Separation Anxiety - a new thing for us

JSS1002 · November 2013

So, LO has always been a good sleeper (Please don't stone me). He started STTN around 3.5 months on a fairly regular basis, always just falls asleep for nap easily, etc. Typically he just falls asleep in my arms while eating and then I put him in his crib, and voila.

The last two weeks he seems to have developed some severe separation anxiety-- he'll be dozing, or sometimes out like a light, or sometimes just drowsy, and I"ll put him in his crib and he SCREAMS like I've cut his toe off. It is horrible. Usually I let him cry for 10-15 minutes and if he's still crying and/or seems to be getting worse rather than better, I'll go pick him up,rock him to sleep, and then he's fine, and if I continue to hold him for another 15 minutes or so, he'll zonk out when I put him down and sleep hard, mostly through the night. SO WEIRD.

ANybody else have this happen rather suddenly? Any tips?

JSS1002 · November 2013

Yeah, or I guess during the day if he's super tired (like right before a nap). But if I put him in his swing and we are in the same room, he's fine - if I leave, he cries. :-(

jss1482 · November 2013

I have been reading all morning about this because we are going thru the same thing... I thought it was an upset tummy or something but its just different. But last night, same thing... however she will go to bed OK, but when she wakes up its all over... We have never STTN but were on a pretty manageable schedule but the past two nights I have brought her into bed with us, which I am pretty sure I just shot myself in the foot for fixing the problem. This all just got flipped on like a switch! I also read about the next wonder week and it sounds similar..
found this article that helped.

https://www.parents.com/baby/sleep/issues/teach-baby-to-sleep-through-the-night/

JBDamonM · November 2013

I came on to post about a similiar topic..... We're in the midst of sleep hell. I thought and mostly still think it's teething - but Molly seems to be doing a similiar thing. Sound asleep in her crib, unil you stop rubbing her back and walk away. Then she cries. But if I kept my hand on her all night, she would sleep like a rock. I don't get it. It got so bad last night that I broke my own cardinal rule and put her in bed with me..... Worth it - she sacked right out, and I enjoyed the snuggle.

Kate_C · November 2013

~~throwing stones~~ (or at least tomatoes)

Sorry, I'm jealous you have had good sleep in the past 3 months.

. It sounds like you're already handling it pretty well, so hopefully this phase passes quickly for you! And then your kid can give my kid lessons about how to STTN.

Erin10408 · November 2013

Yup...my babe slept through the night from 3.5 months as well, and it all went to hell 2 weeks ago. She was in our room in the Pack N Play, and would cry unless my hand was on her. Well, one night we brought her in to bed with us, and BOOM...no more sleeping in the Pack N Play for her. Smart little bugger.

We decided to bite the bullet and move her in to her crib, and Ferber-ize her. It's not for everyone, but honestly, it was not too bad. Night one she cried for about an hour and a half with me going in at intervals, but then slept through the night. Night two I laid her down, she zonked out, and woke up at 5:00am because her diaper leaked. My husband changed her, and she went back down until 7:00am. I wish we would have done it sooner. We're all sleeping better.

JSS1002 · November 2013

Kate_C said:

~~throwing stones~~ (or at least tomatoes) Sorry, I'm jealous you have had good sleep in the past 3 months. . It sounds like you're already handling it pretty well, so hopefully this phase passes quickly for you! And then your kid can give my kid lessons about how to STTN.

Honestly there's no secret other than dumb luck - he's a big boy and a sleepy baby and just took to it pretty well. I'm trying to not be a whiner, I'm not COMPLAINING by any means, I just hate hearing him cry so I was hopeful somebody had a tip or trick to ease his anxiety!

JSS1002 · November 2013

Erin10408 said:

Yup...my babe slept through the night from 3.5 months as well, and it all went to hell 2 weeks ago. She was in our room in the Pack N Play, and would cry unless my hand was on her. Well, one night we brought her in to bed with us, and BOOM...no more sleeping in the Pack N Play for her. Smart little bugger.
We decided to bite the bullet and move her in to her crib, and Ferber-ize her. It's not for everyone, but honestly, it was not too bad. Night one she cried for about an hour and a half with me going in at intervals, but then slept through the night. Night two I laid her down, she zonked out, and woke up at 5:00am because her diaper leaked. My husband changed her, and she went back down until 7:00am. I wish we would have done it sooner. We're all sleeping better.

He's been in his crib in his own room since 8 wks -- perhaps tonight is the night I let him CIO. Ugh. I don't believe it is wrong to do this, I just hate hearing him cry.

JSS1002 · November 2013

clgsquared said:

JSS1002 said:

Erin10408 said:

Yup...my babe slept through the night from 3.5 months as well, and it all went to hell 2 weeks ago. She was in our room in the Pack N Play, and would cry unless my hand was on her. Well, one night we brought her in to bed with us, and BOOM...no more sleeping in the Pack N Play for her. Smart little bugger.
We decided to bite the bullet and move her in to her crib, and Ferber-ize her. It's not for everyone, but honestly, it was not too bad. Night one she cried for about an hour and a half with me going in at intervals, but then slept through the night. Night two I laid her down, she zonked out, and woke up at 5:00am because her diaper leaked. My husband changed her, and she went back down until 7:00am. I wish we would have done it sooner. We're all sleeping better.

He's been in his crib in his own room since 8 wks -- perhaps tonight is the night I let him CIO. Ugh. I don't believe it is wrong to do this, I just hate hearing him cry.

You realize now that you have decided to bite the bullet and let him CIO, he will sleep all night tonight. That's how they operate! Constantly fu*king with you!

Haha probably! The thing is, he hasn't stopped STTN -- once he's out, he's out, I just cant' get him to stop crying his little eyes out if I set him down, unless I go back and rock him to sleep!

Erin10408 · November 2013

@jss1002 The crying sucks. Really sucks. But, I psyched myself up all day for it, and prepared for the worst. I cried while she cried. But she woke up the next day so damn happy and rested that I know its the best for her...and us. Maybe I'll actually get a sex life back:)

Night light and white noise helped a lot.

JBDamonM · November 2013

Erin10408 said:

Yup...my babe slept through the night from 3.5 months as well, and it all went to hell 2 weeks ago. She was in our room in the Pack N Play, and would cry unless my hand was on her. Well, one night we brought her in to bed with us, and BOOM...no more sleeping in the Pack N Play for her. Smart little bugger.

We decided to bite the bullet and move her in to her crib, and Ferber-ize her. It's not for everyone, but honestly, it was not too bad. Night one she cried for about an hour and a half with me going in at intervals, but then slept through the night. Night two I laid her down, she zonked out, and woke up at 5:00am because her diaper leaked. My husband changed her, and she went back down until 7:00am. I wish we would have done it sooner. We're all sleeping better.

We went through the SAME thing last night. And I never let LO in bed with me! UGH, this is going to be a disaster to fix.

JSS1002 · November 2013

clgsquared said:

SH*T...I'm at parent conferences tonight and my husband texted me and said that our little guy screams bloody murder every time he tries to put him in his crib. I'm sensing we are joining the separation anxiety club soon.

Well, as you predicted, as soon as I got worried about it, it stopped happening -- for TONIGHT anyway. I had a work function/ wine tasting to go to - left DH and LO napping (DH is sick), and thought I was coming home after bedtime... nope. LO sleeping in swing... I tiptoed in, picked him up, changed him, fed him, and put him down....he made two noises and I walked out and he's asleep. So this worked today.

However, I"ve had a copious amount of wine so I'm positive he'll wake up tonight and punish me!

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