Question that's probably been asked since the dawn of time. DS is 13 months. Always been a terrible night sleeper. He has a nap in the day usually from around 12pm until 1:30pm. We put him in his cot around 7/7:30 with his milk & he falls asleep alone. Usually he wakes around 10pm (crying) so we give him another couple of ounces which sends him off to sleep (usually). Quite often he wakes again, always the same, crying or screaming. Instead of feeding him I've tried sitting next to him & sushing, patting his back etc. he just becomes inconsolable & wants to be picked up. Thing is once he's picked up he wants to go downstairs. I have done this before usually for around an hour then settled him back down. I have had a feeble attempt at sleep training but it's failed because he almost makes himself sick from crying/screaming & then coughing so hard. He has a night light, white noise.
He never just wakes in the night chattering, it's always straight to screaming & crying. I know he's little & it could be anything from teething, to a bad dream to having the sudden realisation it's dark & he's alone & just wants comfort. Any ideas I've not thought of would be most welcomed.