Bedtime has turned into a battle ground which can last up to 2 hours

[yipeeforthesun]

DS is 20 months and used to just to go to sleep pretty easily at bedtime, for the last couple of months bedtime has just become a battle ground. Follow the same routine he has always had and he's happy with this then he gets into his cot and for anything up to the next 2 hours it will be us going in to settle, we leave the room and within about 5 mins he up standing at the end of his cot screaming the place down - it doesn't work just letting him cry - he just gets more and more worked up. Feel like I have tried everything and nothing is working. Does anyone have any tips? I'm exhausted tonight and so far bedtime has been going on for about an hour....
p.s for his lunch nap he is totally fine, put him in his cot and he's asleep in seconds, so why can't he do that at night. Have tried making the day nap shorter so he is really tired, but that makes no difference.

[EggyChick]

I do sympathise. Our DS did the same at about the same age. The only thing that worked was sitting with him until he fell asleep, usually took around 20 mins. He is now 2.2 and goes to bed cheerfully. No idea why it's suddently OK to go to bed now so I can only put it down to 'a phase'. Keep it consistent, comfort him and wait for it to pass.

[BlueBumedFly]

We started with bedtime issues at about 23 months. Turned out dd was scared of the dark as when I got an in-cot night lite that she could hold she was fine. It took a few nights to get used to the new routine but it worked like a dream.... Until the next thing I guess!

[Sidge]

We had this with DD3 at about 18 months.

Lasted a couple of months, then she went back to going to bed with no arguments.

It was wearing, I think we just did whatever we needed to do eg cuddles and sitting on the floor until she fell asleep.