16 month old sound sleeper, suddenly won't go to bed, why? anyone had the same?

[Gemzooks]

DS has slept really well, sleeping through the night since around 6 months, totally happy to go to bed and for naps. The last 3 days he has suddenly started screaming as soon as he's left. Can anyone suggest why? He's been crying for about an hour before going down (with us going in every 5-10 mins and tucking him back in). He's not ill and we checked other things like nappy etc. But doesn't wake up in the night itself.
Please reassure me it won't go on for ever! He's not scared of the cot or his room or anything...

is he over tired?

sometimes bringing bedtime forwards by a few mins is all that is needed

We had this on and off with our DS from about that age. A couple of times I think it was separation anxiety - he used to be fine if we stayed in the room with him, but as soon as we left he'd scream blue murder. When it seemed to be that then I would sit in the doorway with my book until he fell asleep - tedious, but it worked.

Then he went through a phase where NOTHING helped - not singing, not staying in the room, nothing. And in the end we just had to leave him to it - he always calmed down much quicker if we didn't go in to him though, as every time we went in it seemed to get him more worked up. He normally stopped after about five or six minutes of crying, and then he'd stop doing it altogether in about three or four days. I felt that going back in the whole time perpetuated it, if you see what I mean.

I don't know if that helps, but I know sometimes it feels like these phases are going to go on forever, but it won't last. honest!

Do you read him a story at all before bed? My sister has had this same problem...she would lie with her lo on her bed and read him a story. He loved this for months and then started screaming as soon as she put him down. She now still does the same but also reads him another story when he is in his cot and this has seemed to do the trick!!

thanks! I feel mean now cos I left him for 5 mins, then went in and calmed him, then went out, and after crying pitifully after 8 mins (I was going to wait till 10) he went to sleep..

I think it might be separation anxiety as he was left for the first time on Tues with a childminder, just for a few hours while I had a job interview, and he couldn't nap there and was upset as it was all unfamiliar.. Now I've been offered the job and worried about leaving him in a nursery or whatever! 3 days a week, as that could affect him even more. oh dear!

Changes like going into childcare can upset them, especially if it's at an age where separation anxiety starts to set in anyway. DS went to nursery at 1 when I started work and his sleep was all over the shop for a little while, but he soon settled down again and is very happy at his nursery now. My advice would be to ride it out gently, it won't last.

HTH