HELP! 19m old stopped STTN!

[KelliHope]

Oh please, please someone help!!!

Ever since weaning at around 14m my dd has slept perfectly soundly through the night, 8ish to 7:30am-ish, only making a peep if she was sick or teething.

The last 2 weeks though she's started waking up anywhere from 2 to 6 times each night and cries until one of us comes into her room. We go in there, she's sitting up in bed crying (sometimes just whiney/wimpering cries, sometimes full blown bawling cries). As soon as we walk in though, she stops crying. We go to her, pat her head/back/belly, lie her down again, make sure she has her blankie, and walk out of the room. I'm usually only in there for like 30 seconds and it's enough to put her right back to sleep.

This wouldn't be that much of an issue. . .BUT her little brother is due to arrive any day now and good gosh, having to get up multiple times with him AND multiple times with her. . .not going to be good!

Cosleeping is not an option with her either - we tried that when she was a newborn and she preferred to sleep alone, and since then we've tried on other occasions to bring her into our bed and she's not interested.

Any ideas?? Nothing in her routine is changed, she seems/acts perfectly healthy otherwise. . .she's been a bit more . . well, bratty, lately - we've pretty much chalked it up to the terrible twos approaching. But other than that nothing is different except for her sleep patterns.

Any help would be SO much appreciated! Thanks

[haurelia]

I think it's just a tough age. We're going through it with our cosleeping 18 month old (he's only STTN once, but usually gets a good long block of 5-6 hours-not anymore!). No great advice, but have you thought about putting her bed in your room for a while? That way she has her own sleeping space but you can easily comfort her, especially after your baby arrives.

Good luck!

[Strong Mama]

She may be having dreams. It may be her molars coming in. Or a growth spurt.
I would not move her into your room if she has been sleeping good in her bed up until now. These things happen, sometimes, even after a child has been STTN. Its normal. Moving around things usually makes it worse, if the child has been already comfortable in the surrounding already.
I would try giving tylenol tonight before bed to see if it is her molars. When my son was cutting his two year molars(started at 21 months and ended at 24 months...rough three months of sleep) he would wake like that. Sometimes he just needed to be settled back to sleep. It was like the pain of teething would wake him, but not be too much to keep him up all night. I gave tylenol a lot during that period. It genuinely helped him, so I know it was the teeth. After they came in, he was fine. When she cries out, after you check on her, can you check on her without her seeing you, to see if she will settle back down on her own? Or will she not settle without your pat, etc. Reason I ask is because this could become a habit for her, so the less interaction you have to take, the better. If you have to soothe her, then by all means do it, but just make it short and sweet, like youve been doing. Another thought is to buy a sleeping bag/grobag, she may be cold and I JUST LOVE those sleeping bags. They have helped my babes sleep well. This is more than likely a phase, tho annoying, be blessed she has been STTN up til now!!!

[dandalion]

My guess is bad dreams. My DD is 18 months and she is going through it too. I think it is bad dreams because she seems disoriented but goes back to sleep quickly. Try iced camomile tea through out the day and see if that helps it did with my girl. Good luck.
Oh I have also heard that Bach Rescue Remedy is really good for bad dreams. Couldn't hurt to try

[baglady]

My 19 month old is going through the same thing. It started the last week of 18 months. Given the amount of food DS's been eating, I'm guessing it's a growth spurt combined with the fact that he's cutting molars.

He gets really wiggly in his sleep and starts to whimper. Then he awakes fully. He has been sleeping better for the last few nights (I hope I don't jinx myself). The better sleeping is combined with a decease in food intake, so that also points to a growth spurt.

Given the fact that she settles down when you come in and comfort her, bringing her into your bed may not be the best thing, especially with the new little one on the way. For us, it helps for DS to be in the bed with us, but I would be hesitant to mess with a sleeping arrangement that is working for everyone. It's just a rough patch.

It must be a 19 month old thing. It will pass, but boy is it tough. I'm also pg, though not as far along as you are. I've been feeling like a zombie for the past few weeks from lack of sleep.