My DS (almost 17 mos) just started this a couple weeks ago. He used to not go down for DH b/c he wanted me to cuddle with him instead and that would be for like 5 minutes, then i'd have to go back in 2-3 more times for a few minutes and then he'd go down. Many times he used to scream when daddy tried to put him down. All of a sudden he won't go down for me at all, just wants me to hold him, but when DH does the night time routine or if he walks in room after i've tried to put him down, all he has to do is say two words about how it's time for night night he lays back down and we don't hear a peep. DS is still waking 1-3 times at night and it's the same thing during middle of night wakings. Sometimes so much that if DH isn't home (travel or drives to work super early) I end up laying down with ds on my chest in guest room while he sleeps and i barely get any (our room is a distraction, he just plays). and if both my dh and i are in the room he points to me and screams if i try to walk out or until i pick him up.
i wouldn't mind this at all if dh could just take over but dh will be on travel for a week soon and some other trips coming up. plus he leaves so early for work and it's starting to wear him out to do the night visits. while it's really nice to be wanted - at least he doesn't scream in my arms, just when i put him down - this has got to change. i don't want to do cio but i am desperate. i've tried mixing up the bedtime routine, which is bath & book, but it doesn't matter what order i go in or what i do, he just wants me to hold him so i don't think it matters what happens before that point. i don't see how it could be hunger or separation anxiety or anything like that b/c again, my dh will go in after i walk out and he goes to sleep.
he has a lovey (we call it a "cuddly") but wants nothing to do with it when he's upset. so we introduced a new nighttime talking book and stuffed bear (Leap Frog's "Scout") hoping he will associate it with being his sleep buddy for the night. It sort of worked a couple times - even though he played with it for an hour at bedtime and woke and played from 3 to 4! (we still use a monitor since dh is up so early making noise when going to work so it still kept us up.) But tonight not at all - i had to send dh in.
after this novel of an explanation, my questions are: 1) has anyone had this experience? if yes, how long did it last or how did you fix it? 2) how do i get ds to stop waking at all at night!??! at least then i'd only have to deal with it one time at bedtime.
i wouldn't mind this at all if dh could just take over but dh will be on travel for a week soon and some other trips coming up. plus he leaves so early for work and it's starting to wear him out to do the night visits. while it's really nice to be wanted - at least he doesn't scream in my arms, just when i put him down - this has got to change. i don't want to do cio but i am desperate. i've tried mixing up the bedtime routine, which is bath & book, but it doesn't matter what order i go in or what i do, he just wants me to hold him so i don't think it matters what happens before that point. i don't see how it could be hunger or separation anxiety or anything like that b/c again, my dh will go in after i walk out and he goes to sleep.
he has a lovey (we call it a "cuddly") but wants nothing to do with it when he's upset. so we introduced a new nighttime talking book and stuffed bear (Leap Frog's "Scout") hoping he will associate it with being his sleep buddy for the night. It sort of worked a couple times - even though he played with it for an hour at bedtime and woke and played from 3 to 4! (we still use a monitor since dh is up so early making noise when going to work so it still kept us up.) But tonight not at all - i had to send dh in.
after this novel of an explanation, my questions are: 1) has anyone had this experience? if yes, how long did it last or how did you fix it? 2) how do i get ds to stop waking at all at night!??! at least then i'd only have to deal with it one time at bedtime.
