DCB Screams When I Pick Him Up From Nap

[PeanutsGalore]

I'll try and figure out where I can get him in an area by himself. My house has three levels, but the main one is the only one I am allowed to use for daycare, as the other two only do not have proper fire exits (we cannot have the only exits be up or down stairs). Anyway, my main level has a family room, kitchen and attached dining room, two daycare rooms that connect by three stairs, the foyer, laundry room with bathroom, and the living room which is my sleep area. The entire main level is open, the only door is to the bathroom. So I may have to get creative to try and find a seperate place for him to go.

Ok so working on the assumption that I am creative and figure out a second spot...I lay him down awake and he yells, sometimes cries for less than five minutes. Then he'll start fussing/crying about 30 minutes later. What is the best thing to do then? Go in and lay him down in his bed again? Ignore it until it has been a more appropriate time? How long before I give up and go get him?

Today I only had him and my own kids (most people only work and the schools are open open Mon-Thurs here), so this afternoon when he woke up, I went to get him and he started the screaming. I said, "Oh goodness I can't hold you when you are screaming" and I left the room again. He screamed like a banshee for about an hour, standing up the whole time, so I went and got him. Was that bad? Should I have stayed out?

Sorry for all the questions, I really appreciate the help!

If he had only slept for a few minutes and you think he wasn't done napping yet, then yes, stay out. Let him fuss for awhile, and somewhere in between 5 and 30 minutes, he should be asleep again if he's tired. But you should be kind of sure that he is actually tired, and not just asking you to come get him. If you are letting him CIO in order to teach him not to scream anymore, then you do not respond to the screaming at all. If he sees you and screams, walk away and say something gently..."use your indoor voice...we do not scream in this house...." something. Wait for a lull--a quiet breath, or wait until he calms down a bit. It might require standing near the door so you can get in the room as soon as he calms down but before he starts up again, but it's worth it. I think the CIO approach should work for him because this is a sudden aberration in his behavior, and not a natural part of his temperament.

[SandeeAR]

I have one I keep in my bedroom, the rest are in a room by themselves. She cries the second I start to lay her down. I tell her nite-nite and walk out.

For morning nap: She cries herself to sleep, usually about 10 min. Sleeps for 20 minutes, cries for 10 min. and sleeps for twenty. Gets an hour in bed.

For afternoon nap: She cries herself to sleep, usually about 10 min. Sleeps for 20 minutes, cries for 10 min. and sleeps for twenty, cries for 10 min, sleeps for an hour. Gets 2 hours in bed.

She ALWAYS wakes up screaming. She wakes up in a panic, EVERYTIME. When I pick her up, I tell her to hush, or I'm putting her back down.

She is now 11 months old. She has done this since she was a little bab, she has NEVER been a good solid sleeper and ALWAYS has screamed.

[QualiTcare]

can the "other room" be in a pnp in the room you're in?

you said he slept fine the day he slept near you.

i had a kid who slept in a pnp in the room i was in for the same reasons and i had no problems. he would still wake up sometimes, but as long as i was there where he could see me, he'd lie still and go back to sleep. if i were to get up and leave the room, he'd immediately jump up and start screaming. not the ideal situation, but it was better than leaving him to scream his head off and/or wake everyone else up.

it can't hurt to try.

[Symphony]

Ok ladies I have a plan...There just isn't a way I can give him a seperate room, but I realized that he is my only one who still really needs two naps here. The other two are fine napping with the after lunch crew. So, I'm going to change it that way, moving the other kids out. So wish me luck!

[DCMomOf3]

Let us know how today goes.

[Symphony]

Well it didn't go well. Both morning and afternoon he slept 30 minutes and then woke up and screamed his head off for the next hour and a half. Never even layed back down. Morning nap I got him up because it was lunch time. Afternoon nap I got him because it was time to go outside.

So I still don't know what to do. Keep letting him scream for an hour and a half?

[SilverSabre25]

Any chance he's ready to give up the morning nap?

[Symphony]

Any chance he's ready to give up the morning nap?

No. I actually tried that a couple weeks ago with Mom's ok, and he fell asleep on the floor around 9:30 and then again at 4:30. No dice...He sleeps from 8-5 at night so he really needs much more sleep than he is getting here.

[SilverSabre25]

Hmmm, I really don't know. I don't think it's okay to let him scream for so long, but I don't have any suggestions for you. Is he too hot/cold, maybe? Does he not like where he's sleeping? Maybe try a different bed? Do you use white noise at all while the kiddos sleep? (these may have been asked before, I don't remember. Sorry if they were)

[treehugger82]

Well it didn't go well. Both morning and afternoon he slept 30 minutes and then woke up and screamed his head off for the next hour and a half. Never even layed back down. Morning nap I got him up because it was lunch time. Afternoon nap I got him because it was time to go outside.

So I still don't know what to do. Keep letting him scream for an hour and a half?

Wow, so sorry you and he are going through this.
I know with my dd and niece there were times when it seemed to get worse before it got better. They were both very strong willed little ones, plus I let it get out of hand, just wanting a break and accomodating their erratic nap schedules for a while, but it ended up biting me in the backside! An hour and a half is a long time. Maybe set a time limit, based on your gut feelings and go get him after that. It is a process sometimes. Wish I had better advice for you!