Separation anxiety and sleep?

[JacqueslePeacock]

My DS is 11 months and has never been a good sleeper but for the last week has become truly dreadful. He has started waking up several times a night really howling and wailing, and throwing himself backwards out of my arms if I pick him up. He takes a good 1-2 hours to resettle (!) and that's followed by low-level moaning and occasional crying in his sleep for at least an hour, followed by another howling wake up not long after.

I thought it was teething (although no sign of any new teeth) and have been giving Calprofen, but now I'm wondering if it could be related to separation anxiety as he has just started his settling in sessions at nursery. He's been checked for ear infections, and doesn't seem to be in any pain during the day, so I really am at a loss. We're all desperately sleep-deprived - on Wednesday none of of us really got to sleep before 5.30am and last night wasn't much better.

Does anyone have experience of separation anxiety causing sleep problems? Or any other suggestions of what might be wrong?

I've been wondering the same recently - my nearly 11 month old has been getting progressively worse at night (and quite clingy in day, although she's mega tired from her bad nights so it could be that, vicious cycle and all that) and now not even a breastfeed at night will calm her down - she is awake for AGES after a feed, grizzly, angry singing to full on screaming. I don't recall anything similar with DC2, but I do seem to remember DC1 going through a bad phase around the 10-12 month age.

I think it could just be a case of seeing it through - it will pass (I hope!!)

Oh that is comforting, thank you! The awake for ages thing is definitely similar (although did you really mean angry SINGING?? If so, wow!). Gosh I desperately hope it passes soon though as I go back to work full-time tomorrow.

Well, we had a slightly better night last night, thank goodness - but he woke up twice seemingly in pain with wind! Lots of wailing and then a whole series of farts. Can it really be wind that's bothering him so much in the night??