13-month-old won't sleep. I feel like a zombie. Please help.

[Kiki92]

Okay, I'm desperate for help here.

My DS (13 months), used to sleep through the night in his own cot without an issue. Over the last few weeks however, he's been waking up sporadically all throughout the night and seems to genuinely hate being in his cot. He'll just stand up and walk around the edge crying. Nothing will settle him. It's heartbreaking.

Last week, out of sheer desperation and exhaustion (I'm a single mum), I allowed him to co-sleep with me, which appeased him for a few nights, but now he wont settle for that either.

I feel like I've tried everything, bar CIO, which I don't agree with. I've spent hours trying to settle him in his cot, which hasn't worked. I moved his cot into my room, which didn't work. I offered him drinks of water upon waking, which didn't help. I've offered him bottles of milk. I've given him multiple cuddles. I've even tried rocking him to sleep in my arms like a newborn. Nothing is working. He just won't sleep.

Because he's so exhausted from not sleeping at night, he's shattered throughout the day, and is often quite ratty as a result.

So, what can I do? Is there a sleep regression stage at 13 months? Has anyone else been through this?

Please be kind! I'm trying my hardest.

Our Ds was like this, we realised he was bashing himself against the bars in his cot and waking himself up. So we took the sides off and converted it to a toddler bed. We baby proofed his room and put a stair gate on his bedroom door so he couldn't get out. The first few nights he climbed out of bed and crawled around his room (we found him asleep on the floor several times) but after the novelty wore off he just went to sleep in bed.

We had the worst sleep from around 11-15 months. I tried everything we could, moving nap times, moving bed time, cereal before bed, pitch black room, nothing worked. I was genuinely losing it at one point and I've got a DH who was doing his share. Have you got someone who could take him for a bit so you can nap?

My DS self settled to get himself to sleep (did involved crying though, but more CC than CIO) and then when he woke in the night we coslept (or I held his leg and dozed whole he climbed all over the bed and me.)

No real advice but it did get better with time and after talking to friends we seem to have had a rather extreme regression. Sending coffee and solidarity.

Honestly as long as he's safe and not wanting anything I wouldn't rush to pick him up/feed him/whatever. I'd give him a few minutes as see if he settles himself again. A few minutes crying won't hurt him.

Oh my gosh do much sympathy for you! Our 10 month old used to sleep like a dream, 1 night feed between 7pm and 7am.

NOW... Absolute nightmare. Just been trying to get him to sleep for 3 hours, he's still awake. Massive bags under his eyes, strangers comment on how tired he looks. What can you do when you've tried everything!!

Oh poor you! That sounds tough especially after having such good sleep. Are you sure it’s not teething? My dd was a terrible sleeper until very recently mainly due to teeth. Agree with pp about trying the cot side off too my two hated the cot. We put a duvet on the floor so if they rolled out they didn’t bump themselves!

Get his ears checked. He is at the peak age for ear infection.
When little children have an ear infection being horizontal is agony. The only thing that relieves the pain is being vertical. They cannot lie down and become exhausted.