Tag Archives: new teeth

Toddler Sleep Regression – Why Your Toddler Wakes at Night

Posted on November 3 by Jillian416 • 16 Comments

Toddlers like babies can have spurts of time when they wake up several times a night. Not knowing what to do, can be frustrating

When you’re pregnant, everyone reminds you to sleep now, because once the baby arrives you won’t be able to do so. Then, once the baby is here, people check-in or offer to watch the little one so that you can catch some zzzz’s. If you’re like me, when your baby was an infant, you were able to exist on very few hours of sleep and not feel like a zombie. You were just used to it, though when it was offered, I took the help!

However, what you may not be prepared for, is that around 18 months your child can revert back to their non-sleeping ways, to what is called toddler sleep regression, leaving you feeling like you’ll never sleep a full night again. It can be frustrating, but there is an end in sight and remind yourself, this, like every other stage it is ONLY temporary.

Why Your Toddler is Waking Again

Around 18 months toddlers can begin going through another round of sleep regression. Some infants and older babies experience sleep regressions at other stages, but when you hit those toddler years, you’re not through yet. It really is too bad that more pediatricians don’t warn parents that this occurs. I had NO idea until it happened to us and I started googling.

There are so many things that could be causing the sleep regression, here’s what to look for so that you can love and support your little one

Out of the blue your sweet sleeping child, will no longer sleep through the night and it is a struggle to get them to nap. Sound familiar? If not, you’re a lucky one! Many parents report that their child was sleeping through the night at 11+ months and then BOOM all of a sudden you’re up multiple times a night with your little one.
Could your child be physically uncomfortable? Such as an ear infection or perhaps their 2 year molars growing in. If so, this could be the culprit for the lack of sleep.
Another sleep disruption could be night terrors.Your child’s brain is growing and developing at a rapid rate, which means their imagination can begin to run wild. If they see a scary image on TV, that could then live on in their dreams and wake them from a deep sleep.
What about at home, are there any major adjustments happening? Did you just move, or did you change day cares? Anything that disrupts a toddler’s normal day to day can really throw them off their schedule, which can lead to lots of unhappy nighttime wake ups.
Separation anxiety has resurfaced. Believe it or not, separation anxiety can hang around until a child is 5+ years old. The fear obviously changes, but it still exists. Around 18 months to 2 years, toddlers can start to worry about being left alone or with a stranger. Again, this can lead to those middle of the night call-outs.
Finally, there may just not be a simple explanation. There are just periods of time that a toddler wakes up and doesn’t want to sleep, you’ve gone through your list (and checked it twice) and nothing fits. This just means that you need be there to love and support your toddler, and hopefully catch some zzz’s on the side.

Losing sleep day in and day out can be really difficult on moods and outlooks on life. Just take a moment and remind yourself that this is temporary and it will pass. Be patient, surround yourself with loving and supportive people, and remember you are not alone.

Stay tuned for future posts in regards to toddle sleep regression regression – How You Can Sneak Quick Naps In and How to Survive Toddler Sleep Regression.

Looking for more information on this subject? Check out this post from What to Expect: Toddler Sleep Regression or Progression?

Your turn!

What other reasons do you have for toddler sleep regression? Please share in the comments below!

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Filed Under: Emmett, Family

Dear Emmett

Posted on March 23 by Jillian416 • 0 Comments

Wow, let me tell you, your 7 month did not gotten off to the best of starts. You continue to crawl and move around quite well but you have been unbelievably cranky and have gone back to at least 1 wake-up a night.

I think the main source of your crankiness stems from your new teeth coming in. For whatever reason, the teeth on the bottom didn’t seem to phase you at all but your top teeth are treating you pretty poorly. You’re constantly trying to put everything in your mouth and are getting cranky very easily. I feel so badly for you little guy.

