Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

14 Month Old Terrible Sleep - getting worse

10 replies

MixedCouple · 11/01/2023 21:29

Hey every one.
Hopefully I can get some thoughts on this. Maybe not a solution but just idea of what may be happening.
My LO is 14 months and he started to STTN at 10months most nights usually 5days out the week or otherwise 1 wake up arpund 4am. Super Amazing as I never sleep teained and Co sleep, nurse to sleep and on demand.
But 12 months happened and that quickly faded away and here we are at 14 months and I am lucky if he does a 6 hour stretch once a week!
He has all his incisors. Last one popped out 2 weeks ago.
No visible sign of Molars. Although he is drooling a lot and biting toys and household objects a lot!

I am not sure if it is a Combo of things...he started to self settle 7 days ago. He nurses until drowsy pushes off onto the bed and settles himself (humming to himself, rubbing his head and cuddling teddy). He even started to do it for a couple naps.

I transitioned him to 1 nap 2 weeks ago as his wake windows were getting stupid long 4hrs+ and his 2nd nap was getting late and his bedtime was becomong 8:30-9pm!!

He wakes up at 7am and can usually I say 9 times outta 10 stay awake until 11:50-12:15 and having 2-2.5 hr nap then he is good until 7pm.

So I moved him to one nap - exceptions if we are traveling he will nap in the car when he wants (long journeys).

Last few nights have been rough poor guy is waking up randomly all over the place. Not just end of the sleep cycle he is being awoken during a cycle 20 - 30mins it happens in blocks. Usually begins after 2am.
Tonight he self settled at 7:40pm took a while and woke up an hour later. And was very upset. He wanted me then didn't want me and was back and fourth between me and his bed.
He finally accepted nursing after 15mins and has been asleep since.

Whatever is happening seems to be getting worse.
He was not himself today super clingy and barely had any food and actually cried in the stroller. Even soft puree was a no go.
He just wantes me uaually he loves being with Dad going for walks / push bike / blocks etc etc.
I nurse on demand so not concerned as it is one day he is getting good nutrition. He normally eats like a champ and finishes all 3 meals plus snacks. So I know something is really bothering him. Even when he has had the cold he will still eat.
I checked his mouth no sore looking gums, no redness no visible teeth. No temp, no sickness.

He knows how to sign - so I have had days - well a couple weeks of "nursing" sign a billion times a day. And I offer snack / water he says No. If I sign back he shakes his head yes and smiles to confirm he wants to nurse.
This has been hectic as after he wakes up he wanta to Nurse for 20-40mins in the morning. And then throughout the day he will happily stay nursing and have long sessions most are non nutritive but comfoet and closeness.

He is a sensitive soul very affectionate and every stage he goes through affects him deeply.
He was learning to walk doing 1.5 meters but stopped the last 5 days. Now only wants to walk supported.
He was the same with crawling, he started at 6 months but was so scared and apprehensive, he had the ability but no confidence. He didn't fully embrace crawling until 9 months.

I wish I could figure out if He is unwell / needs some changes / needs to go back to 2 naps / milestone / wonder week.... I am racking my brain. I am patient with him (after silent reflux for 5 months at the start of his life this is nothing) and understand he is not doing this of hia own accord. Hw want a to sleep and I see he ia frustrated he ia being awoken mid cycle.

I am a fullt time SAHM he is my only bubba has my attention 24/7. Never neglected or left to figure it out. I often baby wear if hw is a little upset (back wear) and he is happy having that closeness.

I hope this is enough enough (maybe TMI)

Any ideas ladies.

OP posts:
BabyOnBoard90 · 13/01/2023 01:34

This OP probably could've been 90% shorter.

Switch to formula or expressed milk if you must feed. But at that age I'd just put him back to sleep. Feed porridge or a solid before sleep.

Sleep train /CIO if that fails. He's old enough to just be put back down

TheShellBeach · 13/01/2023 01:36

Get the Ferber sleep training book.
It saved my sanity.

