Everything is falling apart! 11.5 months

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

Ethan had been sleeping quite well for a little while. He was only having one or two NW's and they were really short. He was also having one 30 min am nap and an 1.5hr pm nap. He was sleeping 11.5 hrs at night. Now he is tired about 2 hours after waking and he cries unless I stand beside his crib to go to sleep. He used to fall asleep by himself no problem. He just started walking and his two top teeth have been trying to come in forever (at least 7 weeks). His naps for the past two days have been maybe a total of 1.25 hrs the whole day. He is a mess. Night time comes around and it takes me 1.5 hrs to get him to go to sleep and I have to stand beside him the whole time. I have been doing WI/WO for the past two nights but it REALLY makes him mad. He has a bit of a temper and when he gets upset...it isn't pretty. Then he is waking up at night and I am having to go through the same thing all over again. I am pretty sure he isn't getting sick. His teeth might be bothering him. Some nights i give pain meds but like I said, he has been struggling with these teeth for at least 7 weeks and I am definitely not giving him meds every night. He just seems to want me to stand beside him or else he stands up and throws everything out of his crib and bangs on the walls screaming at the top of his lungs. Every time I try to lay him back down and leave the room, he stands back up (no matter how tired he is...he will be falling over, but he keeps getting right back up) screams bloody murder, then I come back into the room and he smiles at me. Then I lay him down while he pulls my hair and scratches at my face and we start all over again. My sweet little baby has turned into a monster! I know I need to keep doing WI/WO or something but it seems to just make him so angry. Any other suggestions to bring my sweet baby back from monsterhood?

[dtrias]

Your presence has become a prop.  I understand about the hysterics.  My first is pure spirited and number #2 is grumpy.  no one melts down like a grump!! Anyway have you considered using gradual withdrawl?  Stand by the crib for 3 days, then in the middle of the room, then by the door.  Tracey describes it in one of the books but i dont remember which one.  Maybe someone else will.  There will be lots of crying and banging and stuff.  YOu have to be prepared as at this age they are very aware and capable of manipulating.  Stay the course and you will get to the point of putting them down and leaving the room.  dont let the teething distract.  if you have given pain meds that is about all you can do.

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

Hi, Thanks for your reply. I have tried a little bit of GW with his naps. I will keep trying it though for sure. The only thing that we are running into with GW, is that he thinks when I am standing somewhere he can see me (without me touching him) he should be awake and laughing and giggling. Today he woke at 6:45 after being awake for 1.5 hrs in the night. He then fought sleeping until 1pm and had a 35 min nap. thats it...all day. I put him to bed at 6pm (usually 7pm bedtime) and he just fell asleep at 6:45pm. I gave him some pain meds before bed tonight as the one tooth has broke through for the third time now.

[A pair of Charlies]

Follow this link to the GW plan I did with DS: http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=146933.0 (start from the 2 week GS plan... you don't need the first bit of my post!). If he was an independent sleeper, might not take so long.

I see your reasons for GW concern and I get that completely. It's not particularly comfortable but I sat on the floor (on my bum, kneels pulled up, face on my hands on knees) or I knelt on my knees on the floor, curled over. Initially I lay on the floor, by his crib so he got the hint.  When I did GW, there was no cue from me that it was wake time and I never stood up or sat on a chair - mattress level so if he wants to see your face or reach out to you, he has to crouch down too  . If he wants to look at you while he goes to sleep, fine. But he has to lie down to see your face...

I'd probably try pain meds at bedtime on the first few days you try it just so you can rule out crying from pain etc.

HTH

Charlotte

[Jenn+Ethan+Emily]

It's not particularly comfortable but I sat on the floor (on my bum, kneels pulled up, face on my hands on knees) or I knelt on my knees on the floor, curled over. Initially I lay on the floor, by his crib so he got the hint.  When I did GW, there was no cue from me that it was wake time and I never stood up or sat on a chair - mattress level so if he wants to see your face or reach out to you, he has to crouch down too

Thank you so much for this! It seems to be working so far. He is now laying down starring at me whilst I lay on the floor. I try to keep my eyes closed so it looks like Mommy is sleeping but who knows what he is actually thinking!

He is teething again so I have not been as strict as I would normal be. I haven't progressed from laying on his floor yet. It is taking him about 40 min to fall asleep at night. His naps he is doing on his own again   I have given him pain meds before bed for the last two nights as 2 teeth have now come through. Hopefully when he is feeling better with the teeth, we will be able to progress to me moving a little farther away!

Thanks Charlotte and Happy Birthday to your little guy!