19 month old waking up crying

[MostlySHD]

I'm a (mostly) stay at home dad - I hope it's OK to post on mumsnet. :)

DS is 19 months, still breastfeeds (evenings, nights and weekends only!) and cosleeps. He's not the best of sleepers, usually waking three or four times a night, but he usually just grumbles enough for his mother to notice, latches on and drops off.

The last three or four nights, he's dropped off to sleep fine but woken up pretty much every 45 minutes or so (i.e., every sleep cycle - occasionally he lasts two) crying his seriously-upset cry. He's needed anywhere between five minutes and half an hour of soothing each time before he'll drop off again, sometimes with worsening crying, sometimes just calming down when cuddled and sung to.

He seems to be napping OK (an hour and a half this afternoon - he stirred after forty five minutes, but settled with just a touch on the back to let him know that Daddy was still there). He doesn't seem to be in any discomfort, doesn't seem to be hungry or thirsty. He doesn't seem to be waking mid-cycle and seems peaceful when asleep, so I don't think it's nightmares, and he's definitely awake, so it's not night terrors. I read that ear infections can cause nighttime crying, but he seems fine during the day, no cold-like symptoms or anything (we're planning to go and see the doc tomorrow just in case).

He seems to be handling it fine - he's his usual self during the day - but his parents are becoming a tiny bit grumpy. Does anyone have any advice?

I've got no advice really, just wanted to reply to your post.

When my little one has been funny for no reason like this he's usually come down with something a couple of days later or been teething, could it be either of these?

Thanks for the reply. More than I got from the health visitor I spoke to today...

I don't think he's coming down with something. He's been doing this for a four or five nights now, so I suspect he'd have come down with anything he was going to by now.

I think he is teething (he's chewing more random stuff than normal), but he's never been like this before. Maybe the poor guy has inherited my lousy teeth and one is coming in too close to another. I shall check when I get the chance. Thanks.

It could be night terrors. My DD suffered from those from about that age. They didnt last long but can be upsetting for both child and parents.

We get this when DS2 (18 months) is cutting a tooth. We've had 4 canines in quick succession so several weeks of on and off broken sleep. Usually once the tooth has broken through, he settles back to waking once or twice per night.

Two tiny pointy canines showing through at the top. He's still short two canines and four molars - I'm hoping that all this means that there are some molars on the move too. I'd really like it if we didn't have to go through this six more times. :)

I'm still confused why he's sleeping fine during the day. He's spark out at the moment; gave me no trouble and barely stirred at the end of the sleep cycle. Maybe I should just file this under "toddlers are strange".

Thanks everyone for the advice - I knew he was teething, but I haven't ever seen him like this before. I'll let you know how it goes...

Not sure if this is any help, but our dd went through a very funny sleep phase from 18-22 months after sleeping through every night (bar a couple) from 6 months. It was a bit of a shock to the system! She was alternatley hard to settle at bedtime, waking in the night for no apparent reason, hard to settle in the middle of the night, waking very early. All settled down again as quickly as it went haywire.

Apparently sleep regression around 18 months is quite common. And it does sound as though your DS is doing some teething. Worth checking ears, too, as teething can cause discomfort in the ears, or, as in the case with our dd, if he's prone to ear infections the doctor will be able to tell, and it's something you can look out for.

And, yes, toddlers are strange .

alternately

Canines are quite possibly the worst teeth to cut. DS1 was awful with them, and I have lots of friends / family who all have had DC struggle with cutting them and nighttime sleep issues (never daytime, bizarrely ! But I suppose they tire themselves out playing in the garden etc).

It will pass just have to be patient and share the burden with your wife if you can

Not a lot to add, but my DD1 went through something similar a few months ago. She came out the other side of it after a couple of weeks and was back to normal. I still don't really know why she was like it (it wasn't teething for her), but looking back, it seems to have coincided with a growth spurt, which could have been the cause.

He was much better last night. Still waking a lot, and still distressed, but we got a record two hours of unbroken sleep and the yelling was not so bad and was faster settled. I hope this is the beginning of the end.

His range of noises and his talkativeness has also increased a lot in the last couple of days. I'm hoping that means talking soon (exciting!), and am wondering if this has been teeth and development.

Thanks again everyone for the advice and support. It's been a great help. :)