16 Month Old With Getting To Sleep Problems
 

Hi

We have a 16 month old who has been excellent at getting to sleep. At
seven pm we take her up with a bottle, lay her down in her cot, she
drinks the bottle and falls asleep.

However, in the last month things have taken a turn for the worse. She
now recognises the fact that bottle means bedtime, and is determined
not to go, even if extremely tired. We take her up and she refuses her
bottle. Eventually she will take it, drinks it then wants to come back
downstairs. She then starts crying for Mummy and Daddy.

We are determined not to get into the habit of bringing her back
downstairs so have to let her cry until she falls asleep. We do go into
her room every ten minutes to reassure her and let her know that we are
around, but it breaks our hearts to hear her crying.

Once asleep, she will go though until seven am.

Are we taking the correct approach with this, or should we be bringing
her back downstairs? If she comes back down for half and hour, she
usually then goes up without a fuss. Perhaps she simply needs a later
bedtime?

Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

James

16 Month Old With Getting To Sleep Problems
 

wrote in message
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Are we taking the correct approach with this, or should we be bringing
her back downstairs? If she comes back down for half and hour, she
usually then goes up without a fuss. Perhaps she simply needs a later
bedtime?

Seven pm might be a bit early for a toddler to be put to bed, especially if
she's still taking her nap during the day. If she goes to sleep easily if
you wait another half-hour, it seems the easiest thing to do is let her go
to bed at 7:30pm.

Noreen

16 Month Old With Getting To Sleep Problems
 

16 Month Old With Getting To Sleep Problems
 

wrote:
Are we taking the correct approach with this, or should we be bringing
her back downstairs?

That's up to you. There is a wide range of thought on that, all of it
valid IMO. The main thing, I think, is to find something that you feel
confident in and stick to it, unless it is just obviously not working
at all (but then, of course, you wouldn't feel confident, right?). I
guess what I'm saying is that it's very much a YMMV (Your Mileage May
Vary) issue.

If she comes back down for half and hour, she
usually then goes up without a fuss. Perhaps she simply needs a later
bedtime?

I'd certainly try that. Sleep needs fluctuate wildly during these
first few years, especially during growth spurts. If she does great
with the 7:30 I'd try that -- you really aren't losing any family time
since you're spending that half hour stressing over her crying right
now, anyway :-)

Good luck -- this likely will pass. Or, you may have a child like ours
who still has trouble settling down at bedtime. It happens. They're
all different :-)

Dawn
Mom to Henry, 13