22 month old screaming when put to bed!

[kendraak]

Please help! My 22 month old DS had been a wonderful sleeper until we moved a week ago. He used to go right to sleep when we laid him down for naps as well as bedtime. Now when I tell him that it's time to go to bed (or take a nap) He says no and cries when I put him in his bed. His cries become shrieks and screams when I leave the room. I've tried staying with him patting his back, singing, etc. for up to 30 minutes and he will not settle while I'm in there. He stops crying, but fidgets and looks around. (Basically anything to keep himself from falling asleep) Then when I leave it's the screaming again. Here's the good part- he doesn't do this for my husband. My husband can still lay him down and he'll go to sleep no problem. Or if he wakes in the night my husband can settle him where if I go in his room he only seems to be worse.

Here's our schedule: wake up 6:00-6:30am, lunch 11:30-12:00, nap 12:30 (usually an hour to an hour and a half) dinner 6:00 then bath and bed at 7:00pm

Any suggestions on what to do? I feel like my being in there doesn't help and my staying out doesn't help either. I'd always send DH in but there are nights (like tonight) that he's not home until later.


Kendra

[Layla]

Hi Kendra

Moving houses can throw them off schedule & its a matter of time before he gets used to the new place.
Here's some links that might help you chose a method of sleep training
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=80750.0
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63896.0

I would try and spend some time in his room so that he becomes familiar with it. If you staying with him is delaying the falling asleep process, I would do the wi/wo method instead of gradual withdrawal.

He could also be going through some separation anxiety, in which case its a matter of lots of mummy time during the day, lots of reassurance & a longer windown at nap and bedtime.

Maybe also try a nap a little earlier for a week cause I imagine he is getting overtired from not sleeping well at the moment.

hth
Layla

[kendraak]

Thanks for the reply Layla.

Those links had some good information. I will try a longer windown tonight and wi/wo with him. He is very capable of falling asleep on his own and it may just be the new room throwing him off. (but whey does he go to sleep so easily when Daddy puts him down???)

I have been trying to give lots of Mommy time during the day when the baby's asleep, etc. but it still seems like he doesn't get enough Mommy! Oh well that sounds like another post for another day. I'll let you know how things go tonight.

Thanks,
Kendra

[kendraak]

Well, he had a hard time going down for his nap today. I did wi/wo and had to lay him down each time because he would stand back up and scream as soon as I left the room. It took about 45 minutes of this before he went to sleep (and then only slept for 45 minutes)

Daddy put him to bed tonight and he went right to sleep -no crying or fussing. So I'm thinking that it's a Mommy attachment issue. I may post about this on another board. Thanks for your help!

Kendra