20 month old not sleeping!

Okay, I've had LO on a schedule since he was 14 months, he's always been needy which is why it took that long to begin with. For the past month though, he has been an absolute MONSTER at bedtime! He screams like he's being murdered, I've tried soothing him, I've tried CIO, but all to no avail. He will scream at the top of his lungs for the better part of an hour then lay there and wait until he hears us in the hallway and start up again, it could literally be an hour and a half later! For the first time I'm actually doubting my patience as a parent, most nights at this point I just put him in his room and let him cry and tune it out (judge me if you must, but I'm at my wits end and don't know how else to handle him OR myself) DH is the one that goes back and gets him when he can't stand it anymore. He keeps me up until 2 to 4 AM, I have to be up at 7:30 to watch my neice all day (I nap when she does at this point). I'm so exhausted, this is even starting to have an effect on my weight I've gained 8 lbs just from lack of sleep and overeating because I'm getting so smurfing depressed. I thought he would get better with time, but he's never been easy. Even when he was on a schedule he'd wake me up 2 to 4 times a night to nurse.

Does anyone have experience with EXTREMELY high needs toddlers?

Mine is 19 months and has recently started acting similarly. He isn't nearly as bad, but he is staying awake in his crib well past his bed time, then will wake up screaming the paint off the walls just few short hours later. We used to let him self soothe, which would only take a minute; now he'll literally scream until we go in there. He's been night waking at least twice a night now; and waking up a full hour and a half early. It's smurfing awful. Idk what to do either. I go in there once and tell him "it's nunight time!" and try and soothe him as best I can. IDK what happened to my little champion sleeper but i'm due in a month and a half with a new baby and dear CHRIST I need this kid to get back to sleep

Quoting CRSx2Mommy:" Mine is 19 months and has recently started acting similarly. He isn't nearly as bad, but he is staying ... [snip!] ... little champion sleeper but i'm due in a month and a half with a new baby and dear CHRIST I need this kid to get back to sleep "

Hmm. Maybe it's just a phase then? I have never dealt with this before. My first slept like a champ! Even when he hit the age where he wanted to be up late he would lay inhis bed and quietly play with a stuffed animal. I've also noticed LO nursing like a newborn again which is no fun at all.

I would suggest co sleeping if he is so high needs. I'm sure he doesn't like crying his lungs out, so something is really bothering him.

Quoting A is Me:" I would suggest co sleeping if he is so high needs. I'm sure he doesn't like crying his lungs out, so something is really bothering him."

I've tried it, he just gets out of bed and runs amok in the living room and kitchen, I've even tried a baby gate in our room.

Quoting CRSx2Mommy:" Mine is 19 months and has recently started acting similarly. He isn't nearly as bad, but he is staying ... [snip!] ... little champion sleeper but i'm due in a month and a half with a new baby and dear CHRIST I need this kid to get back to sleep "

I found these, apparently this is normal and no one felt the need to tell us  

http://alphamom.com/parenting/toddler-parenting/when-your-toddler-stops-sleeping/

http://www.askmoxie.org/2006/04/qa_18month_slee.html

<blockquote><b>Quoting Your friendly n00berhood :</b>" I found these, apparently this is normal and no one felt the need to tell us   http://alphamom ... [snip!] ... http://www.askmoxie.org/2006/04/qa_18month_slee.html"</blockquote>




Aww I read the first one from alpha mom and she sounded just as desperate as you were during this phase. I can't imagine. But it will pass!! Sweet hallelujah!

Quoting A is Me:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Your friendly n00berhood :</b>" I found these, apparently this ... [snip!] ... mom and she sounded just as desperate as you were during this phase. I can't imagine. But it will pass!! Sweet hallelujah!"

Haha! Yeah, I was excited to read those, to put it mildly lol. I just hope it passes soon, most of the ladies said it only lasted 1 to2 months so *fingers crossed*!

Quoting Your friendly n00berhood :" I found these, apparently this is normal and no one felt the need to tell us   http://alphamom ... [snip!] ... http://www.askmoxie.org/2006/04/qa_18month_slee.html"

oh friggity super  

shoot me.

wait, shoot us.

My son is almost 4 and just this past year started falling asleep on his own. He still wakes up in the middle of the night and goes in the living room and falls alseep in the rocking recliner but he was always a very needy baby. As an infant he never slept through the night EVER, he was about 2 1/2 before he even would fall asleep on his own and one of us would have to be right beside him or he cried and cried all night like yours. I started taking away naps during the day so he would be tired at night time and he still only sleeps 6 hours if we are lucky

Edit: Also, when me and my husband both have to work the next day (me 645 am to 645 pm and him from 7 am to 5pm) we put cartoons on in his room and I know it sounds awful but I have no idea what time he falls asleep sometimes as long as he is occupied and I can sleep it work lol