18 month sleep regression support thread

[KatieandThomas]

Hey

I haven't gone through every post so apologies if this has been answered. Firstly what is WI/WO?

My son is approaching 20 months and we are approaching our 4th week of VERY early mornings. I have tried later bedtimes, earlier bedtimes. Hotter baths, deeper baths. For about a week I had a fight to get him to sleep but he is now so tired even he doesn't have the energy to fight. He has one nap a day for 1-2 hours at late morning. Has done since he was about 1. At the moment he wakes at 4 and that's it! Will not have any of it. I have tried going in to put him to bed but he chases me out of the room, bathroom light on so it isn't totally dark. He has a stair gate at his door and all his toys up there so plenty to entertain himself. I have left a thing of water in his room for when he wakes and nothing! I do believe he has some teeth coming through as he does eat his hand, but this sleep fiasco has been going on too long to be solely teeth surely? I don't think I can cope with many more 4am starts. I am a single mum with a full time job and it's killing me. My house work is slowly getting more and more as i don't have the energy to do it which really irritates me!

Any suggestions greatly received. I will try anything.

Apologies for not reading through everyone's posts but I'm struggling that much I really don't think I have any advice that would help anyone.

[babybarr]

Hi there WI/WO is walk in walk out - and it is basically that!  When your LO is upset and can't sleep - you go in and give reassurance and then leave.

Why don't you post your own thread on the toddler board and we can come and have a look and help you properly there

[consmummy]

Can I please ask for some good luck for us tonight? I thought D was teething ( he was, cut his top canines relatively  OK) and when he was waking we felll into the trap of bringing him into our bed
This was fine at first, served it's purpose and he didn't wake unless teething. But in the last couple of weeks he's been coming in at various times of night. And now he's not settling in our bed, he's spending 1-2 hours awake, throwing himself about the place and no one is getting any sleep.

But tonight we're getting tough. I'll stay with him for as long as he needs me, but he will not be coming into our bed.

This could take a while-eeeeeeek!

[muddyfeet]

I'm going to join this one, but my DD is only 16 months, not 18. She is getting her canines now, I can see the points, along with some molars (not the 2 year ones). And is just getting past a dreadful cold. Anyway, are all your LOs on this thread 18 mo? Because what we're going through is EXACTLY what I'm reading here, and we're not even 16 months (15.5). I'm wondering if she's just hitting this early, because her teeth are early, and I still have genuine sleep regression to look forward too, or what. I've tried APOP, WI/WO, no dice...still only 1/2 hr nap. I medicate for her teeth. Right now she's at least calm in her crib, and I'm leaving her until the normal time I'd get her up, but she woke after half an hour, screaming, wanted to pee (did that), wanted to eat (gave her a snack in the dark, sitting and rocking). At the moment, if I get her to bed by 6, she'll sleep until 7 and make up the time...just wish she'd take her nap instead!!!!

[muddyfeet]

Someone on here mentioned they told LO that "Teddy" wasn't getting enough sleep because LO wasn't napping, and that worked. Yesterday I told LO that HopHop (stuffed bunny) was really, really tired because she kept waking her up early from naps. She's on for 1.5 hrs nap today.

Don't know if that was the magic, or if changing the CD to one without the heartbeat, or if meds for teeth or what were the helping factor...but maybe it's that she cares, just a little, about Miss HopHop.

[consmummy]

Muddyfeet, that's so sweet!

We're on a downward spiral here. Night before last we got tough and it took an hour and fifteen to settle him when he woke at 3.30am. I was fine with that, ready for whatever it took.

Then yesterday he only had an hour nap, woke crying and from then until bedtime was just toddling round whinging and crying, or clambering all over me, wouldn't chill out and sit still. Not fussed on food either. Last night he woke at 1ish and it took an hour to settle him again. Then not even an hour later he woke again, but it only took 15-20 mins to get him back off. Woke this morning crying at 6.50.

He's just exhausted and so am I! I think he's coming down with something on top of everything else hence the 2 NWs last night.He's all clingy and teary, not like him at all, he's usually such a happy chap.

Just got to keep trying I guess.

[moosmummy]

Hi there.... think I need to join this thread.  Since my DS turned 18m he has decided bedtime is not for him.  He rolls around in his cot, throws his toys out, gets upset they are on the floor, and generally just fusses.  He is taking on average about 1-1.5hrs (some nights longer!) to go to sleep at night whereas just two weeks ago he was taking a minute or two to go to sleep!

I think this is his 'regression' behaviour.  He sleeps okay (touchwood) through the night once asleep but still wakes at normal time.  we have been having 9.5hr nights and the likes for the past couple of weeks.  Naps are okay, they range anywhere from 1hr20 through to 2hrs which is the norm for us.

It's the bedtimes that are getting rather tiring....it's like he just can't seem to switch himself off. He's definately trying to. He's touchy btw.  I have heard 18m is a huge development phase.

