How to stop 18m old waking at 4/5am and screaming bloody murder?

[candr]

My DS goes down to sleep fine and often wakes a few times during the night. Sometimes I go in, replace dummy and leave and he goes to sleep other times I leave him and he has a little moan before going to sleep but has recently started waking at 4/5am and will NOT go back to sleep.

Have tried calming, telling off, ignoring but DH is starting to loose his rag as he has to work so told me to not go in this morning and DS screamed with full on tantrum from 5 to 6.30 am.

I can hear everything through wall so knew he was safe/ not choking etc and he fell asleep after tantrum but I can not bear to keep doing this and is not fair on neighbours either.

DH does not want DS to come into our bed as feels this is what caused the problem and he has got to the stage where even if I bring him through he won't settle and wants to get up. Any advice welcome as am at breaking point.

My ds has a gro clock (changes to a sun on the screen when time to get up). But your DS may be too young for this.

I can relate to how you feel right now. It is very tiring. I always took DS into my bed. But I am a lone parent so no DH to moan about it.

I hope you get some helpful advice.

Good luck x

My DD was a bit like this at this age. Except she was wide awake between about 3am and 5am ... I think its molars plus they are about to get their language explosion ...

She came in my bed (and I let her watch In the Night Garden on my phone until she dropped off again). I didn't exactly get to sleep but I did at least get to lie flat with my eyes closed! DH was relegated to cushions in the sitting room ...

After a three weeks or so of this hell, the phase passed, and from that time DD pretty much slept through. I wouldn't worry about bringing him in bed with you, just do whatever you can to survive.

PS, is he thinking about dropping a nap?

You could try to put him to bed an hour later and see what will happen. I take my DD in bed with us around 5 am as she wakes up hungry, but we are trying to cut off night feeds and taking her in our bed helps, she cuddles and goes to sleep immediately.

Look what I found, sounds very promising
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/563178-calling-all-fellow-parents-of-early-risers-i-hardly-dare

For ages I have brought him into our bed and he went back to sleep till half seven or so but now if I bring him in he just cries and wants to get up and start the day. We got rid of night feeds at about 12m so really don't want to start giving milk at 5am again.

He naps most days from 1-2 but never later than half 2 and he goes to bed at 8pm most days anyway so really don't want to make it later.
He has nearly all teeth and no sign of teething for molas yet and is quite good at screaming 'mummy up NOW' on repeat at 5am.
He was a bit better this morning after we let him scream it out the day before and woke at 6 which is a bit more humane. Am so fed up of having the 'crap' sleeper and am really worried how I will cope in a few months when DC2 is born as DS is such a light sleeper I know he will wake everytime baby wakes.