15mth old won't go to sleep at night - please help!

[bloominnorah]

My DS has been so easy to get to bed at night but in the last couple of weeks its all gone pear-shaped! I used to be able to put him in the cot awake and he would fall asleep 5 mins later on his own.

Thats all changed now, he's become very clingy and will only fall asleep if he is cuddling into me or DH. If he's not fully asleep when I put him in his cot he opens his eyes and screams the place down.

Tonight I decided I'd had enough so I put him in his cot and just went through to him every now and then to sooth him with a quick cuddle. (he screamed blue murder each time I left him) He finally fell asleep an hour later.

Is this just a phase or can anyone advise what I should do?

If he is like this tomorow night I would do the same as you did tonight tbh....he will soon get the hang of it. Dd2 is 14 months and has gone to bed without a problem since she was 12 weeks old so am hoping that this is not going to happen to her!!!!!

Thanks for that K999, maybe its just reassurance I need that I did the right thing tonight. Found it heartbreaking listening to him cry but unless there's a different solution to this then I have to grin and bare it.

I'm pretty sure he thinks cuddling in is a much better way to go to sleep so he's got me wrapped round his finger!

Hope your DD2 doesn't change - DS was always a great sleeper and in bed by 7pm!

Hi,

This sounds like my ds 4 months ago. He was 10 months and stopped, all of a sudden, going to sleep in his cot and would cry and cry for ages. One night last week, out of the blue (after having cuddled him to sleep for past 4 months!) he decided he wanted to be back in his cot again, and he's asleep in about 15 mins.

Its probably just a phase . oh, how I hated hearing that, but how true it is! I've noticed that his separation anxiety has got a bit better too now (can nip upstairs unaccompanied sometimes now, yipee!)

I tried leaving ds to cry and going in every couple of minutes but we both just got more upset, I couldn't do it, so I put a chair in his room and we cuddled him to sleep which was v quick and painless. He was happy and so were we, though do feel am wrapped round his finger at times also! Just do what you feel is best for you and your ds, what you feel most comfortable with. I did worry I was making a "rod for my back" cuddling ds to sleep, but I really don't think this has happened.
There's no right or wrong way to get through this and it will pass whatever you do, prob when your ds is ready!

hope your ds gets past this soon

Perhaps he's started to have bad dreams? DD is 18 months and has had some bad nightmares and sometimes get scared to be in bed on her own. We put a nightlight in and extended her bedtime routine and it seems (touch wood) to be working.

Thanks for your opinions guys, I don't think DS is having bad dreams mainly because once he is sleeping thats him till the morning (7.15 this morn)but hey who knows - this whole baby thing is a minefield of 2nd guessing yourself!

I'll see what he does tonight but as DH is away for the night, I might take the less upsetting option and cuddle him to sleep. Please god let this just be a phase!

hi why dont you try putting him in cot let him cry but each time u go through to him leave alonger period of time betwwen each trip start with 5 mins then 10 so on and so on i know its hell listening to them cry i was the same id do anything for my dd not to cry but in the end i had to let her cry and1st night she fell asleep after and hour 2nd took her 20 mins she is now 2 and falls asleep straight away i was so depressed wen she didn't sleep she was like that up till she was 16 months then i try'd the "controlled cryin method" and i swear by it now my friend had the same prob with her ds and now he falls asleep on his own when she put him to bed xx

doesn't work for every kid but anything is worth a try

Just wanted to let you know that bedtime went much better tonight. Cuddled DS as per usual bedtime routine, said nursery rhymes etc. Said night night, put him in his cot and left the room - no surprise that he screamed blue murder again...but only for 3 mins (I timed!) then silence. Checked on him 5 mins later and he was fast asleep. Yippeee, I must have had "mug" written on my head the last couple of weeks.

Yippee!!! Long may it last!