MY DS is 13 months old and has been a great sleeper since he was 6 months old - has bath and milk then goes into cot awake about 7.45 and i leave room immediately and when i check on him 10 minutes later he's asleep - up until 1 week ago he would stay there until he woke up about 7.15am.

It all changed a week ago - has started waking up during the night - anything from 1am/3am/5am to 4.30am/5.00am/5.30am/6.00am and tonight he woke up at 9pm.

I go into his room straight away and he is standing up screaming but goes quiet as soon as he sees me - i dont speak or put the light on - I just lean into him so he can feel me beside him, then immediately lay him down and give him his 'blankie' and he closes his eyes, rolls away from me, thumb in mouth and goes straight back to sleep again - takes no more than a minute but then it happens again a couple of hours later. Please help. xx

Prob nightmares? Or scared of the dark? You could try one of those mothercare plug in low lights - the ones that go in the sockets & glow all night.

But sorry - often nothing much will help.

You are doing all the right things and the fact that he settles so quickly means he's not really wide awake. Carry on with what you're doing and it'll pass - but who knows when

Good luck.

Thanks gagarin - hopefully will pass soon

Is he still in a cot, my 17 month old DS started doing the same, it was he way of telling me that his cot was not comfy for him anymore. He now sleeps in one of those ikea extender beds and sleeps like an angel now, goes to bet 7-730 and wakes about 6-630

I had a v similar thing with DD2. She slept through the night since 2 months so I was shocked and horrified when around 12 months she started waking and screaming, usually around 4am. When I went in she'd often be standing up in the cot, but sometimes still lying face down (which is how she sleeps). I'd lay her back down (or pat her if already down) give her back her muslin which she sucks with her thumb and she'd be back to sleep immediately. I carpet bombed the bed with muslins in case she was losing it, but that didn't help. All very well that she went straight back to sleep when I went in, but I'd often find myself unable to get back to sleep again and started to get knackered.

After 10 days or so, when I was on my knees with exhaustion, DH and I decided to be brutal. Part of the reason I'd been rushing in was because she shares a room with DD1 and I was worried DD1 would wake, but she never stirred. So DH and I gritted our teeth and left DD2 to cry a bit (harsh I know). First night it was about 10 mins, (which seems like HOURS at 4 in the morning!)then a few screams again about 15 mins later. Second night it was about 5 mins of screams. After that it became just a weird thing where she'd wake at about 4 am, let out one hideous blood curdling cry then that was it - she'd sleep until morning (whether or not I'd go back to sleep was another thing, but at least I didn't have to get out of bed). This would happen maybe three nights in a row, then three or 4 nights off. She's now nearly 15 months and (fingers crossed) it seems to have stopped. I don't know what the answer is, but I'm pretty sure that rushing stright in is not the best way forward. My guess is that it is common for babies to come into light sleeps throughout the night. Suddenly around this age they are so much more sentient and aware and can feel disorientated, I think they need to learn to re-settle without assistance if possible.

Please please please don't let DD2 do this to me tonight just because I've been confidently saying she's stopped it......

I was just about to post about the exact same problem when I came accross this thread! Apologies for the highjack! My DS2 is 13.5mo and has always been a very good sleeper (save for a 2 week period at around 8mo) even when ill/teething etc. The last 3 nights he has woken at 11.15, 10.30 and last night 4am. Each time it takes him about 2 hours or so to re-settle back to sleep. He wakes crying, I go in, lay him back down, shush and pat etc. He then dozes and tosses about but is only in a light sleep - if I attempt to leave the room he sits up and cries. Last night I was in his room trying to creep out the door for an hour when DH came in to take over. I went back to bed and DS2 screamed hysterically for me for a good 20 mins or so - DH was clearly unacceptable to him!! I gave him some milk and bought him into our bed where he eventually fell asleep (5.45).

There's nothing wrong with him if he can be calm just with me there - no milk, no calpol etc. I think he has anxious. I recently returned to work (April) but he's always been fine with the nanny, no tears about me leaving etc. Seems odd to have started now and just at nighttime?? Also I'm worried that he will develop more sleep problems if we "pander" to it. On the other hand leaving him will only increase his insecurity? Aaahh, don't really know how to handle this!