You also had to have the second half of your flu shot and that didn’t go so well. It hurt you like it always does when you get a shot but what made it bad was that you woke up twice that night. You hadn’t done that since we switched you to wearing your sleep sack from your swaddler, almost 4 months ago. I don’t mind waking up with you or caring for you but I feel so bad that you’re not feeling well, I wish I could take away all of your pain.

We also had a HUGE development! We’ve been doing the sign for “milk” since you were about 4 months old. Every time I’d nurse you or you’d get a bottle we’d do the motion and say the word, then give you the milk, well early in the month your dad and I were asking if you wanted milk and you started squeezing your little hand together, doing your version of the sign. We were so proud! You know your momma had tears in her eyes. I’m petty sure I will be your biggest cheerleader for your entire life. Every little thing that you do amazes me! I created you, my magical little being.

We also started bathing you in the big tub! You were starting to outgrow your baby tub so we stopped using it. We have a little rubber mat with Elmo on it to keep you from slipping all over the place and you just love it. I think you were starting to feel cramped in your small baby tub because now with the whole tub you splash and squeal and are unbelievably happy. You even learned how to move around in there! The other day you plopped yourself onto your belly and were just trying to crawl around. You don’t quite get that if you go down on your belly in water, your head will go under the water, so I hold my hand underneath your chest but still kind of let you float around so that you get the hang of things. It is so very cute!

That Waffle is as large as his head!

St. Patrick’s Day fell during your 7th month, as well. We didn’t do anything special, I thought about going to the parade but it was cold and you’re still so young, you wouldn’t really understand. We will most definitely go next year, however you did try corned beef and cabbage for the first time and you loved it. We gave you just a small piece of corned beef because it is so high in sodium but you sucked on that for a little while but then when we gave you a full leaf of cabbage you sucked on that bad boy for a good long while. You ARE Irish but you are also VERY Polish.

Watching you sit there and eat cabbage showed me that your dad and I have done the right thing in introducing you to solids this way, you turn almost nothing away! You might hesitate and the first few times you try it and you might feel iffy but you eventually start liking it and will happily eat away. You’re also getting really good at eating too; you’ve started to take small bites and then move it around in your mouth and eventually swallow some things. It is so amazing to watch your progression.

You have also found a new found love of books. You enjoy sitting on anyone’s lap and listening to a story but you also love playing with your books. If we place you in front of them, you will pull them all out and flip through them, bite them, or throw them. It is really adorable, I enjoy watching you play and learn.

It is so hard to contain you now, we rarely even bother trying. Nowadays, we typically sit you on the floor and surround you with toys and then let you army crawl around the room. We even decided to move our coffee table out of the center of the room so that you have more room to play, it’s no longer mommy and daddy’s house. 😉

We started using “no” around you. We live in an old house and for some reason a long time ago they placed an outlet in the floor and of course being a curious baby you are drawn to it, like a bear to honey. We put in an outlet cover but of course, since it is in the floor you always want to crawl towards it. Every time you do it, we tell you no and pull you back, you haven’t learned what it means yet but with consistency you will. You’re just too smart not to!

Your sweet baby mood returned once again. You are also very relaxed lately, so when your dad and I are holding you, you will often lay back and relax and cuddle. It is such a change from a few months ago. You’re growing and advancing and it is so amazing!!

You also are slowly being moved up into the 2^nd baby room at your day care. This is very exciting because it means that more and more independent play is coming up. I’m excited to see what things happen in your new room.

About two weeks ago, I went through all of your 6 month clothes and pulled them out of your drawers and replaced them with your 9 month things. You have SO many 9 month outfits and your dad has a lot of fun getting you dressed in the morning. He likes making you look like a young man, not a baby and he does a really good job of it.

Well Emmett another month has passed and while I absolutely adore watching you grow both in size and in knowledge, it is sad to think that your baby months are quickly passing us by. I try to enjoy each and every moment with you, please know how deeply you are loved by both myself and your father.

Filed Under: Emmett, Family