13 months and still not sleeping

[Ezz]

I really thought that DS would sleep better once he started walking (that he would wear himself out & just crash!) - but it's not true! He is still a terrible sleeper!

He has a morning nap around 10am (40 mins), then an afternoon nap around 2 (2 x 40 min sleep cycles - but I have to resettle him in the middle). At night, he sleeps ok from 8pm - 11pm (ish), but after 11/12 he wakes up every couple of hours & we have to keep settling him (dummy & pats).

He used to be good at self-settling (I would just give him a dummy & walk out & he would grizzle then go to sleep within 10 mins). Now he cracks it if I leave the room before he falls asleep. Is this a developmental stage? Will he get used to going to sleep by himself again? Sometimes I wonder if that's why he seems unable to resettle himself over night?? It's so frustrating (and tiring!). We want to start TTC #2 mid this year - but I don't know how I would manage a 2nd one when the 1st one still can't go to sleep by himself & needs regular resettling overnight???

[mykids]

My DS went through the same thing at around the same age. He would wake in the middle of the night which wasnt unusal but instead of putting his dummy back in and a gentle pat on the back and on off to sleep again, he would want me to sit by his cot and rub his back until he fell asleep.
He did grow out of it after about a month or so.

Good luck and hang in there.

[krisp]

It's not unusual. My DS was 17 months old when he first slept through. DD is 14.5months and not even looking like she will sleep through. She only has 1 day sleep now - 1.5-2 hours at midday and is in bed for the night at 7.30ish. She gets a bottle overnight as I just can't keep getting up over and over to resettle - I'm too tired. So when she wakes (anywhere from 11 to 4.30am) I change her bum, give her a bottle and then she's back in bed and so am I till 7ish. I know she doesn't need the milk but it means we both get a better sleep and that's all I care about!
Good luck with your little guy, it's hard work having a non-sleeper.

[Mother Goose]

DD was a non-sleeper for ages as well. Various things worked for us and then she would regress. And her sleeping through only really became a constant thing a few months ago (she is 2 in Feb). What worked for us earlier in the peace was;

Limiting day sleeps and actual time during the day for sleeping (she had to be up by 2pm).

Making sure she had her comfort things before bed.

Sticking to a night routine

As she got older, we waited for her to show tired signs rather than just putting her to bed - she was more inclined to sleep through that way.

Reminding her she had to sleep all night and stay in her bed and not call out.

What is working at the moment (she regressed when her 2 year old molars started coming through) was reminding her of the "rules" (she really likes rules - wonder if that will be the same in 10 or so years!). The rules I tell her are that she has to sleep "all night" and no calling out. Last night was the first night in about 6 weeks that she has woken up and needed me in the middle of the night. We also have a rewards chart to encourage her.

Hope that helps and hope he settles in to a decent routine soon.

MG

[believer]

Ohhhh Ezz,

I know exactly how you feel!
We have the exact same problem with my ds! Only he wakes at 7 or 8ish, then has a nap (30 min) around noon and then goes to bed at 7. I sometimes get him to sleep late afternoon if we go for a walk.
I am hoping that one day he will be a better sleeper! At least at night. I need the rest lol.
We want to start TTC #2 mid this year too, but I would love it is ds sleeps heaps better by then as I was rather tired last pregnancy.

So please anyone with helpfull tips: we need them! lol

Fingers crossed we get loads of sleep soon!

[~Debbie~]

i know where you are coming from, its very frustrating isnt it. Is he teething? Sometimes that can have an affect on the sleeping. Or, perhaps you might like to think about cutting down to one sleep a day? that might help produce a better quality sleep.
I think its just a stage thou, i remember Aiden going thru something similar about the same age, and it lasting for a month or two.