Bedtime Blues

Around 6 months seperation anxiety can start. My first child was in daycare so we went through this during the day. All the sudden he cried when I dropped him off. I was a SAHM with my second and he started crying just like your little guy at bedtime. With both kids it started at 6 months.
Now I have a 5 month old daughter, and am just wondering when it will start for her.
The boys sereration anxiety after a month or two. I would love to get together. We could do some scraping or stamping. I've recently found the best clear stamps and clear blocks. Also, coordinating papers, inks and embellishments! I'd love to get together!

unfortunately some kids just change with age when it comes to their sleep patterns.If he has no problem laying down to take his naps then it's probably not the solid food. The older they get the more they think they are missing out on something when they go to bed. My daughter slept through the night until she was a year old and then out of nowhere she began to wake up every couple hours every night. this lasted until she was almost three then she went back to sleeping through the night. It was so frustrating and tiring but again just an age thing I guess. good luck

Perhaps you should add a another thing to your bedtime routine. My youngest who is now 8 months needed a little extra cuddle time before I put him to bed. A few nights ago I put him to bed and then his father came home. He cried until I got him up so he could say good night to his papa. I've also had to add a tickle routine, which I know sounds like I am stimulating him, but he won't go to sleep without me tickling his neck. I also always verbally acknowledge that his father and I will always be there for him and take care of him. Just something to consider.

the first thing i thought of is that he has a ear infection. i might be wrong but i know my boys had a high tolerance to pain and wouldnt show any signs of ear infection except a runny nose and waking up crying in the middle of the night. i figured it out after them having ruptured ear drums too many times. they would be taking a bath and i would notice thick ear drainage. therefore, i would suggest taking the baby to the dr and getting his ears checked.
L., mother of 4.

With my six month old twins they will sleep just fine during a nap while laying flat (either on their backs or on their tummy's with supervision) but at night, when they are going to sleep for a long time, they won't sleep unless they are propped up in their Boppy's. I know that the Boppy's say right on them that they aren't for sleep, but it is the only thing that I have found that works, otherwise they wake up every couple hours, as if they had just taken a nap. I don't know why they do better in the Boppy's, but the only thing that I can think of is that maybe it feels like they are being held, so that might help them to sleep better and deeper. However, if you try this, don't use the Boppy's for naps, just for bedtime, because then he might associate the Boppy with naptime, and not sleep as long. Also, if the other moms are right and he does have an ear infection, sleeping flat will hurt because then all the wax or whatever collect in the ear, so in the Boppy, there is no collection, because he will still be semi-upright.

I know that at certain milestones of a baby's first year, they go through separation anxiety. If I remember right, I think 6 months is one of them. I agree with R., too though. You should see about his ears. My daughter screamed when I layed her down to sleep and she started her double ear infections (we're up to 5 now!) at about the same time as your baby is crying now. Kids are prone to them, since the canal in thier ears are still developing, sometimes drainage will get caught in there. The doc will probably perscribe something like Omnicef or maybe some other kind of anitbiotic. If it turns out that nothing is wrong, I would suggest keeping the bedtime routine the way it was. When they go through separation anxiety, its important for you to not get them used to being rocked to sleep, since that can become the only way you get them sleeping for a while. If your baby has an ear infection, there are ear drops, usually in the same area as the swimmers ear stuff, that numbs their ear drums like novicane at the dentist. Its been a god send for me! Good luck!

A.

Perhaps he is sleeping too much during the day. We found when we limit my daughter's naps(she is 6 mo old) to one hour each and now she sleeps so much better. We also bought new toys to stimulate her and keep her busy which helped, too.

My 6 month old is JUST starting to sleep through the night. Based on my experience, I feel that as the kids get older they either don't need as long of a second nap....OR they may be getting a bit more stimulated than normal. It may be hard for him to calm down at night because he is on overload. When my baby is at day care all day, he doesn't want to sleep. He is so stimulated with his surroundings, probably too stimulated! They watch baby einstein, he watches other kids play, and he doesn't sleep well, so when it's time for bed, he cries for a long time becuase of this. Although I know he is tired, he can't calm down and sleep. I hope this helps
T. J