19 month old awake for two hours crying?! during the night

[cazza92]

Maybe you can help me shed some light on why my daughter twice now has woken at about 11.30 at night. When you go in she is sitting up in bed crying loads! and when you try and settle her back down she jus t screams even more!

WE tryed everything last night. Rubbing tummy, giving milk, giving analgesia, we even put her into bed with us. She stopped crying and then was really awake and wanted to play! every time we put her back in the cot she would cry and we stayed and comforted her but every time we tried to leave or stopped touching her she cryed! eventually two hours later she turned on her side and went to sleep!

Normally she is a good sleeper, apart from early wakings! she has been teething but she had painkillers when i settled her at bedtime and agiain when she woke up. I also thought maybe wind as she did pass wind a few times? in the day she has been fine full of energy.

She has a normal routine. Wakes at 5.30 to 6.00am then has a two hour nap after lunch and then bedtime at 7pm. Any ideas on why this is happening. I am worried that its going to be a habit!

Thanks
Very tired caroline

[Layla]

Hi Caroline. Could be from overtiredness. What time is the nap? I would have her napping no later at 12pm, so give an early lunch or 1/2 lunch before nap and the rest after. Especially if she is up as early as 6am, really, her nap should be 5.5hrs from the time she is awake.

If you respond to her with milk or take her into bed, etc..  then that might become a habit. Try to calm her in the cot.
Here's a link to sleep training for toddlers: - https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63896.0

I would do wi/wo if she has been sleeping well up until now. Can you also think of anything that may have thrown her off schedule? Do you think she might be sick/getting ill? How is she in general when she is teething?

Layla

[cazza92]

Thanks for your reply. Megan seems fine in the day but suffers a bit at night with her teeth if i don't give her analgesia she tends to wake up crying frequently during the night. Naps normally in bed for 12.30-13.00 depending on what we have been up to in the morning!

Currently she  is overtired and fighting her nap! somehow she can get out of her sleeping bag when she wants to! I think it might have been wind and we reacted in the wrong way. Will look into the walk in walk out method. Its so hard at night know when they are screaming and my husbunds getting angry and your desparate for sleep because you are not used to her waking up!

[Layla]

Caroline, I would definitely bring the nap time forward, as I mentioned earlier no later than 12pm (in bed). Do your wind down about 15 mins before to get her nice and sleepy. If she is fighting naps she is def overtired and the longer she stays up, more overtired she will get.

I know its really hard to do wi/wo at night. Its really hard to hear the cries but you know, if you bring her nap and maybe even the bedtime forward (15mins earlier for bedtime) you might not even have to do it for as long as you think. If she is overtired then its harder to fall asleep whereas if she is better rested, she might not fight you after all. She knows how to fall asleep and stay asleep since she has done it before.

Please keep me posted and write back as often as you like
Layla