Help-18 month old only sleeping 1-2 hr. stretches

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My son is 18 months old and we have been co-sleeping since he was 6 weeks old. He nurses a lot during the day, but still nurses all night. He nurses to sleep and then typically only sleeps 1 to 2 hours before he wakes up to nurse again! If my husband tries to take him to sooth him he just starts screaming as soon as he's taken out of the bed. Nursing is really the only thing that will get him back to sleep. I'm feeling very empty and sleep deprived. The longest stretch he's ever slept in his life is 4 hours in a row, and that's only been a handful of times. Does anyone have any suggestions? Know why some babies like him just seem to not be good sleepers? I feel like I'm doing something wrong but can't figure out what it could be! Thanks so much for your help.

[wookie]

i was going to post the exact same thing today only my babe is 1yo.

[HolliM]

My ds is 22 months and does the same thing. Actually it's gotten worse and lately our typical nights involve waking every 45 min.

No advice here, just lots and lots of sympathy. It's hard and exhausting. You're not alone.

[cytogal]

My son is 12.5 months, and he does the same thing. He nurses to sleep, wakes after an hour or so (many times less), and does this until I get in bed with him. Then, during the night, he wakes usually at least twice, and often more. The only way he will go to sleep is if I nurse him down. Not sure what to do either; just hoping it will get better...

[zamia7]

I could have written this about my 7 month old....it doesn't get better?? We have had 3 5 hour stretches in his life, and about 7 4 hour stretches. for a while he'd do 3 for his first stretch, but those days are gone. I am reading No Cry Sleep Solution, and for a week, he did great! then his first tooth came. That was the end of that. I am at my wits end and has horrible a human being i feel for even thinking it, I am almost to the point of letting him cry it out. But I don't think that would work either.

[OkiMom]

Mine does the same thing. There is hope though, my oldest was the same way and now sleeps through the night at 3. She started sleeping better when DD2 was born so she was around 23 months. She didn't really sleep all the way through the night until she was fully potty trained, so around 2 1/2, now at 3 she sleeps in her own bed and doesn't get up for 8-11 hours each night. I don't know why some kids are better sleepers than others but I have two that are lousy sleepers.