# Sleep regression at 16-17 months (long)



## anricat (Apr 19, 2009)

My DD has always been a bit of a difficult sleeper. She's a sleep fighter. Once she's asleep she's okay as long as I'm there. She doesn't sleep along and dhe wakes up a couple times to nurse, but just goes right back to sleep. I can deal with both of those, it's getting her to sleep that is really rough.

When she had a morning nap, it would take me about 1-2 hours to get her to sleep for AM nap, then another 1-2 for PM nap, then another 1-2 for night time. I know, right? I was spending 3-6 hours a day just getting her to go to sleep.

We dropped the morning nap a little early for this reason - around 12-13 months. Then it was BLISS! She established for herself a great little schedule, something she'd never ever done before. Woke up at 7 AM, nap for three hours in the afternoon (with no sleep fighting - literally asleep in 15 minutes) then at night, we would start the bedtime routine around 7:30 with pjs, a story, some nursing, then she'd be asleep by 8:15 or so. As long as I was the one putting her to sleep and I did it by putting her in the mei tai and rocking on the glider or bouncing on the yoga ball, it was great (forget DH putting her to sleep, though).

Then, suddenly, at about 16.5 months, everything went totally haywire. It was right around the time that she got 4 molars and 2 incisors in all at once. Nap was okay, she'd go right to sleep like usual, but nighttime was a nightmare. One to two, sometimes three hours and then she would wake up at 5:30 or 6 AM. Now all the teeth are in but she's still doing this.

I've tried everything: dim room, completely black room, white noise, quiet, music, singing, bouncing, rocking, walking, stillness, carrier, no carrier, nursing, pacifier, no sucking. I haven't tried the car because she's not a big fan (and never falls asleep in the car) and was a car seat screamer when she was littler.

Is there anything I'm missing? Anything you can think of? Moving bedtime earlier isn't really an option because of the time my DH gets home from work. He'd never ever see her if we did bedtime any earlier than 7:30.


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## anricat (Apr 19, 2009)

Wow, crickets.... Well, at least I'm not the only one at a loss!


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## moonmom08 (Feb 22, 2009)

I don't know that I have any suggestions for you, but I wanted to see how you were doing. We went through about a week or two of what you are describing when DD was 16.5-17 months (2 hours to go to sleep, lots of night waking, up early and staying up). In our case I think it was partly her molars, but like you, it continued after they broke. Then she suddenly-ish went back to sleeping fine (taking about 15 min. to sing her to sleep, only one early morning waking and coming to bed with us, up at @6:30 or 7 for the day). I know lots of LOs this age (@18 mos.) doing the early morning wake up thing, and I have seen few to no solutions for it







. Also an increase in night wakings around this age for LOs I know. Google 18-month sleep regression, you may find some answers. I think we went though it a little early.








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## anricat (Apr 19, 2009)

Well, things seem to be getting worse, actually. We tried moving bedtime in the opposite direction - from 7:30 to 8 since she was starting to consistently fall asleep around 8:45 or 9. Well, that worked for a little while so then I was only spending about an hour on bedtime, which isn't great, but it's better than 1.5-2 hours. And she actually started sleeping in a bit so that was nice and I was happy she sort of adjusted.

But now we're back to 1.5-2 hours. Tonight we began at 8 and it's now 10 and she's still awake. I'm upset and tired and DH is reading her some stories.

I don't know what to do. I honestly never thought it would be this hard. And I can't believe this thread has been viewed 110 time and only one person has replied. I know I'm not a super regular contributor around here, but I could sure use some help and support.

Even if maybe folks could share how you get your 18 month old to sleep, then maybe I could get some ideas from that.


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## rzberrymom (Feb 10, 2005)

Have you tried taking her for a walk outside in a carrier or stroller? I remember many harried walks through the neighborhood at about that age, desperately trying to help my DD relax and fall asleep.

Or have you tried a bath as part of the nighttime routine? That always helps my DD relax into sleep a little better.


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## rzberrymom (Feb 10, 2005)

Oh, and I've seen people on here say that helping their babies pee during the night can be an antidote to those early morning wake-ups. From what I understand, it can be difficult for some babies to release their bladders, and after a nighttime of nursing it can become uncomfortable by early morning and lead to early wake-ups or cluster feeding in the early a.m. I have decent luck with taking off my DD's diaper and making a shusshing sound to imitate the sound of water. Most of the time she'll release her bladder when I do that, and then her sleep will be more restful. Other people hold their kiddos over a little potty--there are probably folks over in the Elimination Communication forum that are a better help with this.

The funny thing is that I catch my older kiddo making that shusshing sound to herself when she's on the toilet sometimes, trying to make herself go pee! lol


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## kati_kati (Jan 20, 2007)

I just stumbled across this looking for ideas for our own sleeping issues. Sorry things have been so rough. Has anything improved over the last few months and do you have any wisdom to share? Recently I heard that the most important thing is being consistent with whatever routine or sleep approach you pick. It routinely takes us about an hour to get our DS to sleep, which is frustrating. If the schedule is off and it's later or earlier than usual etc. it can take 1.5 hours or more... Interestingly, naps are easy for us too, usually about 10 mins to fall asleep.


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## anricat (Apr 19, 2009)

I do wish I had some wisdom but I can say that things have gotten better. Really, it's just taken time. She's 22 months now and it takes about 30-45 minutes at night her to fall asleep. Every now an then we get a 60-90 minute night but it's rare.

We just kept trying different things. When something stopped working, we moved on to a new tactic. Right now it's in her room, almost dark, nursing and rocking in the glider. She switches back and forth from side to side until she conks out.


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