Sleep nightmare

[B81292]

For what feels like forever my 20 month old has been an awful sleepee. She wakes at least 2 times a night for milk and has now started waking early at 630 ..
She goes to bed between 7,730
Has a 2 hour nap about 3 or 4 hours after she wakes up in the morning
Just got an oil radiator to keep her warm and a blackout blind. Has a blue nightlight.
We have has advice from a sleep trainer who advised bedtime or nap 5 hours after original wake and also trying a dream feed as she is usually quite clockwork when waking for milk
Just recently it's been too much what with the early starts.. last night she was up 4 times for milk straight back to sleep but then awake at 630 when would usually be 8ish !!

Any advice would be amazing

 

[KHTW]

Hi there, we are in the same boat. Our DD (22 months) may not feed at night anymore but still wakes up at least 3 times.

What works for us is co-sleeping. I basically spend my nights in her room on a double bed. She still wakes up but only needs a pat on the back or a cuddle and falls back asleep. We all get a decent night sleep. I know this may not be a good solution for yourself with Baby no 2 on the way but worth considering if you are desperate. OH and I will be starting TTC in November and I really hope our DD masters sleeping alone by the time new baby comes but if that doesn't happen she will be co-sleeping with daddy.

Re. feeding. I get a sense that maybe the feeding could be replaced by other type of comfort like a cuddle? If she gets a proper meal before bed she shouldn't be hungry?

Good luck x

 

[Shepherdess]

that sounds like hard work.

obviously I'm no health visitor but I would be saying you should try to cut out the milk on a nighttime completely. does she eat and drink well during the day? you would have to go through a few nights of hell but then hopefully she wouldn't wake if she knew she wasn't getting it.

I'd also suggest cutting the nap down to an hour or and hour and a half if possible.

my little girl is just over two, 26 months and I cut her milk out during the night at about 18 month's because she was a nightmare sleeper. we had to do CC in the end but thankfully that worked very quickly and she slept 7-6 for about 4 months. that was until I potty trained her at 22m and she started waking once a night for a wee although thankfully she goes all night again now.

my little girl was having 1.5 to 2 bottles of milk before bed until very recently but I've just cut that down to one bottle as I thought it was more comfort and routine then needing it

 

[candymycandy]

I'd largely echo what shepherdess said. Have a look at her food during the day and her dinner particularly. Though sounds like at this point night time feeds are comfort driven. Maybe offer water when she wakes instead (which obvs she won't like!) but will maybe make her think that water isn't worth waking up for?! x

 

[B81292]

Thanks for your replies shes not an amazing eater quite fussy and has tea about 6.
We've tried offering water but she goes hysterical massive tantrum but guess if we stuck at it she would get the message. We also tried watering her milk down or not offering it but she goes crazy and will scream until she gets what she wants
. Would it be worth moving her tea to later ? She goes to bed about 7. We've also tried supper ...that hasn't worked either.
She had a bowl of tomato soup with bread for tea last night and up for 3 bottles awake at 5 !

 

[Browneyed Girl]

I would echo what the others say about trying to cut out milk during the night, she shouldn't need it now she's on solids. My lo stopped having milk in the night at 8 months old (partly his own accord but partly me stretching it as much as possible). I would try her without the night light.

I think a filling meal at tea time is important so instead of soup offer carbs e.g. pasta, rice, potatoes. A banana after can also help. It's hard as she's older now but I think you have to be tough and stop giving her milk at night to really crack it x

 

[GF91]

My DD was a terrible sleeper and at about 18 months would wake more times in the. Ugh then she did as a newborn. One night I got so fed up I gave her water instead of milk, she threw a huge tantrum about it but she soon realised that it was water or nothing. And it's been water or nothing since. She mainly sleeps through but she does occasionally wake but she goes straight back to sleep normally. her main meal is dinner so it's always something quite heavy & carby to keep her going.
I'm not a health visitor but personally I'd look at cutting the length of her nap too. My DD is just turning 2.5 & doesn't have a nap at all, on the odd occasion that she does (especially if it's for any longer than 45 mins) I guarantee you she'll be up in the night x

 

[Shepherdess]

I wouldn't move her tea to later, I'd think about giving her it earlier and then giving her some wheatabix or porridge or toast for supper before bed. try to fill her up with food

 

[Hoping for no2]

Its unlikely she is hungry at her age in the night and doubt more food before bedtime will make a difference . Sounds like the night time milk is habit/comfort. As others have said I'd offer water if she wants a drink, that's what we did with our second and he stopped waking after a time. It's hard going at first but you just need to break the habit. I'd also consider cutting back on her nap time. Our second hadn't napped in the day since he was 2 and sleeps like a dream at night. He was young to cut out naps but some just don't need them for as long X

 

[aceofjanine]

I'm taking notes of these scenarios as I'm expecting sleepless nights when my child reach 18 months.

 

[B81292]

Just to update you all .. spoke to my HV who echoed what a lot of you said. Started giving her more snacks in the day after bfast , afternoon and before bed. Moved teatime to about 630 bed at around 715 and for the past couple nights she's only woken once for a bottle (which I am watering down every night to phase out and offering water first) and sleeping through . So she's been waking 10pm and then sleeping through. So thank you all for your help feels like I'm making progress !

 

[candymycandy]

Great news! Glad you're getting somewhere, you'll soon be getting a full night's sleep! Until baby comes anyway

 

[KHTW]

That's fantastic! x