28 month old, best kid and sleeper, now a nightmare!

[cmmorin]

I've been reading through post after post and decided, as I sit and listen to whiny from the baby gate, I need help!

I have a 28 month old son.  From the day he was born six weeks early he's been a great kid, easy going, happy and a good sleeper all around from day 1.  The kid you can put down, say goodnight and done.
In January we had a visit to ER with resp issues (he has an underlying condition) and ever since he stopped going to bed well and waking up 4+x/night!  we've tried it all, he's now in a big bed as he kept trying to sleep in big brother's bed, but he won't settle to sleep, stil wakes through the night and wakes early.  We've cut naps way back, to only an hour.
Please help us, we're exhausted, I work 12 hr shifts and I can barley keep my eyes open at the end of the day!
Chantel

[babybarr]

((((hugs))))

Does his underlying condition require meds or frequent hospital stays?  Did he stay in hospital when you went in - just wondering if it's all related?

Can you post his routine including times please too.

[cmmorin]

Hello
His medical condition is a narrowed airway, we have had three ER visits since October but no admissions, he does get nebulizer masks for two weeks at home when he gets a cold.
Routine - well thats hard, I work shift work, so somedays he's at daycare, some days he's with me and some days its Daddy days
Generally lately he's up about 530-630am, easy going morning, breakfast, quiet tv time, play, goes to daycare @ 8am (if thats' the day)  He will usually go down around 130pm for a now one hour nap (he would sleep 3hrs there if she let him).  He comes home for 430pm.  Evenings involve just playtime/tv time/supper etc  We bath every other night with big brother usually around 630, in time to get out for 7pm snack and quiet tv time @ 730 (if Mommy is home) its teeth brushed, story time, goodnight to big brother then we sit with music, rock for a few minutes (just like we've always done) and put him to bed.  Now though since moving to big bed we sit in the room, its taking anywhere from 20-60 min to fall asleep for him.  Yesterday we figured he'd go right to sleep as he napped from 11am-12pm but it was 9pm before he settled, we've gone in and out and returned him to bed 30+ times, we've put the baby gate on the door and last night i gave up cuz honestly after awhile he voice changed to a terfied one
so i know he doesn't have the most consistent schedule due to a mommy that works 12 hr day and night shift but like i said, for 28 months life with him has been good

[babybarr]

Have you tried giving a longer nap and a later bedtime?  With some LOs they need the long nap to see them through.

So perhaps
7am wake
12.30-2.30pm nap
8pm bed

[cmmorin]

Thanks
He was doing that (longer naps) and still not settling to sleep or sleeping through the night and waking early, that is why we cut it back....

[babybarr]

Ok have you tried an earlier nap say noon?  let him sleep longer and then keep bedtime the same?  Has he got all his teeth yet?  If not they can cause havoc.

[cmmorin]

So he had two goodnights, (still 30 min to fall alseep with us sitting in room) but slept through the night, all i did different was warm milk and a bit longer of a rock....
Then we travelled for march break....the first night away (at the same place we always travell to) was a nightmare...up at 1, 2, 3 then in our bed
2nd night we put the toddler bed beside our bed and he slept all night with minor tossess and same with third...
First night home...horrible! awake from 3-530am! then slept til 840am and never napped so we went to bed at 7am...well the poor boy was so over tired and got so frantic, even with my lying and hugging him he screamed and hyperventilated himself to sleep, even sleeping he still gasped! I thought i'd have to get a paper bag....and by 130 awake, frantic, screaming like terrffied....into our bed, slept til 730...
Now tonight...we're getting helpless...desperate for our good sleeper and happy boy back...we tried to let him share a room with his brother in hopes of easing his anxiety....well that was a disaster...he only wanted mommy, literally ripped my glasses of my face and headlocked me into laying with him (to which was impossible not to giggle!) and then just fooled around, finally after 60 min I said where do you want to sleep and he went to his room, so thats where he is and 20 min later is finally asleep...for the whole night? likely not....

[babybarr]

Oh dear   (((hugs)))

What sort of routine are you on at the mo?

Sounds like discomfort perhaps?