My 19 month old son has always been a fabulous sleeper since birth, with the exception of being sick, teething or the very odd night of just having an off-night. The last couple of weeks though, he is waking up so upset. He's still in a crib, in a sleep bag with his background music and stuffie. His routine has always been the same. Nothing has changed. I think this time around it might be teething, which is definitely happening (we see him tightening his jaw and grinding his teeth during the day), but what I don't like is that he wakes up for example at midnight, 2, 3 5 am etc. and is screaming and scared and doesn't know what to do with himself. A mix of teething and nightmares maybe? We have been giving him Tylenol and advil some nights. We let him cry for a bit, we soothe him for a bit- same as we've always done but last night he was so over-exhausted that he ended up just passing out sitting up around 5 am after being up since 3. If this is just a teething thing- there's not much more to say, but my question is more along the lines of is this a sign that we need to switch things up? No more sleep bag? Crib transition? Is this a sign ? Or is it the opposite-more than ever we need to stick to the status quo? Thanks for any insight!
If he's screaming, could be ear infections (will appear fine during day, pressure much worse when laying flat, often peaks middle of night). If left untreated, could go on for weeks. I'd take him in. Teeth grinding/clenching can be a sign as well. Good luck :)
So at some point - it's been so long that I don't remember how old, but still during the crib years - one of mine (my otherwise good sleeper) started waking up screaming. It took several weeks, but it turned out that a stuffed giraffe in his room suddenly started looking scary at night. We only figured it out when we moved it out of the room for an unrelated reason, and he stopped waking up scared. Then we moved it back in (not realizing it was the reason) and he started waking up scared again.
This particular stuffed animal was a baby shower gift and had literally been in his room since the day he came home from the hospital. And during the day, he was fine with it. But at some point in toddlerhood, it suddenly became terrifying at night. I still have no idea why. So my advice to you is to look around his room and see if there is anything at all that could possibly be scaring him. Trying moving things out of the room to see if it makes a difference. Maybe you will stumble upon something like I did.
you know, there's just no way to be sure what it is. i'd certainly start off with a check-up in case it's an ear infection or an impacted tooth, something with a relatively easy fix.
you have to be a detective when you're a mom. yeah, it might be a sign that it's time to transition him into something else, but the screaming and fear indicate that there's something more immediate to consider. transitional phases generally involve restlessness and grumpiness. it sure sounds like nightmares, doesn't it?
but a history of good sleeping never means that it's a lifelong attribute. change is the only constant with babies.
with something like this i wouldn't waste time faffing about with bed transitions or altering the bedtime routine. i'd look for medical reasons, and maybe add a 'go away nightmare' song to be sung softly during the episodes.
khairete
S.
At 19 months, there are a few things to keep in mind. It could still be teething, and he could be cutting molars. Cutting molars is so much more painful than front teeth (that are sharp and pointy). So it is possible that he's in more pain.
It could be an ear infection. That's very common at his age.
it could also be that something is scaring him. His imagination is so much more vivid and active at that age. He could simply be scared and needing comfort.
It can be a challenge to figure out what's upsetting him, but we always began by responding to cries immediately (we never let them cry it out or even cry a bit). The first thing we try is just soothing. If they are in pain, soothing will only get you so far, so it's kind of an indicator of something more. If they are scared, soothing will usually do the trick. Still, when they are too young to talk, it's always a challenge.
It's great that you are wondering, could he be ready for a change in routine. Mine were always ready for a change in routine shortly after we had finally found one. But as they get older, they get much flexible. And they can talk and tell you what's wrong :-)
Could be teething, and with that comes ear issues. It could be acid reflux or gas. When mine was like that, he was a little younger, but the milicon gas drops always worked. He could just be in or in between growth spurts and his needs are changing. As someone else said, it seems like you get into a great routine and then baby decides to make a change. I would start with a call to the dr and see what they suggest. Good luck and I hope you are getting a nap!
