Calling out all through the night for his lovey.

[choc]

2 weeks ago we had amazing sleep, he finally stopped the 5.30am waking and was sleeping through 12 to 13 hours with a 1hr45 min nap. This week is all change.  He is waking all through the night, happy chatting on and off. Then he keeps shouting out for his lovey as he has obviously lost him in the cot. We are up and down like yoyos and it's driving me mad. We ignore all the other shouting which is sometimes 'daddy' or 'cup' because he is not upset at all. We ignore the calling of the lovey for a while to show him that we just won't come running. But when I do eventually go in he isn't even standing up or looking for the lovey, still laying down, head down on the mattress and lovey sometimes isn't  even far away from him. It's one of those animals with a stuffed head and flat body.
So routine is this
Wu 7
S 1 to 2.45
Bt 7

Any ideas?
Edited to add we are cutting canines if it makes any difference.

[Hedgehog17]

At that age I made a lovey strap which velroed around bunny's neck and DS's wrist - very short so no danger  It definitely stopped him losing bunny and getting upset 

When he got older he was able to find it himself, unless it was on the floor, so we didn't need the strap anymore.

[choc]

Did he ever take it off? I could try that. What material did you use? I get the feeling ds won't like  me strapping something round his wrist but you never know!
Any ideas on why he is waking so frequently? 18 months SR?

[Hedgehog17]

He didn't manage to take it off - I put it over his PJ sleeve  I used some soft cotton material and folded it into a strap, then sewed velcro onto it.

Half birthdays have always been worse here, so it could well be that - he's also coming to the peak of the separation anxiety period (18 months) so that will be having an effect!

[Lindsay27]

It might just be the teeth, my DD is usually a fab sleeper overnight but she is also cutting canines and for the last week she's up 4-5 times a night just generally complaining, mantra crying on and off.  I mostly just leave her to it as long as it doesn't escalate and she puts herself back to sleep eventually. 

[creations]

Maybe you can show him how to look for his lovey?  Or put 3 in the bed?  Mine has 3 in the bed so he can always find one.
I like HH idea too.

[choc]

Thanks ladies u will definitely try these ideas. I am wondering why this has  become  a problem all of a sudden though. It never used to be until this week. He is calling out all through the night, not always for his lovey.

[creations]

Probably 18 month regression as you suspected.
Developmental, teeth etc.

[choc]

Ok, I will try the ideas and ride it out then. Thanks x

[creations]

FWIW the general advice in the 18 month regression is to keep your routine as it was and ride it out until it passes but I found my DS needed a routine change and I've seen it on a few other threads too. It's hard to really know for sure if routine changes are helping when they are going through the regression but I thought I'd mention it in case you had a hunch that a later nap might help, it could be worth following your hunch.

[choc]

I was wondering about the nap but wasn't sure whether capping it or pushing it later would be the right thing to do. I ha e a school run at 3pm so pushing it later but keeping the same length wouldn't be doable. I'd have to push and cap I suppose.

[Hedgehog17]

Would he nap in the buggy while you do the school run?

[choc]

I never get more than 30 mins in the buggy now