To be worried/frustrated with toddler DDs atrocious sleep?

[User2019]

DD2 is 18 months. She’s pretty wild. Non stop and always on the go.

She goes to bed about 6.45. Because she is EXHAUSTED by this point. She is a screaming banshee from about 4.30pm onwards.

She does nap through the day but only for half an hour or so. She will fight tooth and nail to avoid her nap and never stays asleep for long. This has always been the case.

She then will waken around 1am. I did go in to her room to see her but I don’t bother now. She’s not crying or upset (I would obviously go to her if she was). She just chatters and laughs to herself and after an hour or so will go back over.

I have absolutely no idea what’s causing this night waking but by the afternoon she is a wreck. She is tearful and moany and unhappy and exhausted.

I’m at a loss. How do I break this cycle??

I think if you have good routine and are consistent, then this is likely just a phase you will need to ride out. I seem to recall my son had stage of this around 18 months which seemed to tie with developmental leaps but he was perfectly content, would sing and chat and then go back to sleep with no intervention needed.

I'd probably avoid going in unless she's unhappy, but it is possible she's waking from thirst / being warm / hot whatever. But could just as likely be developmental.

It may be linked to overtiredness. My oldest DC is a brilliant sleeper but wakes or has night terrors when overtired. If you have the flexibility to dedicate a whole week to following an exact nap routine (if you don't already have one that works) you may be able to get her into to having longer sleep in the day then that may improve things. In my experience they always seem to sleep better when I put them to bed 15-30 minutes before I actually think they need it. At the moment my 18 month old naps 12-2 and is still shattered by 6pm, so you could also move back bedtime maybe? That being said, she still doesn't sleep through and wakes 1-2 times a night, so she's not the only tired one!

I know it's a poor consolation, but other than it being exhausting for everyone, I don't think you need to worry - all 18 month olds are on the go non-stop and usually become exhausted monsters by 5pm and many have atrocious sleep! By all means try and change things for the better but I'd try not to worry.