My 8 1/2 month old just decided to stop sleeping at night. Sunday night he started this thing when ever he gets tired if you lay him in to his crib he starts to scream and cry big ol' tears. He can lay down to take his nap with out a problem in his crib its just at night. He doesn't have a fever, it doesn't look like any more teeth are coming in. He is just getting over a little cold, but I can't see that as being a problem. He just wants to be held! He can fall asleep in your arms but the second you lean over to put him in the crib is when he starts to wail!
Well I took Zachary in to see his Dr. and we found out he has an ear infection along with conjunctivitis with his cold. I let him cry himself to bed the other night. It took twenty minutes and tonight I am trying again. He is just like his father very stubborn so its taking a long time.
Thank you everyone for your wonderful input and advice.
It could be an ear infection. My son was doing that too, he was younger, but I didn't have a clue. He too had gotten over a cold, and I had taken him in for his 4 month appointment. I felt SO BAD, but the doctor said it is actually really common for the parents not to know.
My kids both do that when they have ear infections. Nap time doesn't bother them to lay down but nighttime is the worst. You may want to have ears checked especially since he's just getting over a cold. That was the usual time for it to go into their ears for my little ones. Good luck! My 8 1/2 month old is finally cutting teeth and they are giving her fits!
It could be separation anxiety, or a bit of a fear of the dark. Some children, even young babies, go through periods of fear, especially at night. Have you tried a night light? My daughter (now 15 yrs old) did this, I would play a soft, lullaby tape that i had. Maybe you could find a lullaby CD and start playing it before you put him in the crib. Sometimes you just have to let them cry it out too, just go in and check on him every 10 minutes or so to reassure him that you are there, but don't pick him up or stay in the room very long, only a few seconds.
anyway, hope this helps!
My boys did that too. It's like they get old enough to decide it's funner to stay awake and play than sleep. I had to let my youngest cry it out. My oldest has a problem falling asleep, so we have him on meds. He's also got ADHD.
With my 1st son, I often times gave in and rocked him to sleep. I learned from him and now, unless the crying goes on for more than 10 min, I leave my 2nd son in his crib to cry. He's now 18 mo old. He stops crying very quickly. But he has to know that his crying won't get him anywhere. It's heartbreaking at first but soon they learn and the crying spell gets shorter and shorter each night.
For the pass two nights my ten month old has woken up at 11 pm just screaming. He doesn't want a bottle, no new teeth, no fever. The first night I let him cry himself back to sleep but last night he just wasn't falling for it. So I held him and just constantly sang and patted his back until he fell asleep. I'm not sure what I will do tonight. His nap schedule during the day has gotten off track so maybe that is what is wrong. I have heard that "white noice" (I think that is what it is called) helps. A fan running, a radio playing softly, a music box...it helps them to fall asleep. I remember our daycare use to play a radio fairly loud during nap time. It helps the workers still be able to work and make noise and the old kids can still play without the worry of waking up the younger ones.
