18 month sleep regression support thread - Part 2

[rachsk8]

How bad/hard can this get? No nap, EW and fighting BT (obviously very OT). How do I survive this? How long does it last? Any tips gratefully received!! This is so hard.

[mycatmonet]

i want to know too!!! 4:40am wu today for us!

[katie80]

(((Hugs))) ladies!  Any way you can AP some sleep at some point? My DS has always gone down really easy, but my DD was a big time nap refuser. When it got really bad, I'd just not even try and take her for a drive later in the afternoon, like from 2-3pm and then do a 6:30pm BT (that would have been after a 6/6:30 wake). The late nap was enough to take the edge off OT and it wasn't long enough to make her fight BT.  She'd often do 12hr after that and get back on track a little.

It may not help you at all and it may not be feasible for you either, but just wanted to throw it out there. It helped us a lot, and I was guaranteed an hour of quiet in my car.

[timmysmommy]

Help ladies!  My DD just refused BT for two hrs!!!  She is really quite good about napping and bt.  Lays down with no fuss as long as she's tired.  I always have to wake her at nap or she'll nap for 3 hrs, then do shorter night and be grouchy in AM.  So I usually wake her after a 2 hr nap.  We've been off schedule this week due to a 2 hr long night wake, then a short 40 min nap yesterday, and a bit of bt refusal.  Also had a monster 40 tantrum yesterday.

Ugh- she is crying again!  She is spirited and is crazy intense angry when she cries.  I often have to walk away when she gets like this because her crying gets me agitated.

Ok, stopped again.  Fingers crossed she goes to sleep.

Our day-
BT last night 8:30
 EW at 6:30, back to sleep for 40 min
Nap 12:30-2:30
Bed at 7:30. We've been in there for two hrs, with me leaving here and there, she gets hysterical

I can obviously trim her nap.  Should I just start cutting it back by 15 min increments?  I've always been terrible about doing this kind of stuff gradually. 

She likes to nap early.  Pushing her nap out has led to nap refusal.  She is usually tired between 12:30-1:00.  She likes a long A before BT.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.  I sure hope she doesn't pull another 2 hr party in the middle of the night tonight!

[rachsk8]

Well despite a crazy OT BT and a real job settling, the night wasn't too bad. EW 4.25am but managed to resettle (took a while but thankfully we got there...) Up at 7.25am which is the best we've had in a while. Another nap refusal today despite driving home, the long way, for 1.5hrs he didn't sleep just cried/grizzled. I'm at a loss! BT and nap time has generally been a bit of a struggle but lately it's beyond that, I'm dreading it quite frankly. What does it mean if your LO doesn't sleep in the car either? Actually he closes his eyes for about 3 mins I thought he'd finally gone down then awake again.

[katie80]

Hi Amy!

Pushing her nap out has led to nap refusal.  She is usually tired between 12:30-1:00.  She likes a long A before BT.

I think if this is the case, cutting the nap by 15min might be the way to go, as her A to bed isnt' all that long at 5hr right now.  That being said, if it's teething or developmental, you might need to just ride it out rather than trying to make changes. 

What does it mean if your LO doesn't sleep in the car either?

I don't know...   Both mine have been car sleepers when needed.  (((Hugs)))

[Buttonbobs]

Urgh, no nap yesterday followed by trouble at BT - she eventually slept after an hour of crying and us soothing with words from the door. Slightly better today but I think only because she's so tired from yesterday.

I'm sorry to hear you are all struggling too, but at the same time nice to know we're not alone.

[rachsk8]

It turns out we're also dealing with an ear infection. :-( Pain relief made BT much less if a struggle thankfully and LO is taking a much needed sleep now - pray its a decent one as he is so overtired from a huge week! I feel for you others going through this too, it can be very hard!!!

[Buttonbobs]

^ oh no, hope the abx kick in soon and his ears get better quickly.

[katie80]

It turns out we're also dealing with an ear infection. :-(

(((Hugs))), hope he feels better soon!

[Buttonbobs]

We're really struggling with NWs at the moment. E has finally (very late) learned to roll over in her sleep from back to tummy & then sits/stands up and cries. She's doing it as she transitions between sleep cycles I think and sits as soon as she stirs, then doesn't know how to get back down & cries. When we go to her she's very confused and goes straight to sleep as she finds her dummy and we help her lie down again. How can I teach her to lie down on her own in the day to help her get over this extra needy phase? She's waking so much when she never has previously and with canines/molars on their way and this regression we're all so tired

Any ideas ladies?

[katie80]

(((Hugs))), Naomi, those developmental milestones can be tough. I don't know that you really need to teach her during the day, although playing some silly games probably wouldn't hurt. What I'd do is just not physically lay her down when you go to her at night. Use your voice, pat the mattress, and have her lie down herself. It may take a little while the first couple nights if she's frustrated you're not doing it for her, but I'd think she'd learn pretty quick. I did this with G around 11/12mo when I realized that my putting him down had become a prop. Sometimes he flopped over and it looked really uncomfortable, but he eventually managed to get himself comfy (although sometimes fell asleep in the really uncomfy-looking position) and he stopped waking after a couple nights.

[Buttonbobs]

Thanks Katie - I had thought of doing that but haven't actually tried it. I think I will now - things can only get better I hope as she's waking really regularly at the moment. I think if we can sort this bit some of the other sleep problems will also get better.

[katie80]

  FX for you!

[Buttonbobs]