Toddler sleep gone to shit, help!

[showmethegin]

We have a 16 month old DS who has always been an incredible sleeper, 7-7 (sorry don't hate me!) but for the last month we are getting multiple wakes, and he can be awake for hours at a time, it is killing us!

We always check he's not wet, he doesn't seem too hot/cold, not hungry particularly, doesn't seem to be in pain with teeth or anything else; just awake! We have always been super strict with night wakes, light if we need it while tending to him stays super low, he can't get down to crawl around or play (but obviously can have a cuddle). Im tearing my hair out and DP and I are wading through treacle all day at work with the tiredness.

Did this happen to anyone else?

How many naps are they having? Have they transitioned to 1 nap?

What's his routine like? X

This happened to us. You need to keep your routine and stay consistent. If he isn't wet, and isn't unwell, then avoid picking him up, say night night then leave his room again. If he knows he can get cuddles from you through the night he will keep doing it. Obviously give him a cuddle if he's really distressed but if he is just awake like you said, then leave him to drift off again himself.

Does he cry for you? Mine is 2y4 months and he never grew out of it but just sings to himself in his room. We don't check on him unless he asks for mummy or daddy.

He dropped second nap quite early, around 11 months. His average non nursery day looks like this

7am wake up and bottle
7:30 breakfast
10:30 snack
11am - 1/1:30 nap
1:30 Lunch
3:45 afternoon snack
5:30 Dinner
6:15 Bath
6:30 Bottle and bed

Definitely sounds overtired. Too much time in between nap and bedtime

Actually take that back its fine! Not sure might just be a phase

A mixture. He sometimes wakes but is happy enough, chatting away and practicing his words, in which case we don't go in. Other times he'll wake up really suddenly absolutely inconsolable (which made me think nightmares?) occasionally by the time I've swung my legs out of the bed he just rolls over and goes back to sleep but the rest of the time he is just so upset and will not resettle

Have you tried capping the nap?

Thank you, we did wonder about this; he was unwell with one thing or another for around 3 weeks, colds, hand foot and mouth, so obviously we thought that was it but then it got better but the sleep didn't. So we wondered if he had just got into the habit of having attention at night!

I think what he is really after is to walk around (we're in the walking but while holding our hands phase) but I'm not about to let him do that at 3am

No, that could be an idea. What would you cap it to?

I was going to say bedtime sounds too early, try pushing that back about an hour, it might help.

Or could it be something like the bedroom is getting cold at night? Try warmer PJ's.

And are you getting him outside every day? Is he walking? I think you need to exercise them like dogs 😁

Yeah I was thinking that. My son goes to bed between 8 and 9 and has an afternoon nap instead of morning.

Yes I've never thought of that as he does seem tired at bedtime but will give it a go!

Haha, absolutely! We're very active and go on lots of walks, the park, soft play etc etc. he seems happy in the day but the nights are so bad I keep getting a sinking feeling when I go to sleep each night knowing we'll be woken