13 mo NW, EW, crying at naptime -- HELP !

[fab03]

Hi Everyone,

I really need input and help ! I'm exhausted and don't know what to do anymore with my 13 mo.
We were on holidays for 1 month and the 13 mo was sleeping in the same bed as me ( no choice). I kept his same routine and did put him to bed on his own and would fall asleep without a fuss.
We got back 2 weeks ago and it's been HELL since .... He's back in his room but the moment I put him down for either a nap or nighttime he starts crying and doesn't stop until we go back into the room. The moment he seems me or my husband he stops crying. He basically wants one of us to stay there until he falls asleep.
I've tried Pick-up / put down -- shush-pat and am now just letting him 'cry it out'. I put his down for his nap at 1:15pm and it's now 3:30pm and he's still crying... NOTHING seems to work !

I know that he's been going thru lots of changes since we got back but I can't believe how much it's affecting his sleep.... Since we got back, he's been off the bottle and using a sippy cup, started 2 full days of daycare and is a lot more active.

Here's what his routine has been like in the past 2 weeks :

6 - 7 am : wake up crying ( since we are not in his room)
8am : breakfast
12 noon : lunch
1pm : nap ( max of 1 hour since it's been taking him 1 - 2 hours to settle for the nap crying since we are not there)
6pm : supper
8pm : bed  ( 30 -45 minutes of crying since we are not in the room)
Betwen 10 - 12am : 1st waking (he wants us to stay in his room until he falls back asleep)
Between 3 - 5am : 2nd waking (he wants us to stay in his room until he falls back asleep)

His NW can last upto 1 hour. Needless to say that he's OT ! Some days he falls asleep at 9am on our way back from bringing the bigger brother to daycare.

I don't know what to do anymore !
Any advice ?

Thank you !

[*Becky*]

Hi there,
wow - yes lots of changes for him, they can be unsettling but this is probably to do with co-sleeping with you for a while.
Please do not let him CIO. Tracy Hogg, the BW did not condone any form of CIO or CC as she believed it broke the trust between parent and child.
Was he an independent sleeper before this? If so I would try WIWO. Are you familiar with it? If not I can post a link.
Is there any way you can get him to be earlier to help with the OT? I would aim for about 6.30/7pm to be asleep.
Hugs - keep me posted xx

[fab03]

Thanks for the advice !

We had another bad night and will not make him CIO anymore... A friend of mine borrowed my book so i don't remember exactly how WIWO works ?
We were thinking of putting a chair next to his crib and stay there until he falls asleep. Then, little by little more the chair closer towards the door.
I will keep you posted. He's at nursery today and i'm pretty sure that his caregiver will have to stay next to him until he falls asleep....
I have started moving his bedtime since he was going to bed at 9pm on holidays. I've slowly pushed it back and last night he was asleep by 8:15pm (better than previous nights...) I'm aiming for 7:45pm since I will be going back to work in 2 weeks and it will not be possible to put him down earlier than that.

Cheers !

[*Becky*]

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=80750.0

This should help. What you are describing is more GW. WIWO is a little different. It is important to be consistent with whatever method you choose.

[fab03]

Thanks for the link !
I realized that i've tried the WI/WO and it doesn't work on my son. He just gets more frustrated and cries louder !
I'll have to try the GW for a few nights and hopefully it will help ! He's always been an independant sleeper so I'm hoping that it will not take to long to go back to old habits !

[*Becky*]

good luck - keep us posted x

[fab03]

We are exhausted... Another bad night...

8 pm : Bed ( I stayed in the room and it took him 10 minutes to fall asleep on his own )
1:50am : Up crying ( I went back in his room and sat on a chair next to his crib. He fell back to sleep within 10 minutes)
2:20am : Up crying ( My husband went in his room and stayed there until he fell back asleep -- this time it took him over 20 minutes)
5:30am : Up crying and fussy ( I went back in his room and sat on a chair next to his crib. He fell back to sleep within 10 minutes)
6am : Up crying and fussy ( At this point I just brought him into bed with me --- to exhausted to stay in his room) However, eventhough he was in our bed he was still very fussy. It took him 20 minutes to fall asleep again.
7:20am : Up for the day

I'm wondering if he's teething since he's missing his molars and canines. I've also noticed 'looser stool' since yesterday. There is something bothering him in the early morning ( this has been going on for a little while )....
I will continue with the GW method but I'm loosing hope and think that he will never sleep again.......

[Kay Dee]

Oh man! That's tough going. Is his nap usually 1pm? Might be worth bringing it a little earlier as he may be OT by nap time with the unsettled nights. Even 30mins earlier should help him to settle better if he is OT.

x

[*Becky*]

have you tried meds? I think I would either at bedtime or the first NWing. xx

[fab03]

He was at daycare yesterday and today,and I was told that it took him a while to settle for his nap (his caregiver had to stay by his side). He only napped 40 minutes yesterday and 50 minutes today. I can tell that he's OT since his eyes get 'heavy' the moment I put him in the car or the stroller... So, for tonight I'm aiming for an earlier BT.
I actually gave him meds 2x last week but still had NW (similar to last night). I don't want to give him to many meds since he's been on antibiotics for almost 4 straight months due to chronic ear infections.... His ears are now clear but I have to finish his antibiotics ( 2 weeks left). Needless to say that we've had MANY, MANY NW in the past months due to his ears. However, these NW are not due to that as I brought him to the doctor's last week and all was well !!!