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Original poster

My ds has started going hysterical when hes put down for the night please help!!

19 replies

prawnsmum · 11/05/2007 20:09

my son is almost 9 months old hes never really been a good sleeper during the day (will only sleep in his buggy) but was always fine at night. His routine has been the same for months now - bath bottle then put in his cot, usually awake and went to sleep on his own no problem. Now since last Sunday night hes going totally crazy (screaming his head off!) as soon as he's put down and takes anything up to an hour of going in and out to calm him down until he's finally so exhasted he falls asleep.
has anyone else had this problem? Is it a development thing? any tips would be much appreciated as I really hate to see him in such a state every night- its braking my heart!

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Original poster
prawnsmum · 11/05/2007 20:11

forgot to say he has his bath at 7 so is in bed by about 7.30

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Seona1973 · 11/05/2007 20:16

I remember my dd being like this when she was 9 months old (she is now 3 but thats how memorable the madness was!!). It is supposed to be developmental but try to keep to your usual routine and it will pass.

purpleturtle · 11/05/2007 20:17

Ds2 has been a bit like that recently. He'll be 9 months next week. I think part of it is developmental - something to do with separation anxiety IMO. He's worked out that you and he are 2 separate beings, and that means he understands he's being left alone.

That said, after having to cuddle him to sleep before putting him down for a good few weeks now, I just couldn't face it on Monday, and I zipped him into a growbag (which I'd discarded a little while ago when I thought it was waking him at night). He went straight off like a little angel. Has done every night since, and goes straight through till 7am.

Of course, I feel a bit guilty about not using the growbag all along, but hey ho!

Original poster
prawnsmum · 11/05/2007 20:23

glad that its passing for you purpleturle its good to know that other people are going through similar things and its not just me thats doing somthing wrong!!. Thanks seona i'll keep everything as normal was beginning to wonder if i was putting him down too late.

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Original poster
prawnsmum · 12/05/2007 19:54

was much easier tonight!! stayed in the room with him for about ten mins till he feel asleep didnt talk to him but he could see me so I think it might be seperation anxiety. Dont know if i've made things worse instead of leaving him but he's sleeping soundly without getting into a state and im sitting with a glass of wine feeling relaxed instead of a horrible mother letting her baby cry!!!fingers croosed tommorow is the same !!!

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purpleturtle · 12/05/2007 19:55

I think the theory is that you stay for a shorter time each evening, and eventually you won't have to stay (any longer than you want to, anyway).

Enjoy your evening!

BandofMothers · 12/05/2007 19:57

Prawnsmum I started this thread a few days ago.
Maybe it's just something they do.
Saying that she is settling better since a tooth cut thru a couple days ago.

Original poster
prawnsmum · 12/05/2007 20:05

bandofmothers they sound identical!!! must just be a stage they go through its just so hard listening to them cry when you know that they are just so tired!! lets hope it passes quickly
feels better knowing i'm not alone!!

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BandofMothers · 12/05/2007 20:09

It freaked me right out. Her cry was like a hysterical screach, like she was in pain, think she was just outraged not to be fed/cuddled to sleep. Anyway the tooth cut thru, now she's settling ok again. So it could be a tooth.
You are not alone tho. She didn't do it long, less than a week, and she settled after having teetha granules and lots of pats, and sometimes a bf
I couldn't just let her scream either

ChocolateFace · 12/05/2007 20:13

Would it help if you held his hand through the cot an lay down on the floor?. Obviously you don't want to be doing this forever, but after a few nights you could move further away. At 9 months old my DS would throw up out of fear when we left him, and this worked for us. Even when he settled well a few months later, I had to sit outside his bedroom so he didn't hear me walking away.

Original poster
prawnsmum · 12/05/2007 20:17

thats exactly what his cry was like! I've never heard him so high pitched but as soon as he was picked up he was actually smiling and laughing so I new it was nothing serious. Im hoping thats the worst over with now- he did go down really well tonight compared to the last week so fingers crossed!

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BandofMothers · 12/05/2007 20:23

they do go thru a clingy stage about this age too, altho this sleep thing came afterwards. I think they just become more aware.
Hope it's worse over too.

Original poster
prawnsmum · 12/05/2007 20:23

will try that cf i staying in the room with him worked well tonight so i'll keep going with that till he seems more settled

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Original poster
prawnsmum · 12/05/2007 20:24

yeah like they don't want to miss out on something!!!

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BandofMothers · 13/05/2007 10:31

funnily dd2 seems to settle better if i leave the room. She seems to be more affronted if I am in the room, not picking her up
How did it go???

cathcart · 13/05/2007 22:01

dd is doing this now and she is only 3.5months, seems to be getting worse at the mo. feed, she falls asleep and when i put her down she SCREAMS. if i put her down awake she works herself into a state aswell. she is now starting to do this after her night feeds to. just don't know what to do for the best. sorry no help to you prawnsmum, but it sounds like you are starting to get him back on track.

Original poster
prawnsmum · 14/05/2007 09:09

was so much better last night hardly cried at all so I think (don't want to jinx things!!) it may have been a little phase!! Dont want to speak to soon we'll see how things go tonight!!
Cathcart he did this to at around three months (i think!) I tried putting him down earlier and within a couple of nights he was fine again so maybe if you can you could try that- even by as little as 15 mins she may be a tiny bit overtired? might not be that but worth a try

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BandofMothers · 14/05/2007 09:11

Glad it's going ok, and hope you haven't jinxed it

Original poster
prawnsmum · 14/05/2007 09:32

known my luck i probably have
the weather is great today so im going to take him out see if the fresh air makes him tired tonight!!

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