Restless 18mo since new partner.

[Tillg99]

My son lives with me full time and stays at his dads Sunday night through to Monday.
He used to be a good sleeper, I would lay him down in his cot and he would self settle to sleep and wake up once or twice in the night. My new partner moved in around the same time as his 18 month regression and his sleeping got worse. He now is so restless and wakes up almost hourly and the only thing that will get him to sleep is drinking. Which means we go through about 5 nappies a night.
The best part of it all is he sleeps through at his dads. No bedtime fuss, no wake ups. I do exactly the same routine as him. So I really don’t understand. He’s so happy in the day, nap times are no issue at all. He loves my new partner and they play so nicely together. So I’m at a loss as to what’s the issue. He sleeps in a double bed with his sister at is dads so I upgraded his cot to a single bed here so he has more space. But that’s not helped. Could the change of a new partner in the house (it’s been 3 months) really be affecting him this much? He loves his dad, but cries to come home and see me. It’s all worrying me a little now because the last thing I want is him feeling insecure here. Help please 😭

Children do tend to react to change...but you can't let yourself freak out everytime they are.

Life is full of change...so the little changes they experience are to prepare them for the bigger ones.

The only thing I would ask is whether his bedtime routine changed once your partner moved in? Or did you keep it exactly the same?

Can he sleep with his sister? Or is she his dad’s child and not living with you?

Change does disruption children's sleeping. That doesn't mean the change is awful or bad for them or they don't like it. We are preparing to change ds bedroom. He hates change.

We know he will love his new bedroom, he does too. He has picked all the stuff for it. But I also know it will cause him some nights where he doesn't sleep so well. But his room needs doing out and changing.

Exactly the same. Only thing that’s different is my new partner is obviously around too.

@nimbuscloud

Can he sleep with his sister? Or is she his dad’s child and not living with you?

She lives with him. Both my children but my daughter doesn’t live with me full time.