Toddler screaming

[7dayslater]

DS 20 months has been excellent at going to sleep since we did a gentle form of sleep training when he was 14 months.

He has a good bedtime routine of which he used to love, and would go to sleep by himself with no tears.

This past week every bedtime (and when he naps) when we leave his room he screams blue murder. We keep going up & comforting him but he cries persistently before eventually going to sleep whilst being sung to / stroked. It can go on for over an hour, it's really exhausting & I feel terrible as he gets so upset.

Has anyone else had an experience like this or any advice?

At this point I wouldn't leave the room to begin with. I would just stay until he dropped off. And then in a few weeks say something like "I'm just going for a wee" then leave and come back. Each night "just go" and do something but make the task slightly longer. It sounds like he has separation anxiety and just needs the comfort right now. Whenever my son has this I stay whilst he needs me then get back to not staying by doing what I mentioned above. Good luck!

My little one has never been a good sleeper unless co-sleeping - he is 17 months and has recently been waking up screaming. Out of interest what sleep training method did you use?

Sorry for my late response, I've had the flu. Fortunately he's been sleeping much better - so I presume it was just a temporary regression.

I didn't use a specific method. We co-slept until he was 14 months, so it was a case of gradually moving DS into his own space & removing his sleep association with me / breastfeeding. It took 2/3 weeks but he's slept fairly consistently since.