How can I get my 1 year old to sleep through the night?

Question

She has no problem falling asleep on her own but will sometimes wake up 2-5 times a night. I will let her cry and then tend to her, or sometimes she just wants her bottle but will fall asleep after sucking for 30 seconds. I know it's more about comfort for her than anything, but i dont want to have to get up so often just to hand her a bottle or a teddy bear or rock her.

Answer 1

If your baby is sleeping in your room you should consider moving her out to her own room first.
If she's already in her own space try leaving a couple of her favorite toys at her reach in case she wakes up at night and TELL HER she can play with them if she does. Talk to her. She can understand more than you think. She has to feel that it's OK to wake up and go back to sleep. And stop the night feedings: most pediatricians will advise so to prevent tooth decay.
GOOD LUCK!

Answer 2

I must tell you that I had the same problem, and my son (he is now 6) STILL does not sleep through the night every night, but he has found a way to sooth himself to sleep without waking me up every five minutes, and he learned way earlier (like at six months-old). Each child is different.

Your baby is now a year old, so breaking the cycle is going to be EXTREMELY difficult. When he/she wasn't able to walk to your room, you could have left your child to find a way to sooth himself/herself. Instead, now you are faced with quite a dilemma.

The best advice I can give you is to stop allowing your child to suck on the bottle...it's time she is broken from it. I started my children on a sippy cup at nine months old, and I NEVER used the bottle as a fall asleep method. Instead of running to her side to comfort her, direct her back to her bed, pat her on the back while you are sitting next to her bed, and move further away each night. Oh, it is going to be heartbreaking for the first few nights. It has to be done, though, for your sanity. Eventually, when your daughter cries, you will have to avoid going to her, so she can find an alternative way to comfort herself. The cries will get shorter and shorter, and eventually, they will stop. It is going to take a number of cried-filled nights, though, just because of the fact she is a lot older than just a few months.

After 6-9 months, it is not an "I need you" cry, it is a cry of being spoiled...I know that no parent likes to hear that, but it is the hard-cold truth.

Answer 3

I'm going through some of this too. At 1, she can be going through a lot of things, not the least of which is the muscles in her legs giving her a fit. you know when you've been to the gym and really worked out, you wake up and find your muscles going crazy? That happens about this age when the discover walking. Try weaning her to a pacifier and try those bed time bath products from johnsons. Get a good routine when you put her down. Check with your pediatrician. 2-5 times is excessive. 1-2 times is normal.

Answer 4

When the baby cries, you go in there and tell her to go back to sleep. Tuck her in, give her a kiss and tell her everything is ok but she has to go back to sleep.

When she cries in the middle of the night again, then you slightly raise your voice (this is being stern) with no tucking in.

If none of that works, then probably letting her cry herself to sleep will have to do the trick. But, be attentative to the sound of her cry. You can probably tell if its a cry for attention, or if there is something wrong.

I have a two year old and this is how he learned. He's been sleeping all night long since he was about 8 months old.

But, if you want professional advice, you should see a real pediatrick. Good luck to you! Just dont make the mistake of having your baby sleep with mom and dad.

Answer 5

Well for what it's worth, I have had 4 children and the youngest is 3. OUr experience has been that you let them cry for quite a while and resist the temptation to tend to them for every whim. It hurts you inside, but let them go for a while each time, if they continue for over 30 minutes I would tend to them, but don't go before 30 minutes for just fussing. Eventually they will learn to fall back to sleep on their own with out being nurtured. My three year old sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night fussing, and i tend to him right away, but that is usually due to a bad dream and it doesn't happen often. that is my experience for what it's worth.

Answer 6

This may sound harsh, but let her cry. Break her from the bottle during the night because you know she is not actually hungry, like you said it is a comfort thing. 2-5 times a night is about as much as a newborn. Stay strong and just remember she won't remember you letting her cry when she's an independent sleeper! Good luck.

Answer 7

Make sure everything is a routine, every night same thing. Watch and see what foods she is eating and how late in the day she is having sugar or sugary treats, caffeine etc When she does wake up let her cry for a few minutes and then add a few more minutes as the days go by. She need to learn to comfort herself. Is she being potty trained? Is she worried about wetting herself? Stay firm tell her to stay in bed over and over and over again! If all else fails. You can bribe her with a goody if she sleeps and stays in bed all night.

Answer 8

Unless she is crying hard you need to let her fall back to sleep on her own. Will she take a pacifier? If the bottle is just for comfort put a few pacifiers in her crib so she can grab one. Also, how about getting a CD player (Continuous play) and put some soothing music on for her. We do this for our son and he for the most part sleeps all night.

Answer 9

Every parent wishes that we could have the magic answer to this question.
Honestly, I feel that there is no one better to answer that than you and your baby. As a mom, I do know that at a year that's when I had to change my kids sleep times cause like you, my kids were getting up at the wrong times. But try what you feel is best for your family maybe putting her to sleep later might help lessen the number of times she gets up.
But contrary to popular belief its perfectly ok for your baby to wake up during the night. Maybe instead of the bottle you could teach her how to soothe herself with a teddy or her thumb or a pacifier. Beware of putting her to sleep with milk bottles it will cause tooth decay in your kids. Ask a dentist!

Answer 10

First, make sure she gets positive attention from you during the day. Be sure you have play time with her. Have a wind-down time before bedtime so that she's calm and ready to go to bed. Don't let her have a bottle in her crib. When she wakes up during the night, check her diaper, and change it if necessary. Use only a small nightlight when you change her diaper. No talking. No rocking her. Put her back to bed and go back to bed yourself. Don't make it a fun time for her. The more boring you make it, the less she'll be interested in waking up and wanting your attention.