My DD is 21 months. Has been a truly awful sleeper from the off. But started sleeping better at around 12 months.
The problem is, every few weeks she has a week or so of being a total PITA. She wakes up usually around 11pm and screams for about 2 hours. Nothing will console her. She's always been like this - she doesn't seem to want anything and seems pissed off she's awake.
It goes like this:
"aw, are you OK honey?"
"Noooooo!"
"Do you want a drink?"
"Noooooo!"
"Do you want a cuddle?"
"Nooooo!"
"Do you want me to tuck you in?"
"Nooooo!"
"Does anything hurt?"
"Noooooo!"
"Shall I go away?"
"Noooooo!"
"Well what the feck do you want then?!"
She screams if I stay, screams if I leave. So I usually end up going in and out of her room over the course of 2 hours until I lose my rag (or my DH does), and shout at her to go to sleep - at which point she puts her head on one side and is spark out until the morning.
And then I feel massively guilty for being a shit mum and shouting at her. But she does this every few weeks, pushes me and DH to the point of insanity and then spends several weeks sleeping normally.
Why is she doing this?! It's doing my head in. Apart from that, she is truly lovely and a bit bonkers, but miles better than when a tiny baby and screamed 24/7. She does a good line in being cross, but at least now saves her apoplectic rage for her night-time sessions. As opposed to all the time, which for the first 10 months of her life was how things were.
Sorry, am rambling. Not slept much this week!