Desperate - 19 mo looong night wakings

[Suchanamateur]

DD - 19 months - always an inconsistent sleeper, but puts herself to sleep and has been on and off sleeping through for the last 5 months - albeit getting up at 5.30am.

Over the last 6 weeks we've been getting the occasional (once a week or so) long night wake, where it takes her 2 hrs to get back to sleep, and with our help.

In the last week, its got much worse. 5 out of the last 7 days, she's had long night wakes and this morning she was also up at 5.30 for the day. Needless to say, we are all absolutely exhausted.

I'm pretty sure she's not teething or anything, and seems fine in the day. Whats going on??

She quite often used to wake in the night and cry out, and we could put her white noise on and she'd roll over and go back to sleep. But now it seems that when she's up, she's up and can't get back to sleep for ages and without help.

Any advice, please? Or comforting tales of this passing quickly? My DS (3.5yo) has never been a good sleeper but it was never this bad.

Oh and I'm pretty sure its not separation anxiety. We've had bouts of that before, and she's not exhibiting those signs. Doesn't really want to be picked up or anything.

Are you absolutely sure she's not in pain? Have you tried a diode of ibruprofen? Could she be cold?

Thanks for responding. I'm pretty positive she's not in pain, but have been dosing her before bed and when she wakes. On the occasional night I haven't, it doesn't seem to have made a difference.

She's definitely not cold.

I suppose she could have been waking from pain a few weeks ago, and now has got used to us helping her back to sleep.

18 months is a real shocker though, and it might be nothing you have any control over.

Thought you might like this and this on the 18 month sleep regression.

Am sort of hoping its that, but it must be over soon!! Wondering whether I have to do a bit of re sleep training.

Has anyone else experienced something like this?

If it is a sleep regression and a developmental leap, I doubt whether sleep training will help! but if it makes you feel better you can always try .

Have you read the no cry sleep solution for toddlers and preschoolers?

That's true JJJ. I haven't read the toddlers book - just the baby one. I'll look it up - thanks.