15 Month Old Waking Every 20 Minutes When Going to Bed At Night HELP

[texasavery]

UGGHHH!  I've been reading all the posts for this age group and it seems sleep problems out of the blue are common, but HELP! My DD has always gone to sleep easily and hebedtime has always been 7:00. For the last few weeks she will go down quietly like normal after her wind down, but then is up screaming 20 minutes later. I will go in and hold her for no more than 1 minute and put her right back down and leave the room. She lays her head right on my shoulder and is quiet when holding her and then usually will lay down quietly again.  Then after 20 minutes the silence is broken and she is crying again.  This cycle can last for 1 to 1.5 hours.  I thought it would pass, but it's not and it's driving us crazy. Here is our current schedule.

Wake  - Was always around 7:00, but lately is anywhere from 7:30 to 8:15 probably due to her falling asleep later at night
Breakfast - 7:30 or 8:00
Lunch - 11:30 or 12:00
Nap - 12:30 or 1:00 for 2 hours (If she's not awake after 2 hours then I wake her, so that there is at least 4 hours before we start nightly wind down)
Bedtime - 7:00 or 7:15
Actual time she is alseep lately - 8:30 UGGH

Any suggestions?? Shouldn't her bedtime still be 7:00? Thanks!

[Vivismomma]

hi there,


My first thought would be, is she teething?  I think I heard somewhere here that molars can take up to three months to come in... Does she have hers, or might this be a pain reaction?

Good luck!
Shauna

[texasavery]

I guess it could be teething...but my word, if it is it is lasting forever.

[Harrisonsmummy]

has she had a cold or illness lately - could it be an ear infection? Have you tried pain meds before bed - does this help? Might be worth a try to see if it is teeth/pain. Is she waking in the night at all or just struggling to settle?

Harrison does this to an extent if he is overtired - he lays down to go to sleep, seems to settle, then will jump up with a cry 20 minutes later. Sometimes does this with a nightwaking too. I have watched him do this, and it is like he jumps up in his semi-sleep state -( perhaps they get that falling sensation when they drop off?) I stay and settle him like this with a hand on his back and that does the trick as it relaxes him more. Not sure from your schedule though whether your lo could be overtired?

[texasavery]

Harrisonsmummy - Thanks so much for the reply.  I really don't think it's pain or anything.  We've been to the doctor twice during this time and she checks out just great.  To me it sounds like exactly what your LO does.  Lays down and then hops up right when she's about to drift off.  I will sit in there tonight, so I can watch what she is doing before it happens. I have been wondering if she is over tired when she goes to bed.  It's hard to know - she doesn't give sleepy cues like she used to.  Do you think my schedule needs to be tweaked in some way?  Maybe I should stop waking her at the two hour mark during her nap if she hasn't already woken herself?  I was just concerned that she would sleep too late in the day and that would affect her bedtime?

Thanks!

[Harrisonsmummy]

I would wake Harrison for the same reasons! But it may be worth letting her sleep a little longer for a day or so and see what happens?!Your schedule looks fine to me, unless she is restless in the night and that is causing overtiredness.

I would try and see if she will settle 15 minutes earlier at bedtime to begin with, it is suprising how often a little difference has a big impact!

HTH

Justine

[texasavery]

Thanks!  I will let you know how it goes.  We are going on vacation in 5 days and I hope to get this figured out before then - though I know the vacation will introduce other fun little scenarios!