Sleep Issues with 18 Month Old

Updated on May 20, 2009
T.C. asks from Pueblo, CO
6 answers

OK, so I posted this 9 days ago and only got 2 responses, neither of which were that helpful, so I thought I'd try again. My 18 month old has recently (past few weeks) developed sleep issues. She is waking up earlier every day. In five days her wake time went from 7am, which used to be her regular time, to 5am. It can't be the sunlight as the day she woke up at 5am it was still dark. We managed to get her back on track twice, but then it just started over again. We have used the 'cry it out' method in the past to overcome issues and it normally works great, but not lately. I'm exhausted and need to try and help her ASAP. Thanks!

P.S. A little more info for those who have requested it :O) Her regular schedule was, until recently:
7am wake
12/12:30pm nap for 2 to 3 hours
7:30pm bed
We've tried putting her to bed 1/2 hour earlier and 1/2 hour later and neither way seemed to work. If it was a set time every day that she's waking I would just get over it and adjust my own schedule, but it gets earlier and earlier until she's exhausted and then we go back to later and start again. The other day she almost fell asleep at 8:30am she was so tired. I will check her teeth and see if that's the issue. It's baffling!

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D.K.

answers from Chicago on

Since you said that you have used the cry it out method before I am guessing that your daughter already goes to sleep on her own, which was the turning point for us when our daughter was 18 months old. Does she seem tired during the day? If not, perhaps she doesn't need as much sleep any longer and you should move her bed time later if you want her to sleep later. Is she still taking a long nap or 2 naps? If so she may be getting too much sleep during the day and you may want to move her to one 2 hour nap.

My daughter has never slept past 6 am, except when she is sick.

It is hard to give advice since you didn't give much information on her sleep habits except for her wake-up time. However every child is different and every child needs a different amount of sleep. My daughter has never needed a lot of sleep although my son does. I have learned that you cannot make a child sleep when they don't need it. I tried it with my daughter when I thought she wasn't getting the "normal" amount of sleep. I finally learned to listen to my mother who told me that if she was a happy, healthy child she was probably getting all the sleep she needed.

Good Luck,
D.

Good Luck,
D.

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J.A.

answers from Chicago on

I agree with Denise. It is hard to offer advice when you don't know the sleeping habits of the child. Some children do not require as much sleep as us, moms, would like. You have to cut out the nap(s). With some children, putting them to bed later, doesn't help. If she is healthy, eats right, and plays, well, then, you have to adjust the naps. That would be my personal opinion.

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D.G.

answers from Chicago on

My 19 mos. old daughter just started this too about a week ago. She used to sleep until 9am. going to bed around 9pm. And taking one 2 hour nap during the day. She just started getting up @ 6:30am. & almost refusing to take a nap & I know she's exhausted. I don't know how much advice I can offer, but I know in the past when she fought naps & bedtime it was due to teething.Is your daughter teething? The canine's & possibly 2 yr. molars could be coming through.Is she napping during the day? I know when its time for a schedule adjustment, we go through a week or so of turmoil until we get back on track. Good luck!

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J.C.

answers from Chicago on

i say she is teething or hungry........is her diaper really wet when she wakes up? maybe give her a hearty snack before bed but try to not give her liquids.......my daughter was really hungry, my guess was a growth spurt, this went on for a few weeks.....hope this helps

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T.C.

answers from Chicago on

I have a 19 month old myself, and this happened with him last month. There were 3 reasons that I noticed caused this
1. There was a change to his regular eating habits. He was eating smaller, more frequent meals/snacks.
2. He was teething (pre)molars
3. We had moved his shower-time to earlier in the day.
I fixed 1 & 3, and he was ok in a week. Do let me know if this helps.

-T

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J.C.

answers from Chicago on

Hi there. I have a two-year-old and a sixteen-month-old. My experience has been if sleep is being disturbed, it's usually due to teething, growth spurt (increase in hunger), or is cold or wet. My youngest son has started waking up in the middle of the night. I have tried letting him cry for a bit, but it progressively gets worse, becoming screaming and sobbing. I give him a bottle and burp him and he is out. He is eating so-so throughout the day, so I think it's a combo of getting teeth (his canines) and growing...he's hungry. My other son went through this as well. Just when you think you have something figured out, the game changes...good luck and hope this helps!

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