2.5 year old started to shout in cot at bedtime

[Annabelp]

Hi

DS has always been the best sleeper. No dramas at nap time or bed time. In the last week he shouts and screams REALLY LOUD when he goes in his cot and we go leave the room. I am at a loss to know what to do.

A bit of background:

The daytime nap was dropped about 4 months ago as he refused it and can manage without it. Occasionally he will drop off in the car if we are out in the day but I don't let him sleep for long.

Bedtime routine is the same as it has been for well over a year - pyjamas, an episode of Ben and Holly, one episode of Peppa Pig, teeth, story, bed. He has a few cuddly toys he sleeps with. Pyjamas normally around 7pm when DD has her milk/bed and story normally over by about 7.45. No night wakings and normally wake up is about 6.30am give or take 15 minutes.

He is still in a cot and is showing no signs of wanting to go into a BBB

The big problem is that he starts to shout so loudly I am worried he will wake DD (14 months and giong through the SA phase so can be challenging getting her to sleep) although he hasn't yet. Also DH is incredibly weak willed and gives in to all DS's demands - one more cuddle/story/Peppa Pig etc.

Has anyone any advice? He is showing no signs of SA so my instinct is just that he is exerting his independence rather than there being a SA problem. He has all his teeth. Going in every 5 minutes to tell him to go to sleep does nothing and He is just learning that hte louder he shouts the more likely we are to go in.

Thanks ladies :-)

[<Catherine>]

Hi

Could he be OT? That's quite a long day with no nap. When my DS started dropping the nap just before he was 2yrs we had many periods where he needed extra or longer naps thrown in as he sleep needs constantly changed.

Can you try an earlier BT? I would suggest he really needs to be asleep by 7pm.

[Annabelp]

I doubt it is OT as he hasn't had a daytime nap now for so long. Plus when he has had a nap at the childminders he is jsut not tired enough at night and is worse!

We could try earlier BT though - logistically will be tough as we have DD to get ot bed too and if she has a moan before giong to sleep it will disturb him going down too! Definitely worth a go though thanks :-)

[Truly Blessed]

Hi Honey,

If he isn't OT then I would suggest a longer A time to bed. This is exactly what happened with our DS Sam and I have cut his nap back AND lengthened A time to BT. He now needs at least 6 hours 15 A time.

Can you post his routine for us to take a look at  This 1-0 is a PITA.

How's it going 

Vicki.x.

[Annabelp]

Thought I should give an update for those who posted and for those who may be having similar problems!

We got tough on him one night when we were goign out for DH birthday and were running late.... DS had jsut recently asked for his door to be kept slightly open at night. No idea why - may be due to watching Monsters Inc but who knows. So I told him to stop shouting or I would shut his door. I gave him 2 books to have in his cot (pretty useless as was too dark for him to read them but it kept him quiet!) and then left the room. Since that night I told him to go to sleep quietly or I would shut the door and this worked!

However...... we did start having at least 1 NW each night again with him shouting out. I would go in, lay him back down and tell him that I wuold shut the door if he did it again. Not a peep after that. This went on for a couple of weeks until we went on holiday and he shared a bed with DH. No NW on holiday and none since. So not sure what was causing the NW - could have been nightmares? - but a few nights sleeping with DH seemed to sort that out (not sure how though with DH snoring lol!)

We have also introduced a Groclock as DS had said he didn't know when it was morning or night when he woke up. This has worked a treat even though I was very sceptical it would work. Now we do hear him stir in the morning but he doesn't speak until he sees the sun on his clock at 7am and then it's "MUMMY IT'S MORNING TIME!!!!!"

[Truly Blessed]

Glad you've had some success, especially with the gro-clock. Long may it continue.x.