18 month old taking up to 2 hours to go back to sleep during night

[mummTum]

Ds almost 18m. Goes to bed fine and self settles pretty quickly after a bit of whinging. Does not feed to sleep.

He still wakes 1-4 times a night and I used to be able to settle him quickly but for the past few weeks it can take up to 2 hours. So he’ll wake at 1am for example and not go back to sleep until 3am. I’m exhausted. And grumpy.

His daytime nap is fine, after lunch, 1.5-2 hours, no trouble. Co sleeping doesn’t work, it seems as though it’s what he wants as héll fall asleep and quickly in bed with me but then wakes very soon after and starts wriggling and pinching... no one gets any sleep.

Any tips gratefully received

Not really got any tips sorry apart from trying the No Cry Sleep Solution.

There's a huge sleep regression about now so it could be that.

Could he be cold too? I know the cold woke me last night.

Thanks for replying. I would say I use the no cry sleep method as he’s not left to cry at all during the night. Don’t think he’s cold either. Just got him back down after 1.5 hours. Ended up feeding him which doesn’t usually work but this time it has. I think! Probably need to be more consistent in my approach but easier said than done at 2am.

Thanks again for replying

I had this with both of mine at similar age. It sorted itself out, I just had to go with it. My older one would play for a bit then we'd do the bedtime routine and put down to bed but this would make younger one hyper so I'd just have to lie down. They never went to sleep any quicker but

They were contained in the cot and I felt like I was sending the message that it's time for sleep! I'd take a pillow and blanket in then sneak off once he was finally asleep.

As I say it sorted itself out, and then another problem turned up as they do!

I could have written this post. We've been having this on and off since Christmas, DD is 20 months. She's up now, has been for an hour, and will go back in the next hour hopefully. She's had two colds recently, which is why I think she's up tonight. Usually a bottle sorts her out but she drinks slowly so it's more a comfort thing than hunger.

She's been a brilliant sleeper until now, i've read a lot about sleep regression at this age and heightened separation anxiety, add to this a bad cold, chillier nights and some back teeth coming through and you get a restless baby. I think i'm going to persevere for now, but you have my sympathy OP, I too am shattered!

Thos is the No Cru Sleep Solution OP although at18 months, you might be better with the toddler version

Will look into the book, thanks Julie.

Glad I’m not the only one suffering! He also has a cold which isn’t helping. I hope too that it’s a phase and he will soon improve. I could honestly cope with 4 wake ups per night if he went straight back to sleep. It’s the being up for ages that I can’t take anymore.

Thanks for replies

Cut back the lunchtime nap very slowly? Ds only 14 weeks so not exactly voice of experience!