Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

16 month old suddenly hysterical at bedtime

4 replies

GinnelsandWhippets · 21/07/2014 22:36

My 16 month old DS has suddenly (last few nights) started crying hysterically after being put to bed. He was put down tonight at 7.30pm and is still going now at 10.30pm. Me & Dh have been up every few minutes with milk, cuddles, stories, songs etc. As soon as we go in and pick him up he stops crying like a switch has been flipped. He doesn't want to be held - just wriggles out of our arms. He just wants to play. I tried doing shhh-pat, rocking him in my arms, sitting quietly in the dark. Nada. He just wants to play. We can hear him on the monitor settling down and getting sleepy, then he just starts up again like he's really fighting sleep. What can we do? He's always (thankfully) been a good sleeper, and so is DS1 so this is a bit of an oddity. I don't want to leave him to cry, but what do you do with a child who tries to leap out of your arms when you cuddle, but then tantrums when you put them down? If i put the light on and played he'd be happy as larry, but rubbing his eyes and yawning like crazy. And of course sleep begets sleep, so the longer this goes on for the worse it will get (at least in my experience). Any ideas?

OP posts:
MsBug · 21/07/2014 22:56

Could it be separation anxiety? Dd gets like this sometimes and I have to sit and sing to her while she goes to sleep.

GinnelsandWhippets · 22/07/2014 14:03

Yes, I think that might be it. But he won't tolerate being held, sung to etc. He just cries until he's let down to play on the floor, or until we get some books out. Grr.

OP posts:
rootypig · 22/07/2014 14:10

Ime of DD (21mo), if I just let her play then she'll succumb more easily. Since you already have 3 hours+ of battle, I think you have nothing to lose by trying it. Differentiate from daytime play by keeping him to his room, really restricting what he has to play with, and keeping lights as low as possible. Sit there with him and don't say much or interact, other than occasionally reminding him that it's bedtime. Then try putting him down every 20-30 minutes.

We've had a couple of sleep blips like this and they don't seem to last long, less than a week. I never leave her to cry - I don't want to exacerbate any anxieties she has.

MsBug · 22/07/2014 14:42

Could it also be that he's not tired enough? If so then either cut down on naps or try a slightly later bedtime.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread