Question:
We do a routine with our son also and it really does seem to work he goes right to bed. I do not know if this would work in your situation but it is something to try.
Response:
My son has never liked his crib. Never. After trying various things, I tried having him in bed with us (I didn’t try it at first because of fear rather than being opposed to it-he was only a few months old when we first tried it and he seemed so small!). That worked so well! However, if you don’t think the family bed will work for you, maybe you can try putting his mattress on the floor. We moved my son to his mattress on the floor at one year and it has worked out pretty well. We tried the crib at one year and he was immediately set off by the bars-he hates them! However, he will sleep on his mattress on the floor. I still take him into bed with us when he wakes up and wants to be near us, but I feel he is learning to adapt to his own bed this way-but at *his* own pace. You can put the mattress against a wall and use the -what’s it called- bed rail thingy 
on the other side so he won’t keep rolling off. Though if he does, it is not a big distance anyway. Peace, Laura
Response:
My son woke up to a dozen times a night until he was about a year and a half. I would get up and rock him or just go to his crib and stroke his hair a little. He would go right to sleep only to wake again half an hour later. I was exhausted. I came across a book called ‘The Family Bed’ and decided to bring him into bed with me. He still woke during the night but would just reach over with his foot or hand to feel if I was there and then go back to sleep. I have other children who did just fine in a crib but I think all children are different and have different needs when it comes to sleep. We need to respect these differences and not be ‘afraid’ of the family bed just because we weren’t raised that way. My son is now seven years old and a very normal child. Not at all hurt by this experience. We are very close and he slept with us until he was three years old and has no desire to do it now.
Response:
>Our 14 month old has suddenly started standing and screaming in his crib >when he wakes up at night. For the last three nights he has done this >for 2-3 hours until we finally relent and get him. He has had a few >bouts with night crying in the past, but if we followed the usual >suggestions (entering/quickly exiting every 15 minutes, etc.) he would >"remember" how to fall asleep after a few nights. This seems very >different–now he stands up and screams without any sign that he will >stop, he is also doing this at nap time now. >Any thoughts or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated!
You are not alone! My 11 mo has been doing this for the last week, every 2 hours at night. I do go and check on him immediately, but there has been no way to really comfort him. I took him to the Dr. yesterday to have his ears checked, and yes, one was infected. Hopefully after a few days of Amox. the screaming (and obvious pain) will get better. Maybe you should have your son checked out by a Dr. just to make sure nothing is wrong.
Response:
The following is from a poem: The Gift . . . As you grew bigger. I gave you a bed with a headboard hand-carved by your father, Kermit-the-frog sheets, and one of those teddy bears that plays a mother’s heartbeat to keep you from being lonely. The first night that we moved you into your new bed, you cried and cried. Finally, I answered your call. I lay with you, waiting for you to sleep, but still you cried. Exasperated I asked, "My child, why do you cry? I have given you everything. What more do you want?" Through your tears you whispered, "You." This is a very sweet poem that I have collected over the years. It is just the ending. If you would like to read it all let me know and I will post it. I am not sure who the author is.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Our 14 month old has suddenly started standing and screaming in his crib > when he wakes up at night. For the last three nights he has done this > for 2-3 hours until we finally relent and get him. He has had a few > bouts with night crying in the past, but if we followed the usual > suggestions (entering/quickly exiting every 15 minutes, etc.) he would > "remember" how to fall asleep after a few nights. This seems very > different–now he stands up and screams without any sign that he will > stop, he is also doing this at nap time now. > Any thoughts or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated! >Our 16 month old son has done the same thing on and off since he was about >12 month old. He wakes in the night and when I go in to him he is standing >in his cot and howling. Usually when I pick him up and rock him he will >drop off to sleep and as soon as I attempt to lie him in his cot again he >jumps up and starts all over again! Most infuriating at 2 in the morning!!! >We have also tried the cry it out method but he has amazing stamina when it >comes to crying! But I have realised that even during the day he follows me >around and doesn’t like being alone so I suppose its only understandable >that he feels even more insecure at night alone in his room. I am reluctant >to have him sleep with us because he’s a very restless sleeper (just like >his mum) and we would both wake each other up. Sometimes I can put him in >bed with us til he falls asleep and then move him to his cot. The problem >may also be teething pain so that is something to consider. Other ideas >suggestions for myself and the original poster would be greatly >appreciated!! >Michelle
Ah, hello, welcome to my world…:) As the mother of a 20-month-old who has exhibited behavior like this in the past, my suggestion is to try a change in the bedtime routine. If your child is put to bed at 8:30, try 8:00. However, an important part of doing this is establishing a solid routine. Every night, we do nearly the same thing: we tell him 45 minutes in advance that he’ll be going to bed soon. We start speaking in quieter voices to wind him down, and we usually sit on the couch with him for a while to get him to stop moving and get ready for bed. Then we turn the TV off, or the radio, or the computer, and we read 2 stories (to be exact, The Cat in the Hat and Dr Suess’s ABC). He drinks his milk while we’re reading the stories. Then, we say good night to everything, down to the pictures on the wall. On the way up the stairs, we even say good night to the construction-paper "Blue’s Clue’s" taped on the wall for just this purpose. Then we lay him down, he gets a plug for his mouth, and one for each hand. About a month ago, the system broke down, and he was crying again when put to bed. I tried putting a night light in the hallway (in addition to the one in his room) and it worked. The reason I’m detailing this routine is not to suggest you do the exact same thing, but only to illustrate how detailed it is (no one knows why he wants to hold the pacifiers). Also, you should try not giving your kids any sugar or even fruit juice for about an hour before bed. Preparing him in advance for bed and following a routine (although kind of an odd one 
) has really helped us. Sam used to wake up in the middle of the night and cry, just like you described, but I attribute that to being overtired and perhaps overstimulated before bed. I’m noy psychologist, bu I think it has to do with being mentally prepared to sleep and letting their brains "slow down" before bed. Anyway, that’s my two cents, don’t spend it all in one place Amy W. (Sam 6/3/95) Amy Windmill, General Manager windmill fraser multimedia – http://www.wfmm.com/
Response:
> Our 14 month old has suddenly started standing and screaming in his crib > when he wakes up at night. For the last three nights he has done this > for 2-3 hours until we finally relent and get him. He has had a few > bouts with night crying in the past, but if we followed the usual > suggestions (entering/quickly exiting every 15 minutes, etc.) he would > "remember" how to fall asleep after a few nights. This seems very > different–now he stands up and screams without any sign that he will > stop, he is also doing this at nap time now. > Any thoughts or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated!
