Had the perfect sleeper - and now it's a nightmare

[Peachykeen89]

I was that parent that had the new born that only had one night waking when we brought home ds. And before he was 4 months he was sleeping through the night not a peep. Has been that way up until about 6 weeks ago.

Ds has just turned 17 months and for the last 6 weeks he goes down to bed lovely at bedtime (6:30 -7) and then just wakes up sporadically screaming. He has always had a dinner bath and bed routine which starts at 5 and nothing has changed. He has some teeth coming through but has never suffered with them. We give him Ashton Parsons regardless at night time just in case. But ultimately he stops screaming as soon as you go in and he asks for a cuddle. We are quite hardy parents and adopted controlled crying and self soothing from quite a young age so we know he can do all of these things.

He is a very active little boy that still has 2 naps a day because he's still tired enough for them and mostly asks to go for them. So he naps at 10 and then again at 2:30. Collectively during the day his naptime can range from 45 minutes - to 2 hours. He used to nap beautifully for 1.5 hours each time but he never goes down nicely at all now during the day.

We have had to change his cot to a toddler bed as he could climb out of the cot. But he has taken to his bed beautifully. This has been in the last few days.

As I write this I am reaching the end of my tether. Last night he went to sleep at 6 as he refused to nap yesterday afternoon but couldn't keep his eyes open. Then was awake at 8:00, 9, 10:30 - 1, 4:30 And then up at 7:30. This was awful, we do not bring him out if his room, he has never co-slept with us and won't be starting now. We keep everything dark. We only go in if he is actually crying not just whinging.

Last night we noticed he kept rubbing the back of his head frantically - And shaking his head like it was hurting. So we gave him some Neurofen as he does have some teeth coming through and figured it was that?

Honestly, I don't know how much longer we can keep this up for, I feel so down about it :( and I just don't know what to do or how to help him.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Unfortunately whilst nothing in his routine has changed, he has changed. The naps, the sleep- never consistent. I’d personally switch to one longer nap after lunch.
Also what happens when he wakes, he is hungry?

[Peachykeen89]

We have considered this as on his own sometimes he does one nap and sometimes he does two. Only problem is he never elongated his naps. So then he will only nap 30 mins after lunch and is overtired for bed time and thus the cycle begins again :(. We have never offered him food - he is a very good eater. But we have begun offering him so water and he will drink it.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Sorry when I said hungry I meant a bottle of milk. Used to soothe my LO back to sleep.

[Peachykeen89]

Oh really? Yeah we haven't tried that - he drinks about 8oz before bed and still drinks it all so possibly something to try thank you :)

[Findahouse21]

I thu k you need to cut down to one nap but be consistent with it for a couple of weeks to see the benefit.

[purringpaws]

Consider an ear infection or similar. That makes lying down very painful.

Spend some time trying to work out his different cries. Hungry / pain or ill/ angry/ upset
It might help working out the issue.

Maybe he needs help sorting out a longer single post lunch nap. What happens if you are in the car, does he sleep longer,

Has anything else changed in his world ?

[Peachykeen89]

@purringpaws

Consider an ear infection or similar. That makes lying down very painful.

Spend some time trying to work out his different cries. Hungry / pain or ill/ angry/ upset
It might help working out the issue.

Maybe he needs help sorting out a longer single post lunch nap. What happens if you are in the car, does he sleep longer,

Has anything else changed in his world ?

He doesn't sleep in the car full stop. Never has, nor in the buggy. He has always needed his proper sleep space to sleep.

This cry is a very very upset one. Lots of real tears and running nose. I did think about an ear infection but wouldn't there be other symptoms? And he stops as soon as we go in

[peachgreen]

Cut down to one nap - it'll lengthen over time. Give Calpol or Nurofen for teething pain - the teeth that come through later on are much more painful - DD had no issues with teething as a baby but as a toddler she's really suffered. Check for an ear infection. Otherwise you're doing all the right things, stay consistent and it will pass.

[Peachykeen89]

I should probably mention that he does baby signing so actually tells us when he is hungry, thirsty, tired etc. Which i guess makes it easier but also a tad harder because we can primate lots of things but have not many other reasons?

[Peachykeen89]

@peachgreen

Cut down to one nap - it'll lengthen over time. Give Calpol or Nurofen for teething pain - the teeth that come through later on are much more painful - DD had no issues with teething as a baby but as a toddler she's really suffered. Check for an ear infection. Otherwise you're doing all the right things, stay consistent and it will pass.

Thank you :)

[ScarMatty]

As above PP said, babies change and it could be for a variety of reasons.

I never let things like this stress me out otherwise you'll just be stressed all the time.

Sometimes they sleep, sometimes they don't.

[purringpaws]

Wishing you a quick passing of this phase.

It's so tricky and I totally get the pain- my second child was like this. Better now at 8 😊

[Leomoon]

I’ve been going through something similar with my 14 month old and he’s dropped to one nap. Took about 2 weeks for him to elongate his naps and now does 2.5 hours after lunch. Good luck I know it’s hell

[Peachykeen89]

Thanks guys! Perhaps it's transition time