Do they have a 12/13 month sleep regression?

[MildredRoper]

DD (12.5 months) has been sleeping brilliantly since about 8 months but this week she has been waking at 4 in the morning and staying awake.

And I'm going back to work next week!!!

She goes off easily at the start of the night and is able to self settle with me out of the room. She has an effective blackout blind and a night light.

Co-sleeping doesn't work any more because she just wants to play on my bed. I have tried patting and shushing her for over an hour but it doesn't work either. I have also tried leaving her and going in and out of the room, and she did go off eventually but only after a lot of screaming which is not pleasant for anyone and especially not at that time of the morning.

Then she woke up again half an hour later anyway, and was jumping up and down saying 'bounce, bounce'! Mummy didn't feel very bouncy, I can tell you.

I did notice that another tooth has come through the other day so it's possible there is another one just behind it as well.

Has anyone else been through this?

Yes! My 14-month old has been a bit of a nightmare with sleep since about 12.5 months. He was JUST starting to sleep through reliably and then bam, back to waking in the night and being wide awake at about 5am. Also, he's not been able to settle himself at night as easily.

Although I don't think there is a sleep regression at this age (look forward to the 18-month one!) there is a 13-month developmental leap AFAIK. I've read that major new skills can disrupt sleep b/c their little brains are working overtime. Has she started walking recently?

My DS started walking (with help) at 12.5 months and also had a bad bout of teething start at the same time. I think both are a factor in his disrupted sleep.

He's also dropped his morning nap at the same time, so whether that's an added factor, I don't know.

Seem to be a few other Mums I know with similar issues....

There's an 18 month one? Oh no!

She isn't walking yet but she is saying quite a few words, and understanding more that I say to her, so that would seem to be it.

Thanks for reply.

Yes, walking + molars starting to move through the jaw = sheer bloody hell. Brace yourself.

I came on to the sleep forum today looking for this kind of thread - my 12.5mo has always been a brilliant sleeper, self-settling, 12 hours a night, 2 naps a day... Now she screams her head off as soon as I put her in her cot, loads of tears and everything, even though I know she's knackered. And yes, she is starting to stand on her own and her two first molars are coming through, so it must be that. I wonder will my fab sleeper ever com back again! I find getting her to suck an ice cube in a muslin tied with string before I put her down helps, and also lots of patience. There's no way I'm going to let her scream, so I'm just going to carry on with the usual routine and I'll stay in the room with her until she's calm enough to go to sleep. It took an hour last night!

BTW I feel bad complaining about a few days of this though after reading about some of the poor sleep-deprived mums on this topic