21 month sleep regression?

[dippywhentired]

My DS has been a good sleeper for the last few months, bar the odd bad night when ill/teething. Up until we went on holiday a couple of weeks ago. He was still going to bed ok but woke at least once most nights (some nights were terrible). Since coming home, he is napping fine in the daytime, but is taking about 1 1/2 hours to fall asleep at night. He screams, calls for me, asks for me to rub his back, gets hysterical.

I've tried giving him a cuddle and putting him down again, I've tried staying with him for a few minutes rubbing his back, tried getting cross, tried a night light in case he's suddenly scared of the dark. All to no avail. Eventually he seems to give in and go to sleep, but as my DH is away and I have 2 older DC to deal with too, I'm finding evenings really stressful.

Googling brings up lots of stories of sleep regression around this age, but whilst saying they need reassurance, all the sites say not to get into bad habits while the regression lasts.

So, what do I do? I don't want to get into the habit of staying with him while he falls asleep, as he's been fine chatting to himself and nodding off for ages now. Aaaagh, just when I thought things were getting easier as we moved out of the baby stage!

Sorry I can't write a longer msg as I'm currently dealing with a colic 3m old, but want to give you hope. My son had this exactly the same age and it lasted about 2 weeks and he went back to normal. He was as good as gold and a great sleeper, then just like that not going down, then waking in the night screaming, shouting you name it he did it and then all of a sudden it stopped just like that. We are now going through another stage of it at 2.10m because of new sibling and she has awful colic. I feel your pain it's bloody hard.. But there is hope and can just go off like a switch! You are doing everything right, it is just a stage you have to ride out x

Thank you! And good luck to you too - congrats on the new baby, hope the colic passes swiftly!

Have you tried dropping / shortening the daytime nap? A few friends had babies who dropped their nap before 2 - it's early but not unheard of.

I always wake him up by 3pm anyway, and he will usually have slept for 1 1/2 ish hours. I have tried waking him by 2.30 so he's more tired by bedtime but it made no difference. He doesn't have any trouble sleeping at that time so don't think he's ready to drop it (I'm not ready ) If it carries on, I could try it and see though

Identical to what we have just been through. It has lasted 2 months with us because, instead of setting firm boundaries, we gave in to her pleas to be in our bed/the screaming/the shouting (one evening I bit the bullet and did CC and it worked a bloody treat - it was all over with DD at peace in 20 minutes - but DH wouldn't let me do it again).

It is absolutely a mental development leap and unavoidable. I honestly feel CC is kinder than weeks and weeks of torment - for everyone.

Cutting DD's nap did not work in the slightest, in fact, I've noticed that the longer she naps at lunch the better quality of sleep we all get at night (sleep begets sleep when it is a mental development leap, I believe).

2 months! Oh my god, I hope DS doesn't go on for that long! It's good to hear it was just a phase though - did it just suddenly stop with your DD then? My DDs are now 8 and 6 and I can't remember either of them doing this, but maybe I have just blocked it out!

I tried CC last night - left him for 5 minutes, then 10 and then I caved and just sat in his room, with no interaction and he was asleep within 5 minutes. I need my DH to do CC and I have to go out as I hate it.

You did well, OP. Most importantly, your child doesn't remember a single bit of it in the morning.

P.s..I started with 3 minutes, then six and then 12.

Yes, it suddenly stopped one night with DD but I know I could've knocked this nonsense on the head a lot sooner.