountrygal]

Bump for those dealing with sleep regression!