normal stage - 18 month old waking at night, not crying, just wide awake!!!!

[lunarx]

our son, who is now 18 months old, has taken a liking to waking up at, around 10.30-11pm and staying awake until 1.30am (or in the case of last night, 2.30am). he wakes up as if he is wide awake, babbling, kicking at his cot, not really crying out though, just awake..
we are going to readjust his daily naps (as of now, he only has one morning nap, usually no more than 2 hours long) and try putting him to bed a bit later (around 7.30pm instead of 6.30pm when he is usually yawning and rubbing his eyes..)

but i was curious, is this is normal toddler stage? this middle of the night for a good wibble to one's self!?

its been going on for the last few nights... and luckily, i like coffee!!!!!!!

Yes, DD has done this from time to time - quite happy chatting to herself and her 'cat'! I do remember it particularly around the milestone times - starting to talk more (17 months) in particular. Also during busy times - when I suspect she enjoyed the peace and quiet of night times to do her word-practice in. I think moving the bed time is a good idea though - we did that (admittedly, it was summer so light till late - we went from 7.30 to 8.30) and with one daily nap of 1 1/2-2 hours after lunch that worked well.

what time does he have his morning nap? my ds has 2 hours after lunch and in bed asleep for 7.30pm. Any deviation results in waking around midnight - albeit he just wants a cuddle and goes back to sleep. But if he's late in bed or too short a nap he wakes through the night. Someone said that if they are overtired they go into a deep sleep too early in the cycle and throws it out fo sync.

I have a similar thing with dd, 20 mo. We put her to bed and she chats away to herself for up to 90 mins before falling asleep. I'm trying cutting down her daytime nap (currently about 2hrs) to see if it helps but she's been ill the past couple of weeks or so and her sleep's all over the place at the moment.

tracyk > normally he wakes around 7.30am and has a nap by 10.30/11am. i usually wait to put him down for his nap until he is really yawning.. he doesnt have an afternoon nap anymore (as we are usually out during the afternoons this works well for us..)
so if he sleeps between say 10.30am and 12.30pm (on average, give or take a bit), i would think by 7pm he would be tired enough to sleep all night! but nope!!

i tend to forget about growing/developmental milestones now that he's a toddler! and he is speaking more... maybe its his way of practicing? or his brain waking him up? as cute as it can be hearing him repeat 'duck' or 'cat' over and over again, for hours on end! well its a bit much!!!!!

thanks for the advice so far given, any more words of wisdom and experience are more than appreciated!!!!

tracyk > normally he wakes around 7.30am and has a nap by 10.30/11am. i usually wait to put him down for his nap until he is really yawning.. he doesnt have an afternoon nap anymore (as we are usually out during the afternoons this works well for us..)
so if he sleeps between say 10.30am and 12.30pm (on average, give or take a bit), i would think by 7pm he would be tired enough to sleep all night! but nope!!

i tend to forget about growing/developmental milestones now that he's a toddler! and he is speaking more... maybe its his way of practicing? or his brain waking him up? as cute as it can be hearing him repeat 'duck' or 'cat' over and over again, for hours on end! well its a bit much!!!!!

thanks for the advice so far given, any more words of wisdom and experience are more than appreciated!!!!

I saw a documentary a few weeks ago that seemed to back up what I was noticing with DD (about 20 months at that point). They DO need time to chatter to themselves, when having a 'language explosion'. Its how they practise and integrate new words and experiences, makes sense to me. Is his waking bothering you, or him, at all? DD still does it at 2 (just) but for about an hour before going to sleep - not waking.

Woops, missed the bit about 'duck' and 'cat'...! Earplugs?!?

eli> his waking is definitely bothering us and waking us up! sometimes before bed he will 'practice' words which we've been used to, or even wake for a half hour here or there during the night to 'talk' but now its becoming hours at a time!

well, hope tonights a better night!