dd wakes up for no reason,

[ilovetochat]

or am i missing something here?
DD is napping at the moment, normally 2-4pm, but during that time she wakes up crying 3 or 4 times and if i ignore her she cries louder and louder and stands up so i go in cuddle her and she goes back to sleep.
at night she goes to bed 8.30pm and sleeps till 7am but from 2am onwards she just keeps waking up, 5 or 6 times every night, again she cries louder and louder so we go in and settle her down.
it is driving me mad and we are all knackered.
most sleep books say return them to the bed consistantly but she is in her cot so all i can do is lie her back down. sometimes as i walk out she cries again.
i feel like i spend nap time and half the night standing by her cot.
i really need help!
(she is 19 months)

It seems like she doesn't know how to get herself back off to sleep without you being there. Most of us will wake up many times throughout the night but we know how to self-settle and usually just roll over and go back to sleep.

What happens if you just go in her room and say hold her hand, stroke her, shush her, pat her, talk or sing to her gently but don't pick her up out of the cot and give her a cuddle?

mostly that works and she settles herself for naps so should know hoe to self settle but if sometimes its like she is wide awake and wants lifting and cuddling.

Mine does this too - can settle herself but often, for reasons unknown, chooses not to.

Sorry to hijack - will be watching this thread with interest!

thank you both for replying, i want all advice so don't mind any hijacks

Very little advice from me - I don't pick mine up, I just pat, check if wants water, no talking or unnecessary interaction and leave, but still wakes. Sometimes I think she just wakes for the pat.

afraid i am also going to watch for what others say rather than having any useful advice myself.

ds (18 months) can settle himself to sleep at night, and up till about 3am if he cries, i go in, stroke his back a little and he goes back to sleep, but after 3am, he wont settle, and we have ended up giving in and taking him into bed a lot, but would like to break that habit as dc2 is due in April.