18 month sleep regression?

[lg20590]

Our 17 month old has always been a pretty good sleeper - he would self settle for naps and at bed time and would mostly go through the night (if he did wake it would usually just take a dummy to be popped in and he would go straight back off).

However, the last two weeks have been hell! He now screams when we put him down for a nap or at night, and will not let me leave the room until he is fast asleep which takes at least 15 minutes of face stroking etc. He has then started waking and crying multiple times in the night, and is impossible to re-settle....his first wake up can be anywhere between 10pm and 12pm and then it is just a nightmare from then on. If I go in he will not let me leave the room and screams if I even move (he is slightly better for my husband but will always wake up again if he does manage to settle him), and it is ending up with us having to take him into our bed which results in no sleep anyway as he thrashes around and takes at least an hour or two to settle...then wakes again etc etc

What has happened?! He's not showing other signs of teething or being ill, he's having one nap a day and routine has stayed exactly the same (bed at 7 - 7:30)...any advice?

[lg20590]

Anyone?!

[Lilice]

Aww sounds tough @lg20590
Could it be separation anxiety? Has he got a cuddly toy in bed? What's your bedtime routine like?

[chocolatefudgecake157]

Hi, we are going through the same thing with our 19 month old. Started a couple of weeks ago and he's doing exactly the same as you've described. Prior to that had been an excellent sleeper. How are you getting on?

[Jannt86]

I hear you! You're not gonna like this but almost 22MO now and she's still the same. We stay with her until she goes to sleep but minimal interaction (a hand on the chest if she wants it but NO talking) we put her back in her own bed but stay with her if it's before 4amish. After that she can come in our bed because it's just not worth the battle. No words of advice really except I wouldn't play around with routines too much as it's not really making a difference for us. We're going to try sticking to 6:30am wakeup and bed by 7:30 and try getting a nap in after lunch. The thing that we have found helped most so far is a good chunk of wind down time just before bed where we tidy toys up then have snuggles and milk and books with the light dimmed. It doesn't stop her needing us there to fall asleep though just stops her messing about as much. I think they just get to this age and have a bit of a cognitive leap and learn that they can control us mere mortals with their behaviour good luck xx

[Jannt86]

PS 15 minutes I would take that tbh. It's been 2 hours for us sometimes!!