my son is 16 month old and since he was 3 months old, he has slept for 12 hours every night between 8 and 8 with a nap during the day. now recently, the past week, he has been waking up at 4am and not going back to sleep for at least two hours. i've tried cuddling him, giving him paracetamol, cooling him down, and nothing will send him back to sleep he doesn't seem unwell at all. i can tell he's still tired, but every time he puts his head down he starts crying again. not only is this driving us crazy, but i'm worried that something might be wrong, or am i being a paranoid mum. does every child go through this? is it just a phase? or are my full nights sleep over and done with???
2006-12-30 08:24:21 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
It is just a phase. Most children change sleeping patterns frequently. He will start sleeping better again soon. Try to just let him self soothe. We all wake up in the middle of the night several times and just donot become fully awake, because we self soothe. Make sure you keep the lights off. You will be sleeping better soon. Good luck.
2006-12-30 08:28:31 · answer #1 · answered by Pregnant with Baby #2 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Children are very devious and clever. The first time he woke up was probably for a genuine reason, but he found out that when he wakes up and cries, he gets your attention. This is now the start of a bad habbit.
Unless there are any obvious reasons like he is wet or is poorly, my advice would be to enter the room, lay him down again and walk away. Never look him in the eyes and certainly don't talk to him. He is wanting any attention from you and even a 'hush' is giving in to him.
It won't happen overnight, it may take 2-3 weeks, but eventually he will learn that he doesn't own you and will settle back to a normal sleep routine.
There are times of course when he may wake because of a bad dream or because he is poorly. Usually the child has a different type of cry for this and you will learn the difference. On these ocassions, by all means calm him down but don't fuss too much. The less attention he gets during the night, the less he will crave.
Good luck and happy sleeping x
2006-12-30 08:37:23 · answer #2 · answered by Gillipoos 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is normal. All children go through different sleeping patterns. My daughter has always been a good sleeper. She's always gone to bed at eight and at 7:55 every night she lets me know it's bed time. She gets up at around 8:30 every morning but she has gone through phases of night waking. At 15 months she would wake at 3 am and want to get up and play. This lasted about a month and when she realised she wasn't getting back up it stopped. She's 27 months now and has just started waking at around 4am and wanting to watch the tv. Because she's older I am more firm with her and tell to lay down and go back to sleep. Thankfully this works. My daughter has not napped during the day for nearly a year, sometimes the afternoon nap makes up for the hours lost at night. I would try controlled crying at his age. When he wakes don't immediately go to him. He needs to learn how to soothe himself back to sleep. If after 5 mintues he's still crying go to him and reassure him do not pick him up, cuddle him or make a fuss, and then leave again. Repeat this method leaving longer periods of return say 7 minutes until you go again, then 10 minutes. It can be heartbreaking to hear a child crying but trust me it works. Once he realises there's no cuddle or getting up he'll go back off to sleep. It can get pretty boring for kids just sitting and screaming.
2007-01-02 01:26:46 · answer #3 · answered by niccog26 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christmas has probably interupted the normal routine that he is used to, this could interfere with the sleeping pattern - is his afternoon sleep longer that usual or maybe falling asleep on car journeys if you are out and about more than usual.
Also he may not need a nap during the day anymore, or possibly an earlier short nap - each childs needs are different.
But one word of wisdom, don't give the extra attention when he wakes at 4 in the morning or he will expect it every morning and it will drive you crazy, don't bring him into your own bed as this too will be incorporated into his expectations.
Is he hungry - does his last feed satify him until the morning? if not he may wake up early with a rumbly tummy.
Good luck and be persistent - it works a treat
2006-12-30 08:45:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ive got a similar prob with my 15 month old. he has also slept through since about 10 wks but recently i find that i rarely have a full night sleep now as he always repeatedly wakes throughout the night. im also finding he is refusing to go for a day time nap, where as normaly this has never been a problem. im hoping this is just a phase. maybe they are gettin to the age where just wont do what mummy and daddy say they should
2006-12-30 08:36:18 · answer #5 · answered by bow 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He does it because he has learned you will make a fuss over him if he does it. We had this with a couple of ours. Was given this tip which worked a charm.
When he wakes, go and see him and give him a cuddle. Then leave. Do not return for five minutes, however long he screams. Leave quickly after another cuddle then do not return for ten minutes ... then 20 minutes ... then 30 minutes ... etc ...
You may have two sleepless nights but he'll be sleeping through again by the third
2006-12-30 14:20:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make sure he is still getting a good nap in the middle of the day and what ever you do, DO NOT keep him awake later in the evening. Keeping him awake later or cutting out his nap will only make the problem worse, it is a sleep myth that keeping kids awake longer will make them sleep better at night. I would say he's going through a phase and you have to do your best to ignore him when he wakes at 4 am. It's not going to hurt him to cry it out, it will teach him that you are not going to come get him when it's not time to be awake just because he cries. He needs to learn how to put himself back to sleep and by you going to him it's teaching him that you are giving him your attention which is what he wants but it's not what he needs. Just be firm and let him cry it out. You'll all be better off for it in the long run. Good luck.
2006-12-30 09:12:56 · answer #7 · answered by disneychick 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My daughter is 15 months old and is doing exactly the same thing. She hasn't had a full nights sleep in weeks. she goes to bed at 7.30 and will cry on and off all night, when i go to her she's not awake. She is also teething with 1 front and 2 big back teeth coming, is your child teething? teething pain comes and goes. I've started to give my girl Nelsons Teetha every night (From Boots) and that helps with the teething and she thinks it's special medicine, it's homoeopathic so I'm not drugging her. Good luck, sleepless nights make you go crazy!
2007-01-01 08:34:59 · answer #8 · answered by suckaslug 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He knows you're going to come through and see him. When he wakes up, go through, make sure he's ok, give him a cup of milk, tuck him in and leave. Don't pick him up or cuddle him as he'll expect this all the time. As long as he's safe, there's nothing wrong with letting him cry for a little. 10 minutes is nothing. It's not nice to hear your child cry, but if you keep giving in, you're never going to get a decent sleep.
2016-05-22 21:45:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
most toddlers go through a change in sleep pattern, and giving him attention when he does wake will not break him of the habit, go into him turn him over settle him down, but don't cuddle or speak to him or it will continue for years, but at the same time if you are worried that something might be wrong with him then take him to the doctor just to put your mind at rest.
2006-12-30 08:53:45 · answer #10 · answered by bluebell 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