My one year old who always was able to go to sleep in her crib for naps and bed time (and she was awake when we would put her in) is suddenly having a complete melt down when she goes into her crib and I don't know what to do. She is barely sleeping because of this and so are we. I don't want to undo the sleep training from when she was an infant by having her sleep with us, and I've began to try to retrain her but she will cry so hard she is making herself sick. I checked for fever, rash, and anything else that may be causing discomfort. She is getting her molars and I've given her various things to sooth this discomfort but I don't see why she would have a melt down in her crib due to getting molars either. HELP, does anyone have any suggestions?
Could be a couple of things. A lot of young toddlers will go through this when they are about to hit a major milestone. If she's not walking yet, she could be very, very soon. Or it could be separation anxiety. She knows now that nighttime will bring a separation, even if you are in the same house, they know it's not the same as you being right beside her.
I have two thoughts:
1. Separation anxiety - like the other responder said, she is now realizing that going in her crib means you are leaving the room; and
2. She now realizes that life continues after she goes to bed and she doesn't want to miss anything,
Not sure what you do about either, other than let them cry themselves to sleep. If you are getting her up because of the gagging, she could be doing that on purpose now, knowing that it will get her out of the crib.
Did this change coincide with change back to standard time?
At 12 months, if she was in child care, she'd be down to one long nap per day.
The toddler room schedule for naps, they eat lunch around 11-11:30 then get cleaned up. After that they go down for their naps. Most of them are awake by 2:30 but some sleep longer and have to be woken up ab 3 so they can go outside for their outdoor playtime.
If you'll just give it some time she might go back to her regular sleep schedule but it's unlikely. She's growing and doesn't need as much sleep now. She's also probably starting some separation anxiety. I'd stay with her until she's asleep so you can at least get some rest before she wakes up again.
Our kids all went to sleep for the night around 9pm. That time worked really well for them. They always feel asleep coming home from child care but that was just for a few minutes. Then they played all evening and were ready to go down at 9. They got up around 7 or 7:30 if they had to, on the weekends they woke up by 9.
May be time to drop one of the naps. What is her schedule like? what time does she wake up in the morning? Afternoon nap and then down for night time.
Figure out what works best for the 2 of you. She wakes up, has a bottle play a little, give her breakfast play, go to the park , for a stroll, OR run a quick errand, not longer than an hour to 2 hours.. Back home, a good quiet lunch a sippy cup, then a good wipe down with a good warm wash cloth.. Read her a story or play some quiet music. Nap..
2 1/2 hours later she wakes up.. snack.. playtime, or make this an errand time.. Come home, more playtime, make dinner, eat dinner in a quiet house. Good quiet really warm bath and then bed.. By 7:00 or 7:30..
