My 18 mos old has been waking at night once for as long as I can remember. He used to have a bottle and go right back to sleep, but lately (the past month) he gets mad if I don't play with him for an hour (at 3 am). So I don't and he screams for 45 minutes. I give him teething medicine, a bottle, so he should be fine. However, my Mexican gardener, who is my friend, just told me that Mexican babies don't take naps and sleep all night, so he suggested I not let him nap during the day anymore. But I'm afraid that if I do that, he will be a cranky mess all day and want to go to bed for the night at 5 pm. Has anyone done this? He's only been napping for an hour lately, and I feel like he needs it, but if he's not sleeping thru the night and is so awake in the middle of the night, I could be wrong.
I put him down around 7:30 every night and he is up every night at 3 am. last night I fed him half as much and he screamed for 30 min. In the past, I have tried to do CIO to no avail. He screamed his head off for 2 hours for a month. With my first child, CIO worked like a charm after 2 nights, but not this kid. The ped calls him a very intense personality. And I couldn't go through with cutting out his nap yesterday, he just looked sooo tired. But I think I'll just have to try CIO again and break out the earplugs.
He needs a nap!!!!! I would just comfort him at night and then leave the
room. You will have a few rough nights but then it should be better. Now
my kids gave up napping at around 22 months. However, that was because they went to bed at 5:30. They just happened to do this on their
own, not because I wanted it that way. We are not Mexican LOL.
Omigosh, please don't take away his nap - he's too young! If you do this, I swear you will haev worse sleeping problems.
My adivce (and I have rasied an excellent 19 month old sleeper, I must say) - he needs to be ignored at night time. At his age, he does not need food. Simply put - he has gotten used to this routine and has come to expect it. Any of these wakings you are describing I would let him be and do not respond. If you do so, he will only continue to wake up and demand your attention. You could give him some partial attention (patting him back to sleep, re-settling him, etc.) but I think all that really does is prolong everything and make it more confusing for him.
Leave a sippy cup of water in his bed with him and when you leave for the night close the door until morning. It should only last a few days and it's in his best interest. What is his bedtime? Most kids this age sleep best if they go down for the night by 7:30 or so. Much later and an overtired kiddo can have trouble staying asleep also.
You don't mention his bedtime. Too late of a bedtime causes restlessness at night because they are overtired. This is the same reason you should never cut that nap out. Then you will have a mess on your hands! Try moving the nap earlier and opt for an earlier bedtime.It may take a few days to transition, but it should make the nights go better.
Hope this helps!
With my girls, they both "gave up" naps around that age. I always say I would rather them sleep at night than sleep during the day. I did have my second get sleepy and cranky right around 5-6pm, so we tried to eat as early as possible. She would sometimes fall asleep eating, but I would just wake her, bah her and put her down. Some advice is not to go into your childs room. I let my first sleep with me until she was 5 yrs old. My second is so different! I let her fuss. She is 2.5 years old. I only go check on her if she starts to cough alot when crying or sounds like something is seriously wrong. If I go in, she is up and letting her cry back to sleep is a much longer process. Good luck.
my 4 yo old did this too. When he was 18 months we had had enough. So we prepared ourselves for a few days of hell and when he woke up- we let him cry. I went in gave him his pacifier and then left. It took about 3-4 nights and he's been sleeping through the night since. You just have to stick to your guns. No playing, no bottle, no taking him out of his bed. Eventually he will realize there is nothing to wake up for.
I would not suggest cutting out the nap. Hes still young and needs the rest.
Ha. My 19 month old still gets up 3 times a night. I have lost all hope. Good luck! :)
I would stay out of his room - my first born was like that - they say if htey wake up at the same time everynight it's a habit - not really a need. Wish I'd known that then - probably would have saved me 3 years of waking at 2am for nothing.
Let him babble/whimper in his room for a good 5/10 minutes before you go in - i bet he falls back asleep without your intervention.
Also- never cut out the naps - that's just asking for baby meltdown central that night. Good luck.
We used the Ferber method, it worked for us. Our ped recommended it. Our DS has been sleeping through the night since he was 4.5 months old. by that I mean at first he was sleeping from 10pm-6:30am, and as time went on, getting more and more sleep so now at 14.5 months, he sleeps from 7:30/8pm - 6:30/7:30am.
All people rouse some in the night, its natural. Adults easily go back to sleep. Children can too.
Once they are 12 lbs or 3 months old, they no longer need the night time feed.
BTW, don't be surpised if you find yourself waking up for your 3am playdate with your son as long as a week after you teach him how to sleep through the night. Your internal clock might not be used to the notion that you are allowed a full night of sleep.
Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.
I'm with mamaduck, he still needs his nap but move it up if you can.
Also, make sure he has a lot of activity during the day TO BE tired at night
My son at that age would wake the same way but that was only a phase of about a month or two. I'd get up, give him his milk in the dim room, hold him for awhile cuddling him & he'd fall back asleep.
His sleep cycle could be off. He still needs his sleep at that time so just bear with it until he gets it back (and he will).
Like I said, my son went through this exact same thing.
It drove me crazy but it was a passing phase which I think you will soon see. Hang in there.
I made sure he had milk, a diaper change (that could be waking him), teething medicine and was warm. Bam...back to sleep.
I'm Mexican & the gardner doesn't know what he's talking about. Plus
he's male. He didn't give birth to the child. He doesn't know. What?
It's the truth. ;) Just kidding!
So all Hawaiian babies will want to surf, all Nordic babies love the cold?
See my point? :) Just hang in there. This cycle will end & he'll go back to
sleeping through the night!
Hi L.,
You've gotten a lot of good advice: namely: make sure he's getting his energy out during the day, put him to bed earlier etc. I would add, if his nap is late afternoon, move it earlier, and possibly make it shorter. sleep cycles are 20 min. long. (20 min RAM-rapid eye movement) and then 20 minutes of deep sleep. then it reverts back. try shortening his nap to 40 minutes and see if that helps. he could just be going through a growth spurt and is requiring different or more food/sleep/naps etc. he'll grow out of it for sure. just make sure you're being consistent. I for sure wouldn't pick him up at night. This will be totally tougher on you than him. pull out the earplugs and let him CIO! I'd offer him a sippy cup of water and a pacifier if you use them and then walk out and shut the door. be sure you don't leave lights on, or toys in the crib for naps and sleep and he'll figure it out soon enough! best wishes!
K.
I had just answered a similar question in detail today morning. Read my response in this thread.
http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/3507984577945862145
babies still need to nap at that age. My son would sleep for 2-3 hrs in the afternoon because he wouldn't sleep well in the night. Once he started sleeping through the night, he naps only 1- 1.5 hrs. He still needs to nap.
Also is your son with you at home all day? If so, make sure he gets enough excercise. Since your son only takes a hour long nap in the afternoon and still doesn't want to sleep in the night, I am guessing he is not tired enough.
