Sudden screaming at sleep time

[Crispy Chick]

Hi

My 11 month old LO has been sleeping well both during the day and at night, but the last few days each time i put him down in his cot (which is normal) he starts screaming and it takes me ages of shhh to calm him down.  He is doing it at nap times and bedtime.  It is really unlike him and just when i thought i had cracked the sleeping in time for nursery - this is happening!!

any ideas???

[lilac83]

Hi -

Could you post what a normal day looks like? If he hasn't already started the 2-1  nap transition, that could be what's going on now. Here's a link you may find helpful: http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=95670.0

[Crispy Chick]

Hi

Normal day is:

7.30 am up and milk (waves anytime from 7am)
9.00 am breakfast
10.30 am snack
11 am - nap - 1 1/2 hours
12.30pm lunch
3 pm snack
4 pm cat nap - 30 mins
5pm tea
7pm milk
7.30 pm bed

I have had him on this routine for around 1 month now, previoualy i had moved him to one nap at 12 noon for 2 hours, but the A time was proving too long, so i backtracked.

Do you think this 2-1 transition???  It does not seem like he does not want to sleep, just that something is bothering him.  He is doing it at bed time too and last night woke in the middle of the night screaming and i had to go and shhh back to sleep - he has not woken in the night for months and it is a really hard screaming cry.....  I am getting the same pattern at each sleep now???

[lilac83]

Has he always been on the low end of sleep needs? Looking at his routine, nothing is jumping out as OT to me. Do you think he's teething?

[Crispy Chick]

Hi.

No i don't think it is teething as he got his first 3 teeth 2 weeks ago and was happy to go to sleep during that time.  I am just not sure what is going on.  i wondered if it was SA as he seems to calm down when i shhh him, but then he is relatively ok during the day if i wander out the room???

[lilac83]

There could be some SA going on. Does he start crying as soon as you put him in the crib or does he wait until you're out of the room? It may not even necessarily be SA but him just voicing his complaint about being put in bed. DD has been doing this a bit more recently. I have been leaving her for about 1min to see what she does and 99% of the time she stops and continues to settle herself. If I would stay with her though, it would take AGES!

He's at a good age to start WI/WO. Here's a link on that: http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=80750.0

[Crispy Chick]

Hi

Well this is the really strange thing, for months now i have been able to put him down - get as bit of grumble in a cry, but i just leave the room, so reading that link (thanks for posting) i have already been practicing the WI/WO method sucessfully.  But this week his cries have been a lot more than a grumble - they have been really upset cries with him kneeling up and not settling. 

I am getting better at settling him back down now and will continue to follow the advice ont he link you sent for WI/WO.  will see how it goes.  i guess it is possible it is illness, as i was feeling rough last week.....

[lilac83]

It sounds like he may be having a bit of a hiccup in the road. Keeping up with the WI/WO should help smooth things over fairly quickly. If he does end up being sick, then just put things on hold for a bit.