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13month old has reverted to crap sleeping, sooo tired

5 replies

Beerisbetterthanwine · 03/05/2014 08:48

My 13 month ds slept hideously for first eight months but dropped from waking 5 to 7 times a night to twice once he was in his own room. Then dropped to once a night, then sleeping through for a few days before we visited my mum. I knew he would go back o frequent night wakings for a time as he always does when we visit relatives, perhaps due to sharing a room again. But it has been almost a month now and he is showing no signs of improving. He typically wakes at 12, between three and four and then again at six. Occasionally he drops three or four o'clock sleep but is then awake for the final time before six. The second wake is the worst as it can take up to 90 mins to get him back to sleep. He seems solidly asleep but wakes shortly after I get back to bed, or hears me leaving the room and wakes. This happens over and over. And he hooooowls. He used to be able to put himself back to sleep easily. We would hear him on the monitor grumbling a bit then sleeping. But now he howls and screams. And he used to wake in the morning and happily chat in his cot and wave his teddies about, giving us a time to snooze before going to him. Now he wakes and howls. He used to sleep later if he woke at night. Now he sleeps badly at night and still gets up early. I am regularly waking up at four or five am and not getting back to sleep. And I have not had unbroken sleep until then.
I am sooooo tired. Why is he doing this and how can I get things back to how they used to be? Any help appreciated!

OP posts:
charlied2002 · 03/05/2014 09:04

Hi Beer, you poor thing! We have also recently had a sleep regression with DD1 after nearly three months of sleeping through - it is so hard isn't it!

What do you normally do when DS wakes up? What have you tried so far?

Gradual retreat usually works for my DD but it is a long process (but gentle on them). DD1 is now almost back to normal going to bed (she still calls out for me a few times before settling but no more tears thankfully and I don't have to sit on the landing any more!). She has also slept through the last few nights until 5, then goes back to sleep if I go into her room and tell her it is still sleep time - usually I put a duvet on the floor near the door and either just wait for 10 minutes or if she is taking a while to settle, I often doze off for half an hour or so!

This morning she slept until 7.45 - bliss!

Obviously this is all dependant on DD2 not waking up and yelling the house down…

Beerisbetterthanwine · 03/05/2014 09:57

Yes it is hard! I feel all my emotional resilience is gone and I am too sleep fugged to think clearly.
We wait to see if he will go back to sleep. This normally doesn't take long as he escalates to hysterical really quickly. He is often standing up when I go in. Then feed and back in bed or just in bed if refuses feed. Then I shush pat to get him to sleep. It is hard to get him to sleep in early hours as he has had quite a lot of sleep already.
How long did it take gradual retreat to work?

OP posts:
carolinementzer · 04/05/2014 15:17

I remember the feeling well - I was riding on Coffee continuously for the first 16 months of my daughters life! Which didn't help as it meant I slept badly when I did get some sleep!

We use acupressure to help my daughter settle quickly - it takes a few minutes rather that the usual 1-2 hours it used too. I was looking after a friends 3 year old whilst she was in labour the other night - he wouldn't settle as was missing his mummy. Used the old technique and he was out for the count in 1 minute flat and slept 11 hours straight! It's also great for getting a toddler (and mummy for that matter) to sleep more deeply. Here's the link to my blog post on it.
mydaughterwontsleep.com/2013/12/27/the-sleep-inducing-power-of-acupressure/

We also have good results with bach flower remedies for clingy baby and indigo essence Sleepeasy spray for fear of being left alone. There's more info on these on my blog too.

there's nothing worse than being so sleep deprived yourself that you can't enjoy your little one!
Good luck with it all!

Woody31 · 08/05/2014 06:43

Caroline - can you provide a link to the bach remedy and sleepeasy spray you use for babies. Thanks

WanderingTrolley1 · 08/05/2014 07:12

Could he be teething?

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