WIERD sleeping habit emerging. how do i break this one?

[egypt]

dd is totally strange, we just cant work it out with this sleep thing. anyone? she goes to bed awake, sleeps fine. wakes at around midnight, works herself up until she cries and you have to go to her. no amount of shhing or patting or music calms her, so you pick her up and all she wants to do is escape from you and go back in her cot. so you put her down and she instantly puts her comfy on her face and goes to sleep. WIERD. it happens every time. she doesnt want to be held, but wants to be put down, so in order to do that you have to pick her up. can anyone PLEASE tell me what's going on there?!! its not like she just needs to know you're there or going in to her would suffice. nor is she unable to go back to sleep on her own as we always put her down awake. hmmmm. not q sure how to wean her off it but its been happening for over a week.

might also add that she isnt cold, have tried all combinations of blankets, sleeping bags and vests as well as hardly any. also, have stopped bf a month ago. she started to go through until 5am on and off since i stopped bf, (as that was becoming a frequent comfort need). she doesnt want milk or water in the night either. i do try it each time. i just cant see what it is she wants.

sorry, she is 8 months and has never slept through!

also, this happens 2-4 times a night and usually between 12 and 2 then another wake at 6, where she IS hungry, then sleeps until 8ish

Firstly, as this is a recent thing, in my experience they go through a variety of all kinds of weird sleep things. Dd, 2.4 still comes up with something now and then that leaves us dumbfounded despite the fact she's generally been a good sleeper.

But one thing I did wonder from your description is if your dd is a child, so far, who seems very keen on routine and repetition? Mine is. And so sleep associations are very important. If your dd is used to going to sleep after you've laid her down in the cot then it seems that's what she's getting you up in the night to repeat. I may be off the mark here but it's just an idea.