16 Month Old Waking up at Night Talking? Should I Ignore?

A sickness or travel change can certainly do this. It's my point of view that you leave her alone so that she doesn't expect you to come in and soothe her back to sleep. If there's nothing to "look forward to" (like mommy coming in), she'll eventually stop waking up. And that is what you want, not her picking up a waking habit.

It's important for children this age to be able to self-soothe and that means fall asleep without mommy creating those conditions. So let her be.

I think you should let her put herself back to sleep since she's not upset.

I wonder if she's even aware while she's doing this. Perhaps this is caused by the medicine or it could just be something she'doing now and she'll stop on her own. I'd check with the pharmacist and ask her doctor about this.

If she's talking while still asleep waking her may upset her.

Several people in my family take allergy medicine. The medicine Causes your body to not react to allergens. It does not stop coughing or drainage. Decongestants do that. How long has she been taking it? If the medicine is going to work, she should have relief within a week. It's possible that it won't help.

I hope you're giving her the medicine at the suggestion of her pediatrician. And that he has tested for allergies. Effective antihistamines used to need a prescription because they can be misused or cause side effects. My doctor took me off of Claritin because of irregular heart beats.

My granddaughter had allergies and the allergist didn't put her on an antihistamine When she was a baby. She started taking Allegra in the 7th grade. When it was no longer effective he switched her to a different one. She started on an antihistamine because her asthma was worse. When she was younger we managed her allergies by keeping her away from know allergies. When she had a negative reaction the doctor told us to give her Benedryl. It gives quick relief and is short term.
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If you're giving her an allergies medicine that lasts just a few hours, the medicine could cause the talking if she's still asleep when she talks. To know if she's asleep, look at her eyes. If they look vacant and they don't look at you in a comprehending way she is still asleep. short term antihistamines can cause some children to be hyper.

I suggest that if her symptoms of coughing and drainage is related to allergies, you take her to an allergist. It's important to know what she is allergic to so you can avoid those things as much as possible.

I urge you to talk with her doctor. Allergy medication is not intended for babies.

Just let her be. If she were upset and crying that is another story.

Sometimes things change in the life and mind of a child and this could be one of those times. As long as she is happy and singing and talking and having a good time in her crib, let her be and you say she falls back to sleep. Have you not woke up at night and then fallen back to sleep it is the same thing.

Mention this to the doctor when you visit with him. But don't make a mountain out of it.

Soon all the drainage and sneezing will be gone and she should sleep through the night. She won't remember any of this later on in life. You can kid her about her being a night owl at an early age.

the other S.

Yes leave her talk and babble until she settles and goes back to sleep. My oldest daughter didn't sleep through the night ever. I always joke with her that she didn't sleep all night until she was 30. She'd wake up and play quietly with a couple stuffed animals until she got bored and fell back asleep.

When I was little, like your daughter, I would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, and the way I soothed myself back to sleep was to sit up and babble/talk to myself until I went back to self. Apparently, I did this well into elementary school. When I got older, I learned to keep quiet. Since it didn't disrupt the rest of the family, she just let me be, after she confirmed with the doctor nothing was wrong. Now, as an adult, when I wake at night, I don't talk to myself, but I do find myself thinking good thoughts to soothe myself to get back to sleep!

I do have allergies, like your daughter. Even with allergy meds, I still get drainage and pressure. I often find it to be much more comfortable to be in a sitting position to help the drainage and alleviate the pressure. Nighttime is the worst for me, and I have to sleep in an elevated position to be more comfortable. I wonder if your daughter is having pressure and this is part of the reason your daughter is waking up at night and you're finding her in a sitting position.

You may want to ask your doctor at your next visit if there is an allergy med you can giver you daughter at night that can make her more comfortable and help her sleep better. Also, trying to elevate her head at night might help too.

I hope your daughter feel better soon. It's so sad when kids don't feel well! :(

not to sound dismissive, but really, what else can you do?
you can't force sleep.
babbling and cooing to herself sounds to me like a little girl who is confident and comfortable self-soothing.
khairete
S.

I agree with Doris and Marda.

If she's happy enough, I wouldn't go in - I'd wait and see if she settles down by herself .. and encourage this.

I have a child with allergies, and my husband (and family) have them.

I am not fully understanding what you are saying about the coughing and drainage either.

My kids do get post nasal drip (with allergies, and also with colds) that will tickle their throat as it collects while laying down, in the back of their throats. Allergy meds DO help this, but my child is older. They take a night time allergy medication for this (actually makes them drowsy). This was all checked out and recommended for my child by doctor and pharmacist. You want to be sure the medication is suitable for your child.

I'm guessing you did all this but just wanted to mention it.

Some allergy meds (day time ones) can potentially cause your child to be hyper. So that's the reason I mention the daytime vs. nighttime varieties.

Decongestants can be helpful but are not typically recommended any more for infants. I do know some doctors and pharmacists recommend allergy meds instead as they will *dry* out some of the fluids caused by allergies (watery eyes, extra nasal runniness, etc.). Again - doctor will advise.

So .. that's what I would check first - are the meds maybe making her wake.

Good luck :)

** Raising head (by elevating mattress, etc.) can help with coughs/runny nose at night too (be careful with pillows where she is young), and also vaporizers - can moisturize airways and keep them flowing.

The less attention you give her, the quicker she will go back to sleep.

Ignore her, unless she is crying... then go in briefly to find out what is wrong, change her, and put her back down to sleep. No extra cuddles, just take care of her as calmly and quietly as possible.

If she's not crying, let her be. My daughter did that for a long time and according to my mother, so did I.

If she's not crying, leave her be.