How normal is this?

[thundernlightning]

DS is 18 months and sleeps badly. He cries for about ten minutes every time we put him down, even if he was asleep when we put him in his crib. He wakes in the night, usually for an hour or so. He has never slept well, and has probably slept “through” (from bedtime at 7 to 6am) less than a dozen times. How normal is this? I look at people with more than one child and wonder how anyone manages.

[MrsOverTheRoad]

Very normal...and not that bad by some kid's standards!

Both mine woke at night and in fact, my 9 year old still does. Only difference now is that she just leaves her bed and gets into mine.

I don't know why..or when it will stop. It's a rare night she sleeps all night.

[thundernlightning]

Thank you! Yikes, still waking at night at 9?! That’s a terrifying prospect...

[FATEdestiny]

How normal is this?

It is by no means unheard of to have children still waking at 18 months. It's also not unheard of to have children crying themself to sleep.

But I would say this is not the case for most children.

[InDubiousBattle]

I think waking in the night and for a long period of time is unusual in an 18 month old. Is he night weaned? Dummy? What are naps like?

[KarateKitten]

Some kids do this always and some do it periodically. It's as normal as anything.

[thundernlightning]

Thanks, everyone. I’m not looking for sleep solutions right now, just to figure out if my expectations need adjusting. Perhaps they do! The main thing is that it’s not abnormal.

Thank you!