2.5 year old waking and crying . Help me please!

[OutOfTime]

My 2.5 year old naps for 2h after lunch, and goes down to bed beautifully about 7ish. The problem is 9/10 nights he wakes crying his heart out anywhere between 12 and 4. The only way to stop him crying is to put him in bed with me and usually I can then put him back to bed. Although it's becoming more usual for him to sleep in with me.
I struggle to get back to sleep afterwards and the sleep deprivation is killing me! He has a dummy but often that's in his mouth when he's crying so don't think it's that?
Please someone help me I'm slowly going insane!

Could it be night terrors? I don't know much about them except my friends dd starting having them at that age.

We had something similar for a while, staring around 2.4 - my son would either wake I the night screaming and crying (although still half asleep), or would bang repeatedly on the door until went in. We still get the former sometimes, and I'm convinced he's actually still asleep - he's completely out of it and it's impossible to reason with him. The only thing we can do is lie down with him and cuddle until he calms down, but that can take up to an hour.

If you're sure he isn't waking because of the nap (2hrs is prob a bit longer than most 2.5yr olds would need) then all I can advise is that you try and hold your nerve - it will get better!

We set up a bed in our ds's room so we could resettle him very quickly without playing musical beds at night! It did stop after awhile.

Does he have a light on?

You could try a light with a timer - when light either in or off its morning.

I hadn't considered night terrors .. Poor baby!it is that sort of crying. He doesn't have a light on,has always gone down with door shut and no light on,he won't sleep anywhere else!
We have considered the nap being too long but we've experimented with the time and it makes bugger all difference and I'm desperate for that break after a broken night!
We're putting him into a bed soon so that will make it easier to settle him in the night without involving my bed!
I will keep repeating my mum mantra- this too shall pass!!
Thanks to all of you

Try this light - it's pennies to run and a good light - worth a try