Our 16 month old son has done the same thing on and off since he was about 12 month old. He wakes in the night and when I go in to him he is standing in his cot and howling. Usually when I pick him up and rock him he will drop off to sleep and as soon as I attempt to lie him in his cot again he jumps up and starts all over again! Most infuriating at 2 in the morning!!! We have also tried the cry it out method but he has amazing stamina when it comes to crying! But I have realised that even during the day he follows me around and doesn’t like being alone so I suppose its only understandable that he feels even more insecure at night alone in his room. I am reluctant to have him sleep with us because he’s a very restless sleeper (just like his mum) and we would both wake each other up. Sometimes I can put him in bed with us til he falls asleep and then move him to his cot. The problem may also be teething pain so that is something to consider. Other ideas suggestions for myself and the original poster would be greatly appreciated!! Michelle
Response:
If the screaming is prolonged, such as the 2-3 hours mentioned, I really would think something is wrong. Not necessarily an illness, but perhaps what they call "night terrors", which is basically a very intense nightmare. I have heard a tip, that when your child screams in the night and you can not comfort him or her, it could be because he/she is not fully awake. Wash child’s face gently with a warm washcloth to wake him/her and then try comforting. Jennifer
Response:
>Our 14 month old has suddenly started standing and screaming in his crib >when he wakes up at night. For the last three nights he has done this >for 2-3 hours until we finally relent and get him. He has had a few >bouts with night crying in the past, but if we followed the usual >suggestions (entering/quickly exiting every 15 minutes, etc.) he would >"remember" how to fall asleep after a few nights. This seems very >different–now he stands up and screams without any sign that he will >stop, he is also doing this at nap time now. >Any thoughts or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated!
My BIL and his wife when through the same thing at that age and it lasted for over a year. She ended up sleeping on the floor in his room, nothing else worked. Personally, I would have moved the kid into my room and at least got a good nights sleep in bed. I mean, if you’re basically sleeping with the kid anyway, its not any different. I’m sure this isn’t very encouraging. Maybe someone else has a better suggestion. Nyoka
Response:
Our 14 month old has suddenly started standing and screaming in his crib when he wakes up at night. For the last three nights he has done this for 2-3 hours until we finally relent and get him. He has had a few bouts with night crying in the past, but if we followed the usual suggestions (entering/quickly exiting every 15 minutes, etc.) he would "remember" how to fall asleep after a few nights. This seems very different–now he stands up and screams without any sign that he will stop, he is also doing this at nap time now. Any thoughts or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated!
Response:
> Our 14 month old has suddenly started standing and screaming in his crib > when he wakes up at night. For the last three nights he has done this > for 2-3 hours until we finally relent and get him. He has had a few
leaving a child to scream or even cry for 2-3 hours…even 15 min. at ANY age sends a horrible message to that child. If a child is distressed, ESP. to the point of screaming, they -really- need some loving comfort…..immediately! That’s part of parenting….a big part. Your baby needs to be close to you. You are the center of his universe. Think about it terms of yourself and your relationship with your spouse or partner….a mutually loving relationship. If you were having a problem…upset and crying or not, and your loved one ignored you, this would be upsetting in and of itself…you’d probably get even more upset because of it. (in adult terms; become angry, grow distant, have an affair….basically realize that the person you depend on for a lot of your life’s goodness and comfort is simply not there for you when you need them…it would destroy your relationship….quickly.) In your child’s eyes, your withholding comfort from him sends a clear MSG that he not important to you (even tho that’s not the case at all). He screams more and more…what else can he do? He’s all alone in a world where he needs the presence of others just to survive, let alone be content. I suggest keeping your baby close to you as much as possible when he’s awake and going to him when he wakes from sleeping. He needs to know that you’re there for him more than he needs to learn self-sufficiency and independence. Independence comes soon enough and a when he’s secure knowing he has a solid anchor of support, he’ll fly. Cathy
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