Long night wake ups

[Twosweetgirls]

My daughter is 16 months old, never a good sleeper. She's done this thing for a long time where she stays awake for about 1.5 to 3 hours in the middle of the night no matter what I do to put her sleep. Most times it is overtired. I think. Anyways. I need her to just deal with it on her own now because I'm pregnant. She has to learn to fall asleep in the crib, and when she wakes up at night to have patience to try to fall asleep again by herself. Any thoughts where to start? Help!!!

[Haribo2012]

Hi, it's draining isn't it especially when your pregnant

Can you post you day please so we can have a look? How does she fall to sleep?

[Twosweetgirls]

So my optimal day these days is

7 wake up and breakfast
1130 lunch
12 or 1230 nap
230 wake up
300 snack
530 supper
730 sleep

the problem with giving my schedule is that I have to adapt all the time. Sometimes because  she is waking up early, like 5.  or because she's been sick for the last few months (almost continually).  Also the problem is that she seems to have done this since she was 10 months old.  She has been very difficult to train to fall asleep on her own, and I am finally (after working on it her whole life), able to not nurse her to sleep, and not rock her.  I hold her till she is really calm and sleepy then put her in the crib.  Optimally, she would be able to lie down by choice in the crib, and just accept the bed time thing.  Right now I put her in when she has about one more minute till she's asleep.  Anyways, i'm not sure which way to tackle this.  Like i said, i'm pregnant, i'm the only one who puts her to sleep really, and we are about to move.  I need sleep before the next baby comes!! So i'm working on how she goes to sleep and the long mid night wake ups. 

[Haribo2012]

I know it's hard when they change it every day. When she's awake at night is she crying or just awake and happy? If she's up at 5am do you bring nap earlier/do early bedtime?
I'd start with gradual withdrawal, get her sleepy but not as sleepy as now, put her down in crib and then sit next to the crib and just reassure with voice if she gets upset, move every 3 days a little further away.
When do you move? It's likely to go a bit pear shaped then as well.

[Twosweetgirls]

yes i'm sure she will regress when we move she did last night, less than a year ago.  I also don't have as much help out there so I'm a little worried about me being exhausted before my next baby comes.  i can start with the gradual withdrawal.  any ideas about the long wake times at night? she seems sleepy but not enough to go to sleep.  for about 1.5 hours.  very frustrating.  on a positive note, i'm so happy how far she's come.  she's doing much better these days, when it comes to sleep as a whole.  as long as no one gets sick or too busy

[Haribo2012]

Is she teething or learning a new skill? Long NW can often be developmental!

It is hard I have a 5 week old and 3.5 yr old who was sleeping great and typically now is having a waking phase!

[Twosweetgirls]

Thanks you for helping! She's doing pretty good these days. Last night she slept 11 hours straight. I think her best ever. Now maybe I'm being crazy as she is finally doing well but because she shares a room with my daughter I would like her to sleep longer. Last night was 7pm to 6 am. We just had the time change so she has been waking at 5 till now and now 6 is better. Should I make a new question into adjust things so she sleeps in? Or any ideas

[Haribo2012]

Great update, personally I think your day looks good now 11 hours at night with naps is pretty spot on. I'm not sure you'll get a much later wake up unless u experiment with moving your day a bit in tiny increments!?