12mo FINALLY sleeping through but bedtime now gone to sh*t?!

[Mull]

Hi,

DS has never been a terrible sleeper but there always seemed to be a reason for him to wake at least once a night - ill from ear infections, teething, learning to move and getting stuck etc etc. However, touch wood, he finally seems to have 'got it' and, for the last 3 weeks, has been sleeping roughly 7.30 til 6.30. Yay!

But, and maybe this is a coincidence, he is getting really upset at bedtime and it is taking up to an hour to settle him. He has been brilliant at settling himself at bedtime for months so I really don't get what is going on.

His daytime naps are a bit all over the place, he is sometimes still having two but sometimes just one longer one around lunchtime. This doesn't seem to make any difference to how he goes to bed.

Anyone had a similiar experience or have any suggestions? I am truly grateful that he is sleeping better at night but I just can't help feel I'm getting it wrong when he was so good at going to bed until recently.

Thanks.

How old is he? If it's somewhere between 6-12 months, I would guess at seperation anxiety playing a part. He might realise all of a sudden that when he goes to bed, that means that you go away. Previously, it was a case of out-of-sight, out-of-mind - if you weren't there, he didn't necessarily realise you might be around somewhere. Now he knows you're still around somewhere even when he can't see you, IYSWIM.

Oh duh, you say he's 12 months.

Other than the separation anxiety theory, I would guess that maybe he doesn't need 2 sleeps a day any more. What happens if you try and stick to one nap every day for a week or so - would he go for that or is he one of those (mythical?) babies that will just conk out whenever and wherever if he's tired?

Thanks for the reply. I agree sticking to the same routine for a certain amount of time is a starting point. He is a bit all over the place when at the CM but I'm off for a couple of weeks after Weds so I can focus on giving him one good nap a day.

I'm not sure about separation anxiety. I think we went through that around 7mo but he doesn't seem to be affected (at least I don't think so).

DD is 13mo and last week was ridiculously shouty at bedtime. I eventually cracked and tried CC (after trying to get her to bed for nearly two hours one night) and it worked. She now has a bit of a shout and then lies down and goes to sleep, usually by 6.45pm (any later and she's too tired to settle at all). She's also in the process of moving from two naps to one in the middle of the day.

She doesn't go through the night yet though :(.

Not sure of the point of my post TBH, other than to show some understanding as I have no advice to offer!

Hmm I have been wondering about an earlier bedtime. Maybe if he is consistently only having one nap maybe he will need a slightly earlier bedtime for a bit? I think maybe the timing of his bedtime must be wrong otherwise I really haven't a clue what he can be shouting about?

Yes, I agree that if he's only having one nap, an earlier bedtime may help.