Screaming Through The Night

[LouisaJF]

My DS is nearly 1 and is usually a really good sleeper but in the last couple of weeks he's become a nightmare. He goes to bed without a problem but by 2am he is screaming like someone has chopped his leg off. I try to leave him but eventually he tries to clamber out of his cot and I have to go to him. I can settle him back down but 10 minutes later he starts again. I have had to resort to sleeping on the sofa bed with him just so I can sleep and he is fine them and will sleep for hours so I know there's nothing wrong with him.

He's a really happy content little soul through the day and is no trouble so I don't know where this has come from. Does anyone have any tips to make him sleep when he's not clinging to mummy?

Could be night terrors? My friend's little boy suffered with those really badly.

The waking in the night screaming could be that. I believe my friend spoke to her GP in the end.

I really hope not, poor little thing. It's never been a problem before and he doesn't have them once he's snuggled up with me.

Every few months he has a bad week of sleeping which I presume is development or a growth spurt but he always gos back to normal after a few days. This has gone on for a couple of weeks now and I don't know what to do for any of us to have a good nights sleep.

I hope that's not it too! But must admit am a bit puzzled - it seems strange that he goes to bed quite happily but wakes screaming. If he was playing up over going to bed I'd suggest sleep training of some sort but the waking thing makes me wonder if something disturbs him? He obviously then wants you for comfort, hence me wondering if a nightmare scared him rather than something physical being the issue. That said, it's also curious he always wakes at the same time.

The only other things I can think of are:
Is he maybe napping too long in the day, then waking up wanting you? You could shorten day time sleep a little?
Might he be hungry? If so you could up food in day and make sure he has some milk pre bed.
Might there be some noise or something at the same time every night (heating going on??) that disturbs him?

He also might have got his body clock reset to always wake at this time now. If you can rule out things disturbing him, then perhaps do try some sort of sleep training where you do go and give him a pat and re-settle, but don't chat or make eye contact or cuddle him to sleep, just let him know you are there but now is sleep time. I used "The Baby Whisperer" loads when my DD was little and it did work a treat as she was always difficult to settle. I'm sure other mums on here will have some great tips too.

And very good luck to you - I hope you can get a good night's sleep very soon!

That's great, thank you. I'm wondering with the change in the weather recently if he's cold. I might leave the heating on longer to see if that helps. I've got to be stricter with myself about picking him up, I'm making a rod for my own back.

We've never had a problem getting him to bed bit he's gone down even more peacefully than usual so fingers crossed! My back can't take another night on that sofa bed so I won't be caving in to that one tonight whatever happens.

Cold is a good idea too, didn't think of that one! It is ridiculously cold. Fingers crossed for you tonight!

Well, it's taken a while but we think we've got to the bottom of it. He's sleep walking (sort of, given that he can't actually walk yet). When I went to him I would always speak which I think jolted him out of his sleep. Now I go in silently and can move around in front of him but he doesn't seem to see me. I put his dummy in his mouth and have to put my hand behind him as he just collapses down onto the mattress fast asleep.

It's quite bizarre but the sleep 'walking' thing is the only thing Taft makes sense. He makes less noise now, he just gets up at the side of his cot and bangs. I have found him asleep on all fours with his bum in the air some mornings where I think he has been up at the sides and finally given up. Just got to work out how to get him out of this habit now!