19mo sleep all over the place

[SammyNik]

Hi I am hoping someone can help me please. DS is 19mo and has always been a pretty good sleeper, self settling etc but in the last 2 weeks he has been a complete nightmare and I don't know what to try next nothing seems to work.

I'll give you a little background, 3weeks ago we went abroad on holidays and ds was great, routine out the window but he slept really well, no probs at all but he was only getting around 10.5-11hrs night sleep sometimes without a nap.

Now fast forward a week, we get home and he starts fighting bedtime, taking up to an hour to fall asleep constantly calling out for me or DH and getting upset if we didn't go straight back. Obviously we didn't leave him long but we wanted to see if he would self settle, most of the time he didn't and we had to go back to him numerous times before he dropped off. Then he started waking at random times in the night for anything up to 2hrs, not always crying in fact sometimes when I went to him he was asking to get up and wanted to play. I would do pd or just leave him until he got upset then go back. At first if he was awake in the night he would sleep in a bit in the morning but now he could be awake for 2hrs in the night and still be awake ready to start the day at 6-7am. On the few nights he hasn't woken he has then been awake ready to play at 5am

I am pretty sure he is OT, nap time is still good he will sleep for 3hrs if I let him but I have been waking him after 2hrs as it does seem to make bedtime a bit better, but he still wakes at night.

Here is a rough routine I have been trying to keep to

Wake - 6-7am or 5am if no night waking
Nap - he goes down easily anytime between 11.30-12.30 depending on wake up time and I wake him after 2hrs so 2.30pm at the latest
Bed - 6.30-7pm depending on nap time

A few extra bits of info (I'm desperate can you tell??!!) on holiday we shared a room and I do remember shushing him a few times if he cried out, DH thinks he may have got used to hearing us if he woke and is now wondering where we are but I make sure not to be in the room when he finally falls asleep at night. He has all the teeth he should have by now but I have been wondering if he might be getting his 2yr molars as he sometimes moans his mouth hurts during the day but I have tried giving pain meds before bed and again if he wakes but there hasn't been any difference to his sleep. I think that is probably more than enough info, sorry its so long and I am looking forward to any suggestions anyone has to offer

Niki x

[Colin Macs Mom]

Bumping up for you

[SammyNik]

Anybody? This is getting quite exhausting now, so any help would be much appreciated.

[*Vicki*]

Hey sweetie, sorry for such a delayed response 


What does he do when you go to him if he's fussing? Does he seem to be fussing because he is in pain, or does it seem like its for your attention?

Massive massive hugs sweetie, we will get to the bottom of this i promise  hang in there! 

[SammyNik]

Thanks so much for your reply. To answer your question, it seems to differ night to night, sometimes he is crying uncontrollably and I have to pick him up and hold him for quite a while and other times he is wide awake wanting to play, asking to get out etc. The last 2 nights haven't been too bad but he is sick so is extra tired, I'm kinda hoping this sickness will kick him back to his old routine.

[*Vicki*]

yes it may well do that.. kind of a double edged sword isnt it....

Hmmm do you say much to him when he wants to play?

The uncontrollable crying...its possible he may have started having dreams/nightmares...at this age they have so much going on in their little heads and no realy way to process what they see....may even be that he's a little confused by being back home and his routine is a bit off..

Could you post his routine hun? what sort of times does his eat and na on a day to day basis and what sort of activity/play is he having? 

[SammyNik]

DH did ask a few days ago if he could be having nightmares but I wasn't sure how old they were before they did. When he is wanting to play I keep it really low key just saying our sleep phrase 'its sleep time' if he keeps talking to me. If he isn't crying I leave the room until he gets upset.

Routine generally looks a bit like this give or take an hour!!
7am wake and milk
8am breakfast
morning play normally consists of helping me with household chores first thing, then we play together with his toys or drawing and a couple of times a week we get together with friends etc
12pm lunch
12.30-2.30 nap
afternoon play I try to get him outside if weather is nice, sometimes the park or the garden and sometimes we go for a walk together, then he gets to watch 30mins tv while i get dinner ready
5pm dinner - after dinner we will read some books or have some quiet play (or I try anyway )
6pm daddy home from work, bath, books, milk then bed by 7pm

[*Vicki*]

ok.  Most children do drop that first nap in the morning by about 18 months old. I found with my dd1 that she needed that morning nap, even if it was only half hour/ 40 mins unitl she was 2! Have you thought or tried encouraging him to have a little catnap in the morning say about 10 am? that way you can push the afternoon nap back a little...sounds like he might actually be OT by the time he gets into bed iykwim.

Nightmares are very possible at this age. 

Also at what point when he starts getting upset do you intervene? Do you go in at the first wail or do you stand back to listen...it could be his way of self soothing so when you go in it accidently wakes him up....