Is this sleep regression in my 18 month old?

[teatowel104]

I have been soooo lucky with DD - she has self-settled for naps and at night since about 12 months, on the v rare occasions she woke in the night I would just need to go in, tell her it's OK and go back to sleep and she would. Slept 7 to 7 on the dot, no bother with clocks going forward/light evenings/travelling etc.

All changed now - she sometimes goes to sleep OK at 7pm but will wake at midnight and take at least an hour to get back to sleep and only if I pat her/rub her tummy then creep out of the room once she's asleep.

She moved from 2 naps to 1 a few weeks ago and it seemed to be OK but now the nap has gone wonky too and will maybe only happen a couple of times a week.

Last night she wouldn't settle until midnight and I am exhausted.

Is this sleep regression or is her sleep 'broken'?? Should I continue to cuddle/pat her to sleep or do controlled crying? I have been OK to leave her for a bit of a shout in the past but this is full-on screaming and she gets really distressed.

Any help or advice?

thanks
Cx

How quickly did the nap transition happen? When my DS recently moved from 3 to 2 naps, some days he needed 3, some days 2. It took a few weeks and even now he sometimes needs a bit of downtime in the late afternoon to keep him going.

So maybe your DD needs an extra nap every now and then before completely dropping to one nap. She could be overtired and so isn't sleeping very well any more.

I'd suggest trying to get her back into the afternoon nap and have quiet time when she'd normally have the morning nap. Hopefully that will make her a bit more rested and better for night sleep.

Hmm, maybe it was too fast a move to one nap - it was literally overnight. She had been fussing a bit with morning nap and taking longer to go off which I thought was a sign to change.

I kept her up through the morning and she was quite happy and took to the after lunch nap right away, but I have noticed she is a bit grumbly before lunch at the moment.

I really don't think she's ready to drop all naps though, she is absolutely exhausted at the moment so DH is putting her down as we speak - will see what happens.

Thanks both for your advice, really hoping things will improve as it's not great at the moment.
Cx

You could also try putting her to bed a bit earlier on some days to see if that helps too - even half an hour earlier can make a huge difference.

That's a good point too - I really hadn't thought of the over-tired thing. Will give that a shot tomorrow.

She went to bed 7pm tonight but shouted pretty much as soon as she went to bed. She kept standing up and screaming, I kept putting her back down and saying goodnight.

Amazingly it only took about 5 goes before she didn't stand up again, she did shout a lot when I left the room but it tailed off after 2 mins max and then she was zonked.

Am SURE she will wake up at some point tonight so I'll try that again and see. I am just so paranoid that I get her into bad sleep habits after being so good...but equally paranoid that this is just a blip and she really does need a cuddle.

Oh well, it will all work out in the end either way.

Thanks for your help, really appreciate it.
Cx

Well, there is a very common sleep regression at 18 months: see here and here.

How did you get on last night?

Angel I'm getting scared about all the regressions! Actually I don't think my DS has ever not been in the midst of one

I know what you mean, Iggly , my DS has been having plenty of his own too recently.

The thing I like about the concept of regressions is that there's a good reason why your DC isn't sleeping - and a good reason why it will pass. Or that's what I tell myself, anyway.

Thanks so much for those links AngelDog - I had read the second one but for some reason had missed the first and it does reassure me - just really hope it will last for a few weeks rather than a few months!

Things are pretty rubbish here - DD took an hour or so to get to sleep last night then woke at midnightish as usual and was v upset. Took two hours to get her back to sleep, tried leaving her, cuddling, patting etc etc. And no naps today at all despite trying in the morning and after lunch.

Worst bit is after literally 2 mins of her crying our lovely neighbours banged on the wall! DH spoke to them just now and they reckon it's terrible as it's been going on for 'ages' WTF??? This is just so not true...she really has been unbelievably good at sleeps and naps until now so I feel pretty wounded on her behalf.

I also feel like I don't really have any options to try leaving her to cry at all now, so it's going to be a long night of cuddles and creeping out rather than the faster solution of a little shouting then sleep.

Aaargggh. What will tonight bring?

Thanks again for all your support, feels a bit better.

Cxx

Boo to your neighbours!!! Good luck with tonight.

Glad the links were helpful. What rubbish neighbours.

Last night was a little better but still not right.

DD woke at 11, took almost an hour to get her back to sleep (or at least for me to get out the room!) but I think we made a bit of progress. Nothing for the poxy neighbours to complain about as I think I was in her room before she had even finished her first shout...am so paranoid now and equally so determined that they won't be able to diss my lovely girl!

She woke just before 8am today and was looking sleepy by 10am so I went as per old routine and gave her a half cup of milk then up to bed.

As soon as she got into the cot she sprang into life again so I gave her a cuddle and tried to relax her again but not really working.

So have tried Igglybuff's suggestion of quiet time and put her in her cot with a book. She has been there for 30 mins but just started shouting now so that's prob it. At least I had time for some breakfast!

Not holding out a massive amount of hope for pm nap but will persevere as she definitely still needs it. At least if I aim for quiet time and she has that it feels a bit less crap than a total nap fail, IYKWIM?

thanks as ever, you are a great support
Cx

She might start to put her head down at quiet time and you never know.... Or you could take her out in the puschair so she can just sit and watch the world.

Fingers crossed for the pm nap!

Wooohooo!

She is asleep!

Put her down in her cot but she just jumped around laughing...took her out and did the shh pat cuddle thing, thinking at least I could have 5 mins of peace even if she doesn't sleep.

She zonked out on me and stayed zonked when I moved her to the cot - hallelujah.

I reckon I've got 60-90 mins to myself now - amazing, I can get some work done. Even better, she will be a happier wee girl for the rest of the afternoon.

Now fingers crossed for tonight but I have a feeling the midnight shouting might be with us for a while yet...

Cx

have a cuppa!

Bum...awake from 11.30 to 3am last night.

Def teething as well at the moment, it's runny nose central which can't have helped plus 25 degrees in her room last night.

Oh well, today's another day. Let's hope there'll be a nap and better settling tonight.

Cx

Oh that's a killer. Can you get a cheap fan for the room? We've got one from B&Q about £20.

Hmm, I don't actually think it's the heat TBH - she has slept absolutely perfectly when it's been 28 degrees .

It was 20 degrees for the past few days before the weather picked up again and she was still unsettled then.

So no rhyme or reason apart from sleep regression as far as I can see, guess we just have to ride it out and hope it's not too long.

Good news is she's just gone down for a nap; bad news is that I did have to cuddle her for 5 mins before she fell asleep but at least she is asleep.

These daily updates must be getting boooring - let's just assume that she doesn't sleep at night and I will post again when she does!

thanks again
Cx

No worries! It's interesting to hear how others are faring.

Good luck

Quick update - DD is definitely on the road to sleep recovery....phew.

She has a good nap in the afternoon (1.5 to 2hrs) and only takes maybe 2 mins to settle, bit of shouting but not too bad. Still not as she was but I can live with this.

Goes down at 7pm no problem and after a couple of nights waking at 1ish (but only taking 15-20 mins to settle) she has slept through until 7am for the past two nights - woohoo.

She is so much happier in the day as she's not so tired now and is definitely sleeping a lot more soundly.

Don't know if it was sleep regression, teething (she is still teething and it's definitely bothering her lots) or what, but I am so relieved things are on the right track now.

Thanks for all your help, really made a difference!
Cx