Why is my 18 month old wide awake in the middle of the night?

[MamaMed]

Recently 18 month old DD has started waking up around midnight, wide awake for 2-3 hours, jumping and playing around and wanting us to do the same too!

Sometimes she says she is hungry, or needs a nappy change. But other times I have no idea why.

I need it stop. We are exhausted. What should we do?

She has bath, story, bedtime at 6.30 and usually wakes up between 6 and 7am in the morning. One nap for about an hour in the afternoon.

Makes sure she naps in the morning.
Why don't you have a nap yourself at around 7 watching the news in the evening. That usually puts me to sleep. 10-15 mins will refresh you.
Make sure her room is pitch black with black out blinds.
If you are frightened for her safety then instead of hanging around in her room miserable, exhausted and cold have a bed in the room with her so then at least you are comfy, get ear phones in and listen to the radio.
Don't change any nappies at night unless they stink. Never put the light on and don't speak. You can feel for her in the dark to give her a drink.
Best of luck... IT WILL PASS.
When she is 18 and asks if she can sleep with her boyfriend under your roof, you will look back on this bit with nostalgia.
Best of luck xx

Ds used to do this ( well still does occasionally) he is 2.3! So frustrating. He does it more when overtired. But also as part of his stopping a nap - he just didn't need as much sleep. Easier to deal with on a non work day when if he has been up in the night he sleeps in til gone 10.00- also as he is now in a proper bed I just get in too and try and race him back to sleep sometimes it works other times he sings loudly and jumps on me but at least I'm lying down.
She does sound like she has a very early bedtime. Ds routine from about 16 months has been wake 7.00-7.30. Nap 45 mins or so 1 o'clock ish then he wouldn't fall asleep until 9 pm. But he is a real live wire. If he refuses 2 or 3 days without naps I can guarantee a few hours play time at night as well as if he naps for over an hour and a half. It's a tight rope!

Thanks! It's strange because last night she slept through pretty much until 6.30. I don't understand why some nights she is fine and other nights she is wide awake ...

Well that's babies for you. The only thing that is a constant is the realisation that everything passes. Each stage brings different problems.
I felt devastated when my beautiful then 18 year old daughters went on the pill. I had given them the STD talk, a graphic Cervical Cancer, Men are from Mars, talk etc, all to no avail.
Their retort was ' Did you save yourself for marriage Mummy '? I had to admit ( I tried to lie) that I hadn't, so that was the end of that conversation. At least I don't smoke.
When they got dumped and were sobbing, losing sleep, and weight, ( both the girls and boy children) I suffered with them. It is easier when they are around 8. It is before they realise you are not the centre of the Universe and just before they start putting their peers before you.
Now they have all gone, I often long for us all to be around my dining table, ( without partners.) My own little family, we used to have such fun.
Time goes so quickly.
It will pass MamaMed just try and relax and go with the Flow.
Xxxx