Why is my 16 months old up for hours at night?

[Maria14]

Just wondering if anyone experienced this or would be able to explain what's going on..
DD has always been independent sleeper.
She is now on one nap a day.
Her day is usually like this:
WU 6.30-7.30
A 5 hrs
Nap:11.30-12 (1.5-2 hrs)
BT: 8 pm
She wakes up some nights at random time and can't get back to sleep for at least two hours,sometimes as long as 4 hrs.
She doesn't really cry,just small cries of frustration, and just fusses and tries to go back to sleep.
I can not find any explanation to this.
This has been going on since she was 10 months old.
It seems to happen in waves- 2 weeks on 2 weeks off or so.
She is cutting molars but I can not attribute all the disturbed nights to teething.
She doesn't seem to be in pain most of the time.
It's just as if she has insomnia!
Obviously she struggles to get through the day after these bad nights and I feel so sorry for her and am exhausted myself.
Nothing seems to help her back to sleep, even if she comes to bed with me she just lies there trying to send herself back to sleep.
Has anyone experienced this?

[Buttonbobs]

To be honest this does sound like teething discomfort to me. Your easy looks good and that pattern of disturbance and then not every couple of weeks would fit with teething.

Teething never made a difference to my dd in the daytime but at night the pressure from lying down can make it more uncomfortable.

Have you tried offering meds when she first stirs and seeing if this makes a difference?

[Maria14]

Thank you for your reply!
Yes,when she seems to be in discomfort in the evening I give her meds before bed and it helps- but I am worried about medicating too much also sometimes in the night after a couple of hrs I give in and give nurofen or calpol and it helps to settle her.
But obviously I don't want to give meds unnecessarily so try not to..
The strange thing is she doesn't really cry so I never thought she is in proper pain
Maria

[Khalam's Mama]

Honestly if we had pain that lasted for months we would use pain meds. It is safe as long as you follow the instructions to use long term and plenty of kids with long term pain problems use it ongoing for years so honestly don't worry about using meds when she needs them. The lack of sleep is likely to do more harm than the meds if it goes on. WE used to alternate between paracetamol and ibuprofen so I didn't feel we were over using one. I would try medication before bed if it is earlier wake ups or try a dream med if it is later in the night. Good. luck. It won't be forever.

[Buttonbobs]

I agree with this

[Maria14]

Thank you all for your replies.
I noticed that after a day at the nursery where she only naps for about an hour she sleeps much better and doesnt usually have NWs unless definitely bothered by pain/illness.
At home she usually sleeps for 1.5-2 hrs and then we have the NW.
She settles fairly well at bedtime- 5 to 20 min usually.
This makes me think that may be I should cap her nap?
But she is way too young to that I suppose.
Also she has been waking up 45 min after falling asleep at BT every night for the past few months.she sometimes has a fairly short mantra cry and resettled or can really yell so I have to go in and lie next to her cot til she is asleep again.
As far as I can tell this means OT.
So really,I am very confused as to what is going on and how to tackle this night problems..one molar has emerged fully ( took a month!!!) but another one is cutting through.
She is currently having chicken pox so wakes up crying several times a night,had been having fever etc and sleep is all over the place.she had been sleeping with me these last few nights. I do this when she is ill- let her sleep with me,then when she is well again she sleeps in her cot ok.
What do you do when little ones are unwell with illness?..reassure them in the cot?..
Has anyone had to cap the nap at the age of 16-17 months?..
Am so tired,DD slept better this time last year!
Thank you for advice.

[Khalam's Mama]

Tracy recommends you sleeping on their floor with a mattress when ill as it is easier to remove yourself after they are well than it is to move them back from your bed.
I agree the wu After bt sounds OT. I think sometimes LO crash when OT And mislead us by sleeping well after less sleep but that doesn't necessarily mean they need less sleep. Doing it every day might be harder to cope with than just when she is at daycare several days. She is very young to cap one nap and I think it unlikely that is what she needs. My kids both dropped their nap just after 2 and they were both still taking naps that long at nearly 2.
Ride out the illness as best you can. Keep her comfortable if you think more teeth are coming through and reassess when she is well I guess. It takes a good week if not 2 to settle into a routine after illness so I would chart what she does for a while after she seems better and then see what you have. If she is ill our in pain all the tweaking in the world will do nothing but frustrate you and her.
hope she gets better soon.