Nighttime separation anxiety

Missingchampagne

Has this started for anybody else? 

Not that DS was a perfect sleeper, but we had it wittled down to one night feed. He would usually roll over to go to sleep very quickly, and our 3-4am bottle was always done in under 10 minutes and he was back to bed.

Now? Completely devastated when he's alone, whether it be for naps, bedtime, or feedings. And now he's waking up every two hours crying and slamming his legs down repeatedly.

I've tried picking him up, snuggling him until he's calm, and putting him back down, but he wakes up and instantly starts the insane crying again. He has a music toy and a white noise toy, neither of which seem to do anything. He isn't hungry. The moment he's in bed with me though? Oh he'll sleep for the next 8 hours. 

Help.

mb0112

Same problem over here. We tried cry it out but she will scream forvever, stand up in the crib and can't calm herself down.  What works best for us is getting her super drowsy before putting her down (basically nursing to sleep), using a binky, and white noise.  It takes a few tries most nights lately.  Then she wakes up way sooner than she used to to eat again and I often just let her sleep next to me the rest of the night after that.  These are all things I said I'd never do (cosleep, binky in the crib) but I need my sleep and that's what lets me get it!  Hoping it gets better after this stage.

one thing that helps sometimes is me holding my hand against the side of her face until she drifts off and is solidly asleep- kind of tricks her into thinking I'm lying there.  I've heard you can use a stuffed animal or lovie that smells like you (use your perfume of keep it in your shirt for a while) but it didn't work for us.

momofmanyinthemitten

Yup, since November 12, the day of my cousin's wedding. He's been up every 1-2.5 hrs all night long. As for naps, if he doesn't go to sleep on his own, he'll nurse to sleep. It doesn't help that my 2.5 y/o is cutting molars and is also up crying all night long. Since Nov, I haven't gotten more than 6 hours of sleep on any night. And those 6 hours are very much interrupted. I've been a very cranky mama.

runningwild

Any chance it's due to teething? 

My LO is waking more frequently and a beast to get back down the last few weeks. But she's definitely teething, cutting one after another. If I give motrin, she's a lot better.

Missingchampagne

runningwild said:

Any chance it's due to teething? 

My LO is waking more frequently and a beast to get back down the last few weeks. But she's definitely teething, cutting one after another. If I give motrin, she's a lot better.

I mean, I definitely HOPE so, because that would mean there is an end in sight to this madness right? The thing is every time DS has shown me signs (frantically shoving everything into his mouth, sticking his tongue out as if he's scratching something, gnawing his crib... heck once I even took a pic of little white nubs under his gums) ... I have been totally wrong and absolutely nothing has happened! 8 months and not one tooth yet.

mb0112

My sleep trouble has been going since about thanksgiving. She has 2 bottom teeth (since early October) and I kept saying "I bet the top ones are coming now" but still nothing! 

runningwild

Missingchampagne said:

runningwild said:

Any chance it's due to teething? 

My LO is waking more frequently and a beast to get back down the last few weeks. But she's definitely teething, cutting one after another. If I give motrin, she's a lot better.

I mean, I definitely HOPE so, because that would mean there is an end in sight to this madness right? The thing is every time DS has shown me signs (frantically shoving everything into his mouth, sticking his tongue out as if he's scratching something, gnawing his crib... heck once I even took a pic of little white nubs under his gums) ... I have been totally wrong and absolutely nothing has happened! 8 months and not one tooth yet.

I felt the same way about DD. I thought she was going to "cut a tooth any day now" for months. All the sudden, after starting to almost sleep through the night (just a quick 1am feeding) she turned into a monster... up and down all night, restless, unsettled. And then the teeth started coming one after another. She has 4 now and working on 5 and 6. 

Also, we are dealing with major separation anxiety during the day. She won't let anyone except me and DH hold her (sometimes not even DH). But I don't think it's causing the nighttime problem. My DD2 went through this as well at this age and it seems like it lasted a couple months.

momofmanyinthemitten

runningwild said:

Any chance it's due to teething? 

My LO is waking more frequently and a beast to get back down the last few weeks. But she's definitely teething, cutting one after another. If I give motrin, she's a lot better.

Yes to teething, but Motrin isn't helping him sleep any better, so I assume it's a bit of both.