14 month old waking at 3am - help!

[RainDancer]

My 14 month old has started waking at about 3am every night and refusing to go back to sleep for anything from 1 to 2 hours. It's only started in the past couple of weeks. She was teething but that has passed and it seems nothing is really causing her to wake or preventing her falling back to sleep. We have to pick her up and let her fall back to sleep before putting her back down, otherwise she screams blue murder, but I'm worried we are reinforcing the problem. I'm not prepared to let her cry it out - anyone got any helpful tips - or just reassurance that this is a common phase and will shortly be over?!

[malteser17]

Hi RainDancer,

You have my sympathies as my almost 1 year old DS wakes around that time and won't go back to sleep for a couple of hours unless we co-sleep at that point.

I'm sure it's just a phase that your DD is going through and I wouldn't worry about reinforcing the problem as it's only been a couple of weeks. She could be going through a growth spurt so might be worth seeing if she'll eat a little bit more than normal before bed. Otherwise maybe see if she'll have some water in the middle of the night when she wakes up.

Hope you're coping with the broken nights sleep!

[slightlyconfused85]

How long have you tried just leaving her before you respond? Not suggesting CIO but 10 minutes to give her a chance to resettle? I don't think you should be cuddling her back to sleep unless you want this to be an ongoing problem. Can you resettle her in her cot?

[RainDancer]

Thanks Malteser. I always offer water when she wakes and she often drinks quite a lot. I think she may well be going through a growth spurt. I've resisted giving her milk in the night because if earthen she really will carry on the habit! I wish my DD would co sleep but whenever I try she just tries to start a party! Jumping on my head and finding it all hilarious :-) Think we will just have to grin and bear it! I have tried leaving her slightly, but she just gets more annoyed the longer I leave her...this too shall pass!

[RainDancer]

I fear not 'if earthen'!