14 month old sleep gone haywire!

[Needsweetstosurvive]

My DS was waking up around 4 - 6 times a night until he was 11mo, then he went to waking briefly once or twice. About three weeks ago his sleep went crazy, stopped settling at bedtime - would scream if I tried to leave then waking every two hours. I presumed it was a bit of separation anxiety. Anyway, he is now back to settling well at bedtime, I just pop him in his cot and walk out and he goes straight to sleep. This is at 6.30pm, he is still waking 3/4 times a night, sometimes one of the wakings can go on for 1.5hrs. He used to get up between 6 and 6.30am but the last few mornings it has been anything from 5am. He has one nap starting at 10.45 and can last between 1.5hrs and 2.5hrs, although the last few days he has woken after an hour but I've managed to get him back to sleep. On the night wakings he doesn't get fed, he doesn't get picked up and quite often all it takes is me lying him down and he is back to sleep (unless it is a prolonged night waking, in which case I pat his bum until he drops off). With the prolonged night waking he has his eyes shut and is crying on and off for most of the time, sometimes he drops off but starts screaming/crying after a few minutes. He has 9 teeth, one is a molar, he has three molars that are all in various states of coming through - two have all the points but not the flat middle bit through and the third has just started to poke through the gum. Could teething be the issue? He has been cutting the molars for about 3 months now, they are taking forever! Most nights I have given him either ibuprofen or calpol and after that is when we get the longest stretch out of him i.e 3 - 4 hours. I'm just worried about giving him medication every night and so disappointed as I thought he was getting better with sleeping and I'm wondering what I can do to get him better. Or is it a case of riding it out? I know he is in a stormy period for development as well but can that really affect sleep so much?

On dear, I expect I wrote too much.... Any words of wisdom?

Sorry I have no words of wisdom, my DD is only 10 months and wakes at least 4 times every night. Just wanted to comiserate with you as it is bloody knackering isn't it

Thank you. My eldest who is now 6 yrs old was the same so don't know why I thought this one would be better! Although my eldest slept through most nights from 12mo so I have to say this little one is worse. Needless to say we are not having any more kids. If I got another non-sleeper it would kill me off!

I would try moving the nap on and being strict about length..so 1-2.30 exact. Then move bed time to 7. Try for 5 days and see if it makes a difference..

Thanks for the reply. I am slowly moving his nap time towards midday but it's a very slow process. For now he can't go much longer before needing the nap by 10.45

Hi Needsweetstosurvive. I have no practical advise this time I am afraid, it might just be a case of riding it through. I would be weary of medicating every night though. I am sure that the leaflets with calpol etc say not to use for more than 5(?) consecutive days.

I would perhaps use a single bedtime dose for longer than 5 days for a specific reason, but not endlessly as part of a routine "this happens every bedtime" kind of way. I would find that unhealthy. I would stop doing this.

Thanks fate. I don't medicate at bedtime. Only if he is waking every two hours or has a prolonged night waking where he is obviously in discomfort. Which has basically been every night for the last three weeks. I will stop and give it a break, even though it does seem to be helping so he is obviously uncomfortable but I think he will have to put up with a few uncomfortable nights without for a bit.

Hey there! Unfortunately, no words of wisdom other than, I have a 14 month old who hadn't ever been a great sleeper but lately things are they sake as you, we get regular long night wakings and unfortunately, hubby and I have different ideas how to deal with it. She will SCREAM when in her cot if left. I don't know what she wants and I am failing to understand her! I think its teething, developmental leaps and separation anxiety. Does your ds walk yet? Are you working? My dd has got worse since I've been at work!

Oh Ps, my DD won't budge her morning nap either! The latest I can put her down is 10.30ish but this morning she was beside herself by 9.30! Plus, do I really need to start limiting her naps already!??

Try calgel for teething instead. That removes the constant medication which is bad as you obviously know.
Plus a cold flannel to chew- wet it, wring it, and stick it in the freezer for half an hour.

My DS has been walking since he was 10 months old, so it's not that. I haven't returned to work yet so it's not that either! Dare I say it he has been a bit better the last couple of nights, waking twice but settling quite quickly. I think it's down to teething but he hasn't had any medication for the last couple of nights so it must be starting to feel better. So my advice noami is to just ride it out for now. It wouldnt be fair to CC her if she is in pain or suffering separation anxiety, so just comfort her as best you can and hope it blows over soon!

My 14 month old hasn't been sleeping well this week. I think it's teething ( he only has four bless him!) also I find that if he goes to bed overtired we get lots more crying and wakings. My son was still waking every two hours at 10 months so we had a sleep specialist ( angel) come and help us with a routine which works really well with us still- he sleeps 1900-0700 then half hour nap from 0900 ish and we wake him after 30 minutes. Then he sleeps 1300-1600!!!! Bliss! If he doesn't sleep much in the day ( nursery days are a nightmare!) then invariably we have a terrible night! Anyway- good luck!