Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

Right before my DS learned to crawl, he cried constantly when we put him down in his crib for a nap. I also had never seriously tried to get him on a sleep schedule, so at that point, I started to put him down to sleep sooner than I had before, thinking he was getting overtired. It worked, at least with nightime sleep and his morning nap, though the afternoon nap was always harder.

Lately, he is doing this again, only worse than ever. He goes to sleep around the same times, but he pulls himself up in his crib and screams and screams when DH or I leave him. We wind up going back repeatedly trying to calm him down. The worst part is that he gets overtired, and wobbly, sometimes falls in his crib and hits his head on the rails.

Right now I am listening to him scream and have been trying to get him to nap since 10. He is yawning and looks exhausted but just won't go to sleep.

I'm wondering if this has to do with achieving milestones though--now he wants to stand on his own, but can't quite do it. Previously it was the crawling. I really don't know what to do. The only way I can get him to sleep is to drive all over the place with him, but he wakes the second I take him out of the car. I just can't keep wasting gas this way.

Any other suggestions? I really don't know what to do, and I keep waiting for one of our neighbors to call Youth and Family Services on me. His crying sounds horrible.

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

When my son did this..it was his teeth..i would give him tylenol and he would fall asleep..but i would hold him to give the tylenol time to kick in! Good Luck!!

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

I was thinking it was his teeth also, but if we go in his room and hold him, he stops crying and seems happy. So far when he has been teething, he usually keeps crying. Thanks for the suggestion though!

He won't be rocked to sleep though, which I've tried doing also. I've also tried sitting in the room with him in his crib, thinking maybe he just didn't want to be alone. This doesn't seem to help either.

I really don't know what to do

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

Have no answer but it could be that he can get up to standing but is alittle lost on how to get down. This happened to my BF son when he hit his new milestones until they were mastered he would cry in his crib because he would get himself into situations he couldn’t fix (stuck on his belly, stuck standing up etc)

I know she said she would jsut go in and help him down over and over until he got it right.

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

It could be, though when I try to put him down again, he usually fights me and cries even more.

Ahhhh....

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

It sounds more like he is having a little seperation anxiety if you ask me. but, i really have no clue. my son just learned to crawl and it didn't affect his sleep patterns.....

sorry you are going thru this! it just took me about 40 minutes to get my son to go down for a nap so I feel your pain!

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

My son does the same exact thing...I can't do CIO I just can't, so I take him to our bed and he tosses and turns for about 10-15 minutes and then finally falls asleep, after which I put him back in his crib.

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

Thanks for all of the responses. Maybe it is separation anxiety. He screamed when DH and I left him alone with my sister recently, and he was okay with her in the past. Same with a babysitter too.

I'll try lying down in our bed with him for naps. Maybe he'll fall asleep that way. Today I finally did use the car--worked like a charm.

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

Cailen goes through cycles of this - I do think its connected to teeth and when he does something new....

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

I don't really have any suggestinos but I am going through EXACTLY the same thing with DS.....we are starting to think its the teeth but I jsut can't be sure as his teeth only seem to hurt once in a while and this has been going on for consecutive nights.....it's so frustrating and we al lreally need some sleep over here

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

With James I just have to have the same sleeping routine. I sing him a song, give him a few kisses, and put him down with his dinosaur and bottle. I also play the same CD over and over.

I think that the routine makes the babies feel safe and secure.

I wish you luck! I know it is so hard!

Re: Help!!!! Developmental Milestone Crying?

Thanks again! It helps to read through other posts and think about the possibilities.

I'm guessing this is a mixture of teething, excitement about standing up, and separation anxiety.

I hope all of your babies get some sleep soon (and their mommies).