16 month old waking every third night - teething?

[Harrisonsmummy]

Hi, my ds has been waking every third night since New Year! The timings of the wakings vary between 12.30am and (today) 4am. He is generally a very good sleeper and has just got all of his molars within about a month, but these didn't seem to cause any night time issues! I think his canines are coming through, but if these are the issue, why only wake every third night?

He cries when he first wakes then stands at the end of his cot until someone comes in to him - he only works himself up if he is ignored. It then takes approx two hours to get him back to sleep. I now just sit in his room until he is fast alseep, else we are back to square one!

He can get himself to sleep in the evenings, although recently even that seems to have gone awry, he jumps up and stands until I stay in the room (normally by the door way). Previously he could just be left to settle himself.

He has two naps a day, finishing at roughly 3.30pm, and he goes to bed between 7.30pm and 8pm.

Has anyone come across this erratic behaviour? Any help appreciated - I am spending half my day looking for answers!!!

[imsmum]

Would be surprised if it's the canines although they're supposed to be bad if he was ok with the molars. Plus I read somewhere that teeth come in in 3 to 4 month spurts.  Could he be ready to drop a nap? Any signs of resisting nap times?

[Harrisonsmummy]

He seems a bit cranky on and off during the day - whereas normally he is very laid back. regarding naps - I have struggled with these for months - he cries as soon as he goes into cot for nap, so he sleeps in his pram! Sometimes I walk him, sometimes just leave him and he falls to sleep by himself - but still seems to need both at the moment.

I wanted to make sure nights were back on track before attempting to do naps back in cot, and he was sleeping ok at night even while not wanting to go in cot during the day.....

Sample day:-

wake 6.00am (dh up for work)
breakfast 7.30am
sleep 9.30/10.00am - 1 hour
lunch 12pm
sleep 2.30 - 3.30pm
dinner 6pm
bath/story 7.00
bed 7.30/ 7.45pm

[elfin]

My ds got his canines at this age and they were the worst!  Giving him some pain meds about 20 minutes before bed really helped.  Might be worth a try.

[Fiona (Leah & Kians Mom)]

My dd is getting her canines at the moment too and I agree they are the worst, the molars were no problem but she is really suffering this time, one almost through :-) She only got her molars last month so hopefully this will mean a break for her. Tonight I gave her pain medication going to bed and a spoon of calpol this afternoon.

[Harrisonsmummy]

I really apprecaite the comments, still confused. Went to the doctor who said one ear was red - no infection - so he is teething, but do your lo's wake crying in the night - or just wake?

I have given medised for the last couple of nights and he sleeps through, but am I just doping him?! If he woke up in obvious pain, I would almost feel that this was the right course of action....

[elfin]

When Myles was teething he would wake crying.  Sometimes just offering a drink of water helped.  He still wakes the odd night here or there, but unless he is crying I just leave him.