Anyway, will tag along and hear what others are going through  

[muddyfeet]

Two days of 1.5 hr naps and 12 hr nights, thanks to longer morning A time and more regularity with the teething meds. Wierd about the A time, but I remembered her earlier 2 nap pattern she liked longer morning, shorter afternoon, and when teething her morning A time got a half hour longer before. So I tried it, since the shorter morning didn't work. We're giving the meds on a schedule now instead of when she seems to need them, on the principle that if she seems to need them, they've probably completely worn off an hour before and she's in serious pain, then becomes Miss Crankopottamus. So if we don't leave her in that hour of pain in between, we can stop the escalation. Bleah. Why can't things just stay regular? Stupid teeth.

[consmummy]

Sounds like progress!

We're ok here for now I think. A couple of nights where all I had to do was lay him down and he'd go right back to sleep.One night waking on Fri night and last night he slept through!
He's really perked up since Friday, seems much more like himself so hopefully things will be settled down for a while.

[pri25]

Hi I am new to this website so not sure how to actually post a question but fingers crossed someone will se this and be abe to help me. My LO is 17 months since the age of seven months he has slept on his own at night time and at naptime ( i used the PU/PD and shush pat methods). I put him in his cot and then leave the room. he settles himself and falls asleep on his own. the last week and a half he has not wanted to stay in his cot is crying at night and naptimes. He has been teething and has a pretty bad runny nose etc, but this has never interfered with his sleep before, he is now waking at night frequently and will not settle unless i remain in the room, even if he does eventually fall asleep he is up again soon after. i have been up till 4 0r 5am these last few nights. what do i do..please please help!

[Mom to M&M]

Definitely seem to be in this here... DS is 17.5 months and for a couple weeks now has been having NWs and/or EWs and then last few days shorter naps (1-1.5 hours instead of 2-2.5). He IS teething (one molar just came through, I can see 1.5 more and the canines are moving down too) and I'm sure it's developmental too. The past few mornings he's woken early after 9.5-10.25 hours. I can usually get him to lay back down for 10-20 minutes but that's it and I don't think he's actually dozing during that time. So with last night 10 hours 10 minutes and a nap only 1.5 hours today we're at well less than 12 hours overnight sleep instead of 12.5-13. NOT fun. And medicating barely seems to help...

[afeswick]

You guys are amazing for sticking with WI/WO, etc for so long.  I've gotten into the bad habit of bringing my spirited 13mo into bed with me when he wakes in the night.....WI/WO isn't working anymore, he ends up screaming and choking himself on the crib rails to get out. We try to get him back in the crib, but it is exhausting.  Gonna tackle after Christmas as we're going away for the holidays.

Anyways, I just wanted to tell you all that you are great Moms for caring so much about your children, and you motivate me to attempt some sleep training after Christmas.  Kudos to you all!

[Flossie's Mum]

Hi all, just thought I'd jump over here in case I can help anyone - I'm in a similar situation with DD, who is 18.5mo. To cut a long story short it was 8 months of STTN followed by late teething, naughty AP from me (of bringing her into our bed) and now I'm trying to backpedal! If its of interest, this is the thread where I'm currently receiving priceless advice and support!

'18mo needs sleep retraining? First NWs now naps going wonky too!'

For us, her turning 18mo has coincided with first teeth really, so I can't be sure whether the regression would have happened anyway, but in a way it doesn't matter because I'd deal with it the same way.

I also wondered if any of you ladies had considered trying a groclock for your EWs? You can use them for night times and naps as well and there's a separate support thread for that. Some Mums have found their LOs respond better when they're a bit older then 18mo, but there are success stories for LOs as young as 15mo. I bought mine from Amazon and it was about £20 but a cheaper/simpler option is lights on a timer.

HTH

Louise

[danacarrie]

Hi all,
I am just jumping on the bandwagon here because I am about to lose my mind with my 18 month old daughter.  She has always been an awesome sleeper and its like a switch went off about 10 days go and she now only falls asleep with us in the room and wakes multiple times a night, and occasionally refuses her nap.  I am exhausted and at my wits end.  I am not sure what to do.  My DH has started sleeping on the floor of her room so that when she wakes in the night he can easily comfort her, but last night she woke about 10 times and was not so easy to settle.  She is a pain in the neck all day long and I am so frustrated!
Thanks for letting me vent.  I also have a thread going on this page.  Any advice welcome.
Dana

[HarrietsMum]

It is so nice to know that what my DD is going through is normal!  I thought I was going mad.  My LO decided she will only go to sleep at night in my arms.  She has always hated sleeping in my arms even when sick or teething, but suddenly she only wants Mummy.  Being in the room isn't enough either, I made the mistake of picking her up to check her nappy and then she held on for dear life and I couldn't put her down.  It is taking over 1 hour to get her to sleep.  We will just have to keep on perservering!  Good luck everyone.