Sleep Help!

NM86

DS used to be a great sleeper. He slept through the night, went to bed at 8.

We sleep trained with CIO at about 5-6months old and it sucked big time. It only took a few days, but it worked.

Now DS is waking up every 2 hours at night unless we put him in our bed. DH and I don't mind him in our bed, but no one gets good enough sleep this way. DS is so cranky during the day, it's to the point where we need to do something.

Naps are no problem. He will lay down and go right to sleep.

But at night, he will scream and jump. I'm scared he will just scream all night long so we take him out and play until he is so tired he finally goes to sleep in his crib, but he will be up and screaming a few hours later.

I am not against trying CIO again, but what if his crying at night is seperation anxiety related? Won't CIO be detrimental then? How do we tell the difference? Any ideas?

2chatter

We did CIO at a year and he has only relapsed when he is sick (for the MOTN).  He does sometimes get up and is ready for the day at 5.  We let him cry for a bit and he goes back down.  I don't want to start every day at 5.  I think consistency is the key - if you let him CIO let him do it full stop.  When we first did it, DS cried several times throughout the night.  He might just be developing, and as a result, waking.  Now would be the time in my opinion to reinforce that night is for sleep and give CIO a shot if you are sure he is not sick.

jmccall79

Could it be something else...like teething?

Mar5195

I think you created a habit, he wakes up and know is he cries long enough he gets you to come and get him.  If it were me I'd CIO.  My kid does this from time to time and I'll go in an rock him and he'll pretend to be asleep (eyes closed) but the second I go to put him down he's wide awake and crying and jumping in his crib.  If I stay we do the same thing over and over again.

When I just leave or ignore him he cries for maybe 20 minutes (the longest) and then goes right back down. 

nebraska84

Sorry you are going through this again but I also agree with the previous posters, he knows you will come in and get him. The last 2 nights DS has woken up and stood, two nights ago he cried for 20 minutes then laid back down and went to sleep. Last night it was 8 minutes of crying. We have a video monitor and I can see him just staring at the door, waiting for us to come in, and when we didn't he gave up and went back to sleep. I know it is hard but you may need to CIO again...

NM86

Thanks for the tips everyone. I called our doctor as well and she said it is not separation anxiety because he goes down for naps just fine. We need to do CIO again it seems. 

mkarns

NM86:

Thanks for the tips everyone. I called our doctor as well and she said it is not separation anxiety because he goes down for naps just fine. We need to do CIO again it seems. 

That stinks. Sometimes my boy will cry if he sees me walk out of the room. In those moments I will sit or lay in his room until he falls asleep, then I walk out. But I suppose you're saying he's waking up and crying- Not having a problem going to sleep. I guess the only solution would be CIO.

Gah. Being a parent is all trial and error! 

I'mGonnaMarryYou

I've found that we need to CIO in cycles. If DD gets sick we go in and then she gets used to it when she's not sick so we CIO again. It's hard to do, but I think you'll probably have to CIO again...

jk382

Could it be an ear infection?  When Nolan gets an ear infection, the only "symptom" is that his sleep is a mess.  He doesn't get a fever or pull at his ears or anything typical.  Usually his nighttime sleep is way worse than daytime sleep when he has an ear infection.