CIO Experts, question... separation anxiety phase?

So we did CIO when DS was 4 months (I know, I'm a bad mom). It worked like a charm.. he started to fall asleep on his own, woke up much less, and perfected the art of putting himself to sleep.

Over the next two months he's done various combinations of STTN (7-7) some nights and one wake-up/feed/back down immediately other nights (usually between 3-5am).

Now, at 26 weeks I think we've hit a separation anxiety phase. For the past two nights he's fed and won't go back down (at weird times - 12,1,2am), at first he cries hysterically for 10-20 minutes, settles down and is wide-awake for 20 minutes laying there, then starts crying again, repeat until it's been about 1/1.5 hours when he finally goes back down until morning.

My question - if this is an emotional, attachment kind of phase, do I still let him CIO? Or is this a time he needs more soothing and ignoring his cries is just wrong?

Message edited 10/28/2013 2:47:53 PM.

Re: CIO Experts, question... separation anxiety phase?

At 6 months it's possible to be separation anxiety, but that's a bit young. IMO, his sleep pattern is probably just changing. He might just not need 12 straight hours of sleep, especially because you say he is wide awake.

DS sttn for 10 hours. He wakes up around 7 for a bottle and will not go back down to sleep then, no matter what. But usually around 8:30 or 9am, he's ready for a short nap (30-60 minutes).

Re: CIO Experts, question... separation anxiety phase?

Re: CIO Experts, question... separation anxiety phase?

Im pretty sure that DD hit that mark around the same time with needing to be cuddled and know i was there. it didnt last that long from what i remember but now at 16 mo its happened off and on. Currently shes going thru the same thing every night at the same time.

CIO Experts, question... separation anxiety phase?

My DS has times when nothing will get him to sleep. Thank god it only lasts a day or two.

During those nights I have slept on the floor next to his crib and my hand through the bars so he can hold it. Its a tough few days and once I can get him in a deep sleep I can usually sneak out.

I found many times it coincided with a tooth or a milestone.

Re: CIO Experts, question... separation anxiety phase?

Teething? I'm always quick to think teething when something comes out of the blue like this. What if you tried Motrin at bedtime and see if it pushes back the wake up/crying time. If so, it might be teething pain waking him up and keeping him up. I feel like it's probably not separation anxiety just yet, especially in the middle of the night. I would be more likely to think that if you said he was crying as soon as you put him down for the night.

CIO Experts, question... separation anxiety phase?

I was going to say maybe teething also. My little guy is a great sleeper. This has happened to us two times so far, him randomly waking up in the middle of the night, crying, wanting a bottle etc. within a week or 2 a little tooth popped up.

Re: CIO Experts, question... separation anxiety phase?

I would sit in their room until they slept. But I wouldn't pick them up. Knowing I was there seemed to calm them. If they cried, I'd just let them know I was there. I was afraid I was creating a bad habit but it eventually passed and I can just put them in their cribs and leave again.

Message edited 10/29/2013 8:07:23 AM.