Screaming before bed- help please...

[Shatteredmamma1]

Dear sleep experts !!!
Ok. We need help. DS is over 8 months
now, and bedtime has become an Issue.

He will ( usually) self settle for naps in the
day. We have the same bedtime routine
every day- bath at 6, bottle 6.30 in his
nursery, quick story and same song every
night. Then in cot awake, night night and
I leave. Some nights now he can scream
for 45 minutes or more. I pop back in
every 5-10 minutes if the crying is getting
worse, but sometimes it doesn't seem to
help. I will pick him up initially to calm him
down, then pat/shh leave again. Sometimes
though I have to keep patting him until he
falls asleep.

What am I doing wrong? He perfectly well
knows how to self settle and can do so
sometimes, and usually for naps. Help!!! I
had wondered if overtired but he hasn't done
the 4pm catnap for a good while now.
(Last nap ends between 3-3.30 now).
Help please!!! Thanks ;)

Isn't 8 months when babies develop separation anxiety? Wonder if this is affecting him?

Not much help, but bound to be other threads about how to cope.

Thanks Emma. Yes could be that I guess!

Although he doesn't get it in the day?

I seem to remember the same thing with dd at that age. Used to really upset me. I would say you're doing nothing wrong just stick with your great routine and it will pass all of a sudden.

Oh thanks Cnix. Nice to hear that someone
Has had the same thing. It is upsetting isn't
it! Fingers crossed it does pass soon. Thanks
for the reassurance

Also Cnix how did you settle your DD?
Keep popping in to try and settle or leave
her crying? Just wondered if you found
anything that worked.

don't know if this helps but we have similar thing but DS is almost 16mo (just about to post my own sob story...) but don't worry it hasn't always been like this..so there is hope!
He now screams and cries when I put him in his cot whereas until a few weeks ago he used to settle on his own quickly and happily, although I was always in the room, just sitting by his cot. Was almost at the stage of putting him down and leaving the room when it all went pear shaped. No idea what has changed, I think there is an 18mo sleep regression and I think separation anxiety can peak around this time so maybe its a bit of both.
I think that the answer - for both of us - is just stick to your good routine and before you know it they'll change again and it'll be something else that is driving us to distraction and this little stage will all be forgotten ;-)

Haha flipflops - I expect you are right!
Each time something improves something
else comes along!! Thanks for your advice
and hope your LO improves quickly too.