1 year old's sleep fallen apart

[Badgergirl123]

DD has just turned 1. Always been a good sleeper for the stage she's at, regularly slept through night since about 7 months with the odd bad night. Last two weeks she's been up every night bar one from about midnight until three or four in the morning. The waking is so sudden and the crying so desperate it sounds like she's waking from a nightmare. Not ill or teething just now.
I just can't get her to settle any quicker than a few hours (this has always been the case when she wakes in night). If I leave the room she screams and screams. I've tried holding her, putting her back down every time she stands etc and just don't know why this is happening or what may help? She's so distressed I feel like a terrible mum

This happened to me, albeit when DD was 14 months. My suggestion is get a bed set up in her room so when she wakes, if it is separation anxiety or developmentally related and she just wants your presence, you still get sleep. My husband and I used to get the duvet and pillow from the spare room in and sleep on the floor. We also invested in a night light in case she was afraid of the dark. Her sleep returned to normal
After about two weeks

Thanks Beard, relief to hear it sorted itself out! She has a night light. Got desperate tonight as so tired and got pillow and sleeping bag out only to realise zip was knackered and had a little cry! 🤦Was a bit worried if I start sleeping in here with her she'll come to rely on it was only thing.

My son goes through phases of seperation anxiety. I always comfort him through it and it always passes. In my mind reassuring him I will be there when he needs me helps him to feel more relaxed to sleep by himself.

So I would do as above pp mentioned and be next to her as long as she needs you. Good luck. Hopefully it passes soon!

I've just come on here to write this exact post, so I'm so glad to see I'm not the only one going through this. It's currently half 3 am and we've been up for an 2 hours now with no end in site. My partner and I are both an out wits end and I'm not sure how many more nights we can go on like this, we both work full time and quite frankly all three of us are miserable! My god I hope this passes soon!

Oh BVtrix, sorry to hear you're going through the same! DH has just taken over. Tonight has been the worst so far, nothing comforted her, wouldn't be held, completely exhausted. She's still up now I'm back to work in a fortnight and dreading it even more now!! Hope we all get some peace soon

Same here OP, solidarity! DD is 14 months and has been a good sleeper for a while - we have more of an issue with actually going to bed/sleep than night waking tho. DD used to have milk/stories/teeth cleaned in our room then popped into her sleeping bag in cot and drift off with us stroking her hair or back.

On Christmas Eve she turned into a hell demon - obv exhausted but screaming every time we left the room, refusing to lie down, kicking and fidgeting whenever we tried to cuddle her back to sleep. This has ruined xmas and new year for us as every evening has been spent running up and down the stairs or sitting in her room in shifts as it’s the only way she’ll sleep. Several nights I’ve taken her in the spare room to cosleep as it’s the only way any of us get any rest (I’m actually typing this from her room right now 😰).

I believe it’s developmental and definitely a case of separation anxiety in our case. Is your little one walking yet? DD took her first steps over Xmas and has been doing a lot of toddling / fingertip cruising over the last few days; I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that a big developmental leap is usually accompanied by a sleep regression.

Best of luck for tonight!