My son is 8.5 months old and bed time separation anxiety has set in. First let me give you a little background. He was sleeping through the night at 4.5 mo to 6 mo then he got several ear infection, had tubes put in 2 weeks ago and we thought that would help him sleep, but it has not. He basically hasn't slept through the night for almost 3 months. He does have 4 teeth coming in on the top (already has 4 on the bottom), but when we let him cry it out he screams and screams all night. I don't know what to do because I'm so tired and I feel bad while he's screaming. He never cries unless it's bedtime.
Letting him cry is not the answer. It's pretty normal for babies to regress to not sleeping all. Are you giving him anything for the teething? Motrin works better for mouth pain than Tylenol. Go to the bookstore and pick up the book "The no-cry sleep solution" by elizabeth pantley. Letting him cry is only stressing everyone, including him, out. And it will only make separation anxiety worse.
don't let him cry it out. feed him again, play music, find a new stuffed animal or blanket that comforts him, etc. find some way to comfort him. our baby is in our room with us and if i try to calm her back to sleep she insists on breastfeeding, but if my husband calmly tells her to go back to sleep, she does. sometimes i have to wake my husband to do this, but it's worth it because she calms down quickly at the sound of his voice. this is a very normal age for separation anxiety and leaving the baby to cry doesn't always work. pray to know what it is your baby needs to sleep better. good luck!
I dont' have any answers for you but wanted to say I understand!! I could have written the very same thing- I too have a 8.5 mo old and she was sleeping through the night at 2 1/2 mo to 5 mo., then in came the teeth combined with several colds. It has been almost 4 months since she slept through the night. I have let her cry it out and it doesn't go too well. She also wakes up at the same times every night so that is what makes me think it is a bad habit too. I hope you figure it out!! Nothing I did, including pain relievers, helped with the teething. I figure she has to get over it soon!
I agree that CIO is not the answer. If he's getting four teeth, that may be enough of a reason to not want to be alone at night. He's in pain, he's uncomfortable and the only thing that may comfort him is being held, sung to, rocked or slept with.
Although separation anxiety is surely a factor as well, I suggest giving in a little while he's getting his teeth in. Also with his new tubes, he may be hearing things better now so he may have some startling reactions to noises he didn't hear before, thus scaring him and causing him to cry.
If he just had tubes put in his ears and he is teething - what a combination - it could be that laying down is painful which is why he only cries at night.
Can he sleep in a seat or propped up? Maybe that will help.
Get some rest yourself. You have my sympathies.
My first thought is those teeth. Teeth are nasty. Well, they're fine to have once they're in, but coming in they can be awful! I feel almost as sorry for him as I do for his sleepless parents!
If he were my baby I'd check with the doctor and see if there's anything to put on his gums that might help him at night. He does need to try to sleep in his own bed, but since he's OK during the day I'm betting it's those teeth that make themselves known when they have no competition for his attention. (During the day he can put things in his mouth to make it feel better.) Other than trying to make him more comfortable, you may just have to put up with it for a while longer. There are good reasons mothers feel so tired!
