16mth terrible sleeper

[tallskinnylatte]

Hi
My first post though i've been reading for a while!
My DD is 16mths old- gorgeous in everyway except sleep.
Goes down 7.30, zonks out completely (not a sound) til anywhere between 10 and 1 then wakes anywhere between 1 (rare)and 6/7 times (not rare enough) until I give in at 5am and feed her, then she's wide awake and ready to go.
She's slept 12-5 once and 12-4 4 or 5 times.I can't remember what proper sleep is like and I suspect DD is tired too.
I'm still breastfeeding at bedtime and 5am, though ready to stop now.
She naps 11/2 to 2 hours in the middle of the day. Eats ok but not brilliantly. Lots of running around to tire her out! She's been in her own room since a year old.
I've been reluctant to do the crying thing though would consider now as she's old enough to understand what i'm saying.help....

Hiya,
Cant say things are much better with my DD (13 mnths) but they are improving, ie; 1 waking a night, and goes straight back to sleep. But she still wakes at 5.30 ( nightmare) What I really really know though that she wakes a lot less when I get her to go to sleep in her cot. Now, after months of slow slow gradual withdrawal she will drop off with me by the cot but no hands on or shushing. I stopped using BF to make her sleepy and now put her down awake, after a story and though there is some crying I dont leave her for ages and sooth her till she's relaxed. I really hope this helps. Goodluck!

thanks- I definitely notice she sleeps better when she doesn't fall asleep on me so I think your suggestion of doing that a bit more consciously is good.
Awake 3 times already this evening though....