Nightweaned toddler still waking at night, Help!

[Baby_Cakes]

DD is 15 mo and we nightweaned at 12 mo. It took about a week, maybe 2, and she completely stopped waking up to nurse. She would stir, roll over, and go back to sleep completely on her own. She was sleeping without interruption from 10:30 pm until at least 6 am. It was wonderful.

Slowly, she's just completely started waking up a lot again at night, and I have no idea what's going on. She doesn't want to nurse (she doesn't ask, I mean. I won't offer). She just cannot resettle and go back to sleep. It seems like every sleep cycle, just can't just roll over and go back to sleep, she has to crawl on top of me and fall asleep -- or be rocked. It's the rocking that killing me. I'm just feeling a bit done with this. I don't really know what is going on.

Last night, at 3:30 when I was rocking her and basically falling over from being so tired, I thought maybe she was hungry/thirsty so I gave her a cracker and some soymilk. She did want both, and smiled at me, so maybe she was? I have no idea.

I'm really working hard on being kind during the night, responding to her needs, making sure I'm not being mean or short with her. I feel good about how I'm doing with this. But still...I have a lot of resentment and am wondering why she's still waking if she is nightweaned. I thought this would really be good for her and for us -- but it's like we're back where we started. Ok, it's not that bad. But it's still not good, if you know what I mean.

Anyone else's nightweaned toddler still waking multiple times a night? How do you cope? How do you deal? Any advice?

[henny penny]

My 26 mo toddler still wakes a couple times a night but he has always been a light sleeper. He now just needs a pat on the back or his blanket and he's good to go back to sleep. We always have a bedtime snack and that seems to help. Does dd nurse to sleep? Could you fit in a complex carb snack like toast and honey with milk?
The nightwaking can be tough and so tiring. I commend you for your good attitude and your efforts to be kind at night. I think little ones really do remember these kindnesses.

[laneysprout]

I wish I had advice, but I can empathize with your situation. DD, 30 months, has been night weaned for ten months now and cannot settle herself back to sleep when she wakes. The ONLY way to get her back to sleep is if she is attached to one of us for the rest of the night.

[Baby_Cakes]

Well, at least I'm not alone. I guess part of me hoped that night weaning would seriously help her learn to settle herself. I know she is still very young, but I was really hoping to get some better sleep by now. It has been a very long and tiring 15 months!

[Baby_Cakes]

Oh and yes she does nurse to sleep. Her last nursing is usually around 9:30 or 10 pm.

[Louisep]

Is it teething? If she was STTN initially after night weaning, then she can settle herself, so it seems like there must be something new triggering the waking?

At any rate, I've partially night weaned and it hasn't helped DS. He still wakes as often and I know once he's fully weaned he will still wake a lot.

[Baby_Cakes]

I'm thinking she might be. She is pretty crabby lately, and her naps have been only one cycle, too. We give her Motrin sometimes before bed, which helps. But she still wakes so many times at night. It's been since the day after Christmas that this has been going on. So -- I guess not that long and it could be teething related. But it just feels like 100 steps backwards!!!

The good news I guess is that the only teeth left to come in are some incisors. maybe once they're through we'll get some sleep.

[LadyCatherine185]

that is exactly the reason i have been hesitant to nightwean. for me, nursing is the EASIEST way to get DS back to sleep, and I know he will still wake up even if he cannot nurse.

we are finally finishing up with teething (all but 2 year molars +) for the most part, all teeth have poked through but the last 2 canines are still about halfway up. I will tell you those were the hardest teeth on DS. It could definitely be teething in your case too.

[rzberrymom]

Yes, the little dirty secret about nightweaning--it doesn't always mean the end of waking. With my DD, she went from nursing at night to asking 1) for bananas to eat when she woke and 2) to then be rocked back to sleep. For me, it felt easier back when she was waking to nurse.

That age is prime time for the super painful molars and incisors--I bet she's working on something like that.

[Parker'smommy]

Yep, nightweaning is not always the solution unfortunately.

[sapphire_chan]

Not nightweaned, but Lina's taken to waking at 4:30 to play for like 5 minutes. She also generally has to go to the bathroom at that time.

[Baby_Cakes]

One of the main reasons we night weaned was b/c nursing wasn't helping her get back to sleep, actually. She'd nurse both sides and STILL need to be rocked. So I still feel good about the decision to nightwean, I just wish it solved the entire night waking situation!

I like that I"m not alone. I've just got so many mama friends who don't have this problem or ferberized and it's just tough to still be lacking sleep. I love that you guys understand! And i have hope that she'll outgrow this. Someday. Right?

[maryeb]

When we nightweaned our first, he was 2 and his molars had already come in. He would still insist he was hungry and cry to eat, so dh made him a snack in the middle of the night until we wised up and kept something like trail mix by the bed. I still sometimes do that and he is now 4. Ds2, on the other hand, doesn't wake much compared to ds1. And if I take him to the potty, he usually settles down much faster! Lately he has also started this thing where he will only fall back asleep if he is on my chest? It's adorable imo, and I'm just going to soak it up since he is my baby. It will end, or at least move into something else. Maybe try the potty or peeing her over the tub? I know it's still getting up... Mary

[Kailey's mom]

2yr molars!

[Louisep]

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes

One of the main reasons we night weaned was b/c nursing wasn't helping her get back to sleep, actually.

Ditto.

I've always wondered how much teething creates our night problems. In the middle of the night, I so often wish I knew WHY. It seems like teething can go on for months before a tooth pops through. Luckily, you're almost done!