What to do with DS 18 months

[lifeistooshort]

DS wasn't a great sleeper when he was a baby and didn't sleep through the night until he was 9 months. Apart from sickness etc...he has been fine every since.

We moved to a new house about three weeks ago and since then all hell has broken loose. The first night he wouldn't sleep in his bed because he was petrified. The week after that he was sleeping fine again. But since then it has been a nightmare, he screams when we put him in bed but then settles and sleep soundly for a few hours. Then he wakes up screaming and there is no settling him. Last night I managed to settle him by placing my hand on him, then removing it, then standing by his cot for 30mn. He did seem sound asleep when I tip toed out but 2 minutes later started screaming the place down.

Some days are worse than others and he is histerical and cannot be settled unless one of us sleeps with him in the double bed in his room.

I think he is anxious, but we are trying all we can to settle him. Now he is starting to find it hard to settle for his afternoon nap too...

Any suggestions? I am even more worried because we have guests for a fortnight and therefore no spare rooms and it will be a nightmare if DS screams everynight....

any pearl of wisdom anyone?

you've got my sympathy - I also have a ds (23m) and he seems to think sleep is for the weak he first slept through at 14 months and since we decorated our room and got a new bed 2 months ago, ds has been awful for sleep

As for your situation, can you move his bed into your room? or just give in and sleep in his room?

due to the guests coming, I think I'd move into his room a a while. Aiming to get him to sleep in his bed in his room with you in the double.

With a bit of luck, once the guests have gone, he'll be used to sleeping in his own bed and room and you can then move out again.

Good luck

don't know why I'm at him being awful for sleep - clearly the lack of it is getting to me!

clearly you are smiling because despite everything they put us through, they are very very cute!

Thank you for the reassurance (in a weird way it is comforting to know I am not the only one although obviously I am not relishing in your DS not sleeping).

I moving to his room for a bit might be a good idea, I did mention it to DH but he seemed to think it might be a bit inconvenient with all our stuff being in our room but I think it makes sense. DS seems so worried that we will leave without him, I really don't understand what has brought this on. I am usually quite strict with sleep etc...but you can just tell it is deep anguish so I don't want him to feel like this!

Every sympathy with you. DD was a great sleeper. We went on a lomg haul holiday last November (2008) on return she to used to wake up screaming. It took us 4 months to get her sleeping and throughout the year she wold intermittently wake up. She moved rooms this November and we are going through it again. She hates change of any sort whatsoever. Not sure what to suggest but you are not alone.

I also would let him sleep with you or move in with him for the fortnight. We run a B&B so we ended up on the sofa with her in the room next door for most of last Christmas when we had guests in.

Hi Five

Thank you for the advice. I know you run a B&B it is needahand here from the June 08 thread. I guess SJ is just like you daughter, doesn't like change and he also takes after me in the poor sleep category which I am sure doesn't help. A creaking floor board, toilet being flushed or something just wakes him.

I think we'll try sleeping in his room for a fortnight. That is what we did when we moved house last time. Perhaps this time, because he settled the second night, we underestimate the shock of changing surrounding.

Thanks again to both for reassurance. It just feels so helpless when you DS screams and screams and nothing seems to help (I just wish they made huge slings so that we could have him sleeping on our chest like when he was a baby!)