just wondering........

[samwifewithkid]

Would like some advice from anyone out there, new to this website! My 20 month daughter has always slept thru from 6 months old. She has now started waking 2 times most nights very distressed and calling for mummy. Any ideas anyone? Would it be worth dropping her day nap some days if she isn't looking tired, with the aim to get her to sleep better at night? She sleeps 12 hours per night and sometimes 2.5 in the day, is this too much sleep?

Also she has slept in a grobag, but was wondering about using a duvet to give her some kind of direction advice as to which way round to sleep (she ends up in all directions)

Would like any general tips with an almost 2 year old sleepwise, anyone tried anything that's worth sharing?

Thanks for your help

I don't have much experience of night-time wakings, as my two, like yours are generally good night-time sleepers, but to be honest, I don't think that dropping the nap or taking her out of the grobag would help. At 20m she probably still needs a good daytime nap (though it probably wouldn't hurt to try shortening it - you can always reinstate it if necessary) IME they sleep better if they're not over-tired, and sleep any which way in the cot really doesn't matter.

Is she still in the cot? It seems to me more likely that some change may have disturbed her sleep. Does she need a nightlight? Has she been watching potentially scarey videos? Is there/has there been a major change in the household? Do you see what sort of things I'm getting at?

Also, how do you react during the night-wakings?

samwifewithkid this sounds like my DD (18 months). We were sooo lucky, whe slept through fromanout 8 weeks and then at about 8 months old it all started to go wrong. We found out she had a really bad ear infection which was keeping her awake, but it seemed to go downhill from there.

We moved her into a bed at 15 months as she would wake up due to be (literally) stick with her face against the cot and her arms and legs stuck out everywhere. This solved the direction problem - she then 'knew' that the pillow was for her head to go on.

We don't have that problem anymore but, like your DD, she seems to sometimes cry in her sleep, shout out - I think she is usually asleep when she does this. I have tended to ignore her and she usually goes back off to sleep herself. On the occasion when she wakes herself up, she comes toddling into our room and we just put her back into bed - she then knows its not time to get up.

With re: to your DD. I don't think the growbag would be the problem. I moved DD out of the cot as I just thought she didn't have enough 'room' - is this a possibility.

Agree with pretty candles - perhaps her day nap is too long - though would she be ratty if you got her up before?

yes PC, she is still in a cotbed (not converted), only watches cbeebies, don't even let her see the news! She has always slept in the pitch black, not sure what to do about this nightlight thing, is it just a modern phenomemon? I slept in the dark as a kid! No major changes, happy settled family. I try to react as little as possible, no talking, dummy back in and walk out. Thanks for your advice.

Mum2Ela - Ive tried waking her earlier from her day nap, and she is hysterical and mongy and the only resolve is to let her go back to sleep.

She had a cold 3 weeks ago and I think this has partly thrown her routine out, also she has a very vivid imagination, I'm wondering if she maybe is having bad dreams? Or just becoming more aware and "trying it on". Hopefully it's just a phase!! Thanks once again for the advice!

Sorry!

How long has she been waking? It might just be a phase. Or she might be sickening for something.

Wouldn't drop the nap yet unless she clearly doesn't need it in a regular basis. Does she have a nightlight, perhaps she wakes disorientated. dd who is 2.5 has one which she can switch on herself (Mothercare) or is voice activated.

Dont be sorry Prettycandles after all I came here to ask advice.

Well just to let you know that Saturday night I let her scream for over an hour to try and put a stop to it (I think she is trying to pull a fast one and has just become more aware) I can't do the in and out controlled crying as she settles the first time I respond. Sunday night she messed about a bit and last nite she slept through. So I will just have to see as the days pan out. I have also taken a musical toy out of her cot as it was an added distraction. And I am trying not to let her sleep too long in the daytime. So hopefully with these few changes I might get a decent nights sleep. You presume by the time they get to this age you will be getting some decent sleep, honestly it's worse than having a newborn!!

Aha, a dummy (carefull, you'll have the dummy police on you). Can she not find it for herself, perhaps that's what's waking her? If so, maybe having several in the cot would help, or on a table next to the cot so that she can reach out and help herself?

ps, how can I put it, it is a little tricky reading a poster's tone of voice.