18 Month Sleep Regression - Real thing?

[BlingyGal]

I can hardly remember what I wanted to post because I'm SO TIRED. Oh right, I'm SO TIRED because for the past 5-6 weeks my almost 18 month old daughter's sleeping has turned to utter crap.

She no longer STTN! Instead, she wakes multiple times, crying and screaming PLUS she wakes up much earlier than before.

Honestly, this past weekend was so bad, it's tipped us over the edge. I'm no longer coping as well as I was. I'm exhausted. My husband is exhausted. Our daughter is exhausted.

Is this just a phase? Are sleep regressions real? Wll this ever end?!

Where is my beautiful STTN daughter? Will she come back?

 

[Zephram]

I don't really buy the sleep regression theory, but they do go through physical and mental developmental leaps that can affect their sleep. At 18 months they are learning and changing very fast. Separation anxiety can rear its ugly head. It's also the time many toddlers are teething their molars, which can be very painful and in my experience absolutely wreaks havoc with their sleep! Is she teething?

 

[BlingyGal]

She doesn't seem to be teething. TBH, teething has never seemed to be a big issue for her. I read an article by a pediatric dentist that teething is not the source of bad sleeping, drooling etc. Teething just gets blamed for everything.

 

[Zephram]

I highly disagree with that article. I quite clearly notice when my kids have been acutely teething. I'm sure it's down to the individual baby whether they are excessively bothered by teething or not.

 

[BlingyGal]

The differences with teething experiences is an interesting one, that's for sure. I know plenty of moms that would agree with you.

My daughter probably drooled a total of five times since she was born - just a couple of strands of drool each time. But she still got a bunch of teeth in the end.

Every child is different as you say.

 

[SarahBear]

It's a thing. Leo is 19 and a half months and is starting to get better.

 

[JumpingIn]

Yes it's a thing. We're in the thick of it right now. He's gone from sleeping through with no feeds even before bed to up several times and having bottles. It sucks but it does help knowing it's just a phase. His development is happening really rapidly at the moment, he's suddenly attempting lots more sounds, understanding much more, beginning pretend play and self care and tantrums. It takes its toll!

Last night I felt lucky because he was only up at midnight (had to be fed) 4am and and 5am (also had to be fed) before being up for the day at 5.45! He tantrummed non stop all morning and eventually crashed out for a nap at 10.15. Who knows how the rest of the day will go!

 

[kellyc1987]

Also in the thick of it here!!

DS was up from 2.30-5.30 then up for the day at 7.30.. he hasn't had a nap yet but has been so grouchy!

 

[Button#]

It's definitely a thing and we're also in the thick of it. With DS once he was past it he sttn pretty much consistently afterwards, apart from the odd hiccup. DD also has her molars coming through and has learned a lot of new words and is going through separation anxiety.

 

[Rainbow82]

I have no idea if it's an actual thing but DS is not sleeping great at the moment although he is teething this isn't usually a major sleep issue for us. He is currently up and inconsolable for the third time since he went down at 7 and I'm so tired I have no idea how I'm going to stay awake long enough to drive to work tomorrow let alone actually teach anything!

 

[pink_phoenix]

Ivy has always been a great sleeper apart from a month or so when we moved and i had to sleep train her! Was something ive realised i should have done from day one!! Recently ive found her sleep is changing and on the days she only has one nap a day her night time sleeping is much sounder.
If she has two naps she can be quite testing in the night.
We have a set routine that really helps. Brush teeth, book and bed at 7. Some times she plays for an hour, sometimes shes asleep before i leave the room it just depends on the day shes had.
Maybe you just need to approach bed time differently or look at whats in her room.
I have to hide EVERYTHING that looks even slightly interesting because she will litterally fall asleep stood up in her cot talking to it or trying to get it
We also found the clocks changing ( were in the uk ) knocked her sleep out. Wasnt really expecting it but its taken us a while to try and re establish her sleep and wake time.
There will prob be a very simple change thats happened or needs to happen and you will find it goes back to normal.
I defo agree in the sleep regression, maybe not as text book timing as is made out but i do think their sleep can easily change.
Can you ask a family member or close friend to take her for the night? Just to get some proper rest, we found just one good night helped loads, then you can take a refreshed look at whats going on and maybe see a solution you couldnt before.
They do get thru it and go back to sleeping well it just takes different times and different reasons for everyone

Wishing you all the best

 

[sunnydee]

I know this is an older post but just wondering if all your LOs have gone back to sttn? Mine is 18 months now and wakes multiple times in the night and very early in the morning! He has also gone from 2-3 hour naps to 1 hour..
Starting to believe the sleep regression is very real...

 

[BlingyGal]

Hi!
I'm the original poster
My update: DD is almost 22 months old and sleeps much better now. It's not as flawless as it used to be but HUGE improvement and we all feel more rested now.
The bad news: Her poor sleep phase lasted several months! I think there were several things causing sleep disruptions: daycare transition, many illnesses (cold, flu), then the excitement of Christmas which changed our schedule, and then a family vacation....It felt like forever but she's definitely sleeping better. Her new issue is the occasional nightmare but those usually happen earlier in the evening. She did wake up at 430am this morning and my husband had to settle her back to sleep but she did go back to sleep.

 

[sunnydee]

This seems to be caused by a few things too, returning from holiday started it off and now teething and a cough seems to be waking him.
At least it's getting better for you! The problem is that he won't go back to sleep in his bed and ends up in mine for the rest of the night!
Thanks for the update!