20 month old sleep regression? Or piriton?

[Ragoo]

Hi,

My 20 month old had been a perfect 7/7 sleeper from about 8 months till 18 months.

Started waking and learned to self soothe a couple of months ago.

Now, the last two weeks he's been waking up anywhere randomly through the night, initially crying and would only settle in our bed (this has happened 3 times)

However the last two nights he's started standing up in his cot wide eyed. Just standing there, no crying. He just literally stands up for ages. If he's brought into our bed he will sleep instantly.

We built his toddler bed ready to try tonight (had to wait for a new window lock to come so we could ensure his window was locked after the last one broke)

Has anyone got any tips? I'm glad he's settling even if it's in our bed but I'm 8 months pregnant so it's a little uncomfortable and I'm worried about it becoming a habit which the last 3 nights it has but we had to protect our sanity and couldn't see him cry endlessly or stand up waiting for us.

This all started since he was given piriton syrup, he's had some quite epic tantrums and is become really tired at random times and frustrated. I was wondering if there could be a link? I googled and seen some children struggle sleeping on piriton.

We've stopped that for now and will be speaking to pharmacist about another antihistamine today

Any help appreciated x

Antihistamine is supposed to make children sleepy, not the other way around.

I wouldn't swap to a bed, it will almost certainly create you many, many more problems than it solves. Wait until around 3rd birthday for a bed.

In terms of solving this, it's a behaviour issue not a sleep issue. Two specific things you need to teach baby.

• Develop independence of movement
• Develop the ability to follow instructions

If you haven't already, stop lying your baby down in the cot. Always, every time put him in standing up, tap the mattress and tell him to lie down.

Further develop independence of movement during the day - never do anything he can do for himself without help. He should be able to climb onto sofa himself, climb upstairs himself (you behind for safety), climb off the sofa or off your bed, climb onto dining chair - and so on. Completely stop doing all of these things for him. Don't lift him onto the sofa or chair, or carry him upstairs. And at bedtime, never lie him down - he needs that autonomy to do it himself every single time.

Next instruction following. Practice this constantly during the day. Put this in the bin, take this into the kitchen, bring me the ball, take this to Daddy, come up here for a cuddle (sofa), touch your toes/arms/ears etc. All of these sorts of things he will understand, even though he cant communicate them with words himself.

These then come together at bedtime. Put into cot standing up, tap mattress, tell him to lie down, praise when he follows instructions. Stay nearby until he settles. You will probably have to keep on repeating over and over again. He stands up, you give a firm "No! Its sleep time, lie down", tap mattress and tell him to lie down. Over and over like a broken record.

Anti-hystamine does indeed lead to wakefulness / hyperactivity in some children so personally I would place my money on it being that rather than a sleep regression. Best of luck. I’m full of awe - I have yet to manage a 7-7 night with my 5 year old!

"Further develop independence of movement during the day - never do anything he can do for himself without help. He should be able to climb onto sofa himself, climb upstairs himself (you behind for safety), climb off the sofa or off your bed, climb onto dining chair - and so on. Completely stop doing all of these things for him. Don't lift him onto the sofa or chair, or carry him upstairs. And at bedtime, never lie him down - he needs that autonomy to do it himself every single time.

Next instruction following. Practice this constantly during the day. Put this in the bin, take this into the kitchen, bring me the ball, take this to Daddy, come up here for a cuddle (sofa), touch your toes/arms/ears etc. All of these sorts of things he will understand, even though he cant communicate them with words himself."

@FATEdestiny thanks for the reply, he completely understands instructions and is incredibly independent, just having some trouble with waking in the night the last couple of weeks. Stopped his antihistamine so will update on progress.

I don't think it's behavioural, but I'm conscious of putting him in our bed and creating bad habits after such a good run of 12 hour sleeps.