Separation Anxiety/Bedtime boo-hoo-hoos

jsoubel · September 2014

Are you ladies experiencing this with your LO's? DD1 boo-hoo-hoos at every bedtime now, and she didn't used to. Also, daycare drop-off has turned into a lot of hugs and kisses. I wasn't certain if this is an age-related phase or separation anxiety or she needs more mommy & daddy time? *sigh* It's hard to listen to her cry. p.s. I cannot believe we are 3 mos from 2yo!

Litgirl77 · September 2014

Yes! Out of the blue about 3 weeks ago, he started throwing a fit at bedtime. Now he throws his blankie out every time and has to sleep without it, which means 2-3 nights a week he wakes up and cries/calls for it. Not giving it back has helped - he's pretty much trying to get me to come back and give it to him so he can get Mama back in the room. It's gotten better this week (only about 30 seconds of crying before he settles down) so I'm hoping we'll be done with this phase soon…and on to the next one, whatever that is.

I feel like there are just a bunch of sleep regressions at this age as they test limits, acquire lots of language, etc. So much going on in their little heads. One nice thing is that Sam has become super snuggly and loves our bedtime rocking/reading/singing time. It's so sweet, so I try to enjoy and focus on that.

Jackiemxoxo · September 2014

DD has been like this lately too but I think cutting her two year molars are partly to blame. She is drooly, clingy, and waking at night. She also wants lots of hugs, kisses and byes for daycare drop offs but i love those, soo much better than cries.

kerbear135 · September 2014

We're actually on the tail end of this...

DD started the separation anxiety with church nursery- she'd been going every Sunday since 6 months old and all of a sudden she'd boo-hoo cry every time we tried to drop her off....it went on for several months, and then about 2 weeks ago, she just walked herself back to nursery as soon as we walked in the doors to the church, and didn't look back...I'm glad that phase is over because I hated to see her miserable but that's the only time during the week she has to socialize with other kids...

As far as bed time, she started waking up in the middle of the night crying, which she had never done before. Usually if she wakes up, she calls out for "Mama" but she was waking up sobbing and there were 3 or 4 nights in a row where she couldn't be consoled and ended up in bed with DH and I...it was exhausting, but luckily it seems to have blown over for the most part too...

Hang in there Momma, hopefully it'll pass quickly

jac409 · September 2014

Mine just finally fell asleep for her nap after screaming for a half hour. Bedtime is still fine, but the last two nights she has woken up in the middle of the night crying. She has also been crying when I leave her at the gym or church nursery for the last month or so. I hope this all passes soon, because I only have about eight weeks left until I have a newborn to cope with too.

valeriegp · September 2014

We are having serious sleep regression. Prior to about a month ago, my son would go to bed pretty easily and sleep through the night (7:30-5:30) about 5 nights a week. The other two he didn't take much to get back to sleep. Starting about a month ago he will not sleep through the night in his bed. He also won't go to sleep unless we rock him to sleep. So now we are rocking him to sleep and he is waking up anywhere from 2-4 hours later. He will not go back to sleep in his room, and many nights he doesn't just cry, but throws a huge fit like someone is out to kill him. He has ended up in our bed every night for the past week or two. He is a kicker and a mover lots of nights, too, so it is killing us.

jsoubel · September 2014

Ladies, my misery loves company and I will be thinking of you all as LO pitches a high-holy fit and 50/50 ends up in bed with me and DH, sitting on my head, kicking DH in the chest, trying to play kissy face at 1am while I watch the clock waiting for DD2 to wake up, and losing her calm when I try to put her in her own bed. We, and vodka, can do this together! But, seriously, this gives me hope that this will pass and there isn't much to "do" about it.

SingleMom31 · September 2014

We're in the club too. I'll add more later... I'm actually on my phone and sitting w/ DD while she goes to sleep

kjsmith9 · September 2014

Last week going to sleep was a mess, but I think her canines are trying to cut through. Drop-offs at daycare are a complete disaster when I take her - crying, hanging on my legs, throwing herself on the floor as I walk out, etc. When DH takes her, she just walks into the room and starts playing. Ugh.

SingleMom31 · September 2014

I just left DD at home with DH to come into work... That was heartbreaking. DH was in the kitchen making breakfast and entertaining DD. Unfortunately, the door to the garage is also in the kitchen so she knew I was leaving. After I shut the door, I could hear "Maamaaaaaaaa" while I was getting in the car. Rationally, I know that she'll be fine and that she probably went back to "helping" dad with breakfast like a minute later, but it still makes me sad that she's upset when I leave.

Bedtime has also been rough. She wants someone to hold her or lay down with her until she falls asleep (which has long been the routine), but at 38 weeks pg with #2, I can't hold her for hours on end right now. I don't want to give up my cuddle time with her before bed, but it's not working for me right now. So, I've been trying to get her to sit on her bed while I read her books and then rub her back while she falls asleep, but once I turn off the light, it's all over... Like, she knows that I'm trying to put her to bed and the big tears come out. Now that she's in a big girl bed though, it's not as easy as just leaving her in her crib to cry either.

I know it'll get better. I'm just over being pregnant and don't like coming home to fight with a crying toddler at night.

jac409 · September 2014

How is everyone doing with this? We are doing a little better with naps this week, but nighttime has turned into a nightmare. She still goes down ok initially, but when she wakes up, there is no consoling her unless I bring her into bed with us. This is something we do not want to make a habit of at all, but I don't know how else to get any sleep right now. I am pretty sure it is separation anxiety because if she wakes up in bed with us she freaks for a second until she realizes we are there, and then she is fine. Someone please tell me this will pass soon!

jsoubel · September 2014

Well, she's stopped waking up in the middle of the night screaming but she's still tricky at bedtime. We have the screeching down to less than a minute after we leave the room so, I count that as success. Mind you, nothing we did made this change. She just knocked it off on her own. Sending you lots of patience and wishes for a restful night!

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