My 18 Month Old Won't Sleep Through the Night

It is so rough when they won't sleep. Mine still don't sometimes and they are 6, 4, and 2. My oldest did the same thing as yours until she was about 1. Then my husband got me a great book "Solve your Child's Sleep Problems" by Dr. Ferber. It was fantastic and my daughter was sleeping through the night within two weeks and no more feeding in the night. There is a whole chapter in this book devoted to getting your child to stop eating during the night. THere is no nutritional value to eating throughout the night after about 3 months of age. I have used some version of the Dr. Ferber method to get all three of my kids to sleep through the night on their own and don't know what i would have done without it! So good luck and i hope she is sleeping better for you soon.

An 18 month old shouldn't need to eat that often, it's not hunger that is waking her. In fact, there isn't a biological need for food during the night after 9 months of age.

I swear by the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weisbluth. Using his suggestions in a way that worked for us, both my kids were sleeping through the night by around 8-10 months of age (12 hours) - they have occasional hiccups from time to time now (at 3 and 1 1/2), but overall have been excellent sleepers since then. Waking 4 times a night has to be wearing you (and her!) out completely! There's no reason you shouldn't be able to solve the problem, though, and get a full nights sleep. It may just take some work to break the bad habits. Good luck!

i have found with all of my children that if they wake for food in the middle of the night, then they did not get enough to eat during the day....

that said - some kids will always wake at night....until age 4 or 5.... all of my kids still have nights when they are up.

It could be teeth. But it could be that she knows you will get up and feed her in the middle of the night. My first did this and it took my hub to get him to stop. You have to wean her from night bottles. My three year old still drinks his milk at bedtimes from bottles so dont feel bad about that. But when she gets up instead of giving her milk give her water that will get her system use to not wanting food then. it will take sometime maybe a week but it will work. To start if you need too give her some milk but water it down. then slowly change it to just water. That is what my hub did. My younger son still gets up at night to eat about the same time but i hope when my hub takes maternity leave with me that will change. Good lUck and stay strong!!

You could give her a sippy cup to keep with her. She will be able to fill her belly as she needs but it may be that she wants you more then food.

Hi C.,

Well my daughter started doing this too and she is the same age. The one thing we noticed is that she hates being wet and since she wakes up to be changed I just go with it. Our daughter is showing interst in toilet training and so I am making a go of that too. Olivia sits on the toilet more than anything else but we are hoping that over the next few weeks she'll figure it out. We also are getting the back teeth and I know that they will wake up just because of that too. I'm in the same boat as you are so I am axious to see what others suggest. thanks for the posts :)