TheShellBeach · 13/01/2023 01:37

And you don't have to stop nursing.

MixedCouple · 15/01/2023 15:16

Bingo - he had an awful temp and has been unwell. That was the reason. Teething is hard on him.

The first rewponse is super unhelpful. CIO os brutal and child torture so no thanks. Formula? Uh he is 14 mo tha old in the UK not formula and no thank you breast milk is beat for us. And Nursing isn't about food.

This has to be the least helpful comment I hwve ever read. So dismissive and unkind.

He has 3 solid meals a day - baby elad weaning so if he refuses I am not forcing him thank you. If you were unwell would you like it? Super unhelpful.

So glad I listened to my gut in the end.

OP posts:
MixedCouple · 15/01/2023 15:18

TheShellBeach · 13/01/2023 01:36

Get the Ferber sleep training book.
It saved my sanity.

Thank you, but no baby torture here. I read all about these methods and spoke to professionals. This is damaging to the brain and unnatural and goea against every fiber of my being.
I will never let my baby cry alone "controlled" or continuos. That's abuse to me.

OP posts:
Runkle · 15/01/2023 19:37

Sorry you've had such awful responses here OP. You know your baby best, sending love.

Imoneanddone · 15/01/2023 20:49

Hey mama, no advice here as mine is only 10 months an equally awful sleeper but just wanted to say it sounds like a phase!
Its amazing that he has cracked sleeping through the night already so this change could be due to dropping to one nap, learning to walk, illness, separation anxiety etc.
I hope it doesn’t last long and that you can catch up on the lost sleep soon. P.s. you sound like a lovely mum, I’m totally with you on anti sleep training I could never do it to mine either xx

MixedCouple · 19/03/2023 21:25

Imoneanddone · 15/01/2023 20:49

Hey mama, no advice here as mine is only 10 months an equally awful sleeper but just wanted to say it sounds like a phase!
Its amazing that he has cracked sleeping through the night already so this change could be due to dropping to one nap, learning to walk, illness, separation anxiety etc.
I hope it doesn’t last long and that you can catch up on the lost sleep soon. P.s. you sound like a lovely mum, I’m totally with you on anti sleep training I could never do it to mine either xx

Hiya,
Thank you so much. Your message really made my day.

It got better after his illness he wakes up once around 4am some days.
He did have a couple weeks of madness with his molars. He really is so sensitive and it affects him so much.
He has gotten better at showing me whats wrong. He will grab his front teeth when I ask him to show me where it hurts/pain.

It is a really testing time but just have to bear with patience. This will be a distant memory soon.

I hope your LO starts to improve also.
I often tell myself it can't get worse. 😊

OP posts:
Bluedressyes · 19/03/2023 21:42

I was recommended by a Dr friend - with preverbal, normally happy children if you've tried everything else and they are miserable, give them some Calpol, maybe an hour or so before nap time . If they cheer up and subsequently have a good long sleep, they'll feel better and you have the answer they were in some kind of pain. Obviously you can only do this occasionally rather give them "just in case" Calpol than twice a day! But it's so hard for them to communicate specific pain - even my three year old struggles to describe things like a headache, or stomach cramps Vs stomach ache

MixedCouple · 31/03/2023 22:35

Bluedressyes · 19/03/2023 21:42

I was recommended by a Dr friend - with preverbal, normally happy children if you've tried everything else and they are miserable, give them some Calpol, maybe an hour or so before nap time . If they cheer up and subsequently have a good long sleep, they'll feel better and you have the answer they were in some kind of pain. Obviously you can only do this occasionally rather give them "just in case" Calpol than twice a day! But it's so hard for them to communicate specific pain - even my three year old struggles to describe things like a headache, or stomach cramps Vs stomach ache

This is a good idea. Yes we do limit and try to use call sparingly. I say that after finaihing 3 bottles in 15 months! I think that is a lot. But we really dod use it as a last case scenario.
Tha k you for the suggestion.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread