14 Mo Old Still Wakes up Every night-HELP!!

I, too, had this problem with my son, and I will agree that it does get real old after a while! I had great success with applying an essential oil blend on the bottoms of his feet, just before bedtime. I used "Peace & Calming" from Young Living Oils online. I just mixed a drop or two with some regular cooking oil (olive oil, whatever) and massaged this into the bottoms of his feet. He slept through the night from that moment on! This works great for stressed out moms too! Good Luck.....and Sweet Dreams!

I know how you feel. My oldest didn't sleep all night until she was 15 months and my 19 month old still wakes up! I would advise you to STOP letting her cry. That is never a good idea. However, you can wait 5 minutes or so and see if her crying escalates. If it does then go to her. She may be waking up for her milk out of habit. See how she responds if you don't offer it. Of course give it to her if she protests. I know you must be exhausted and wondering if this will ever end. She's still so young and I doubt she'll be doing this when she's three. It might just be something you need to ride out. My 19 month old is getting to the point where she's not waking up until nearly 4 or 5 am, which is progress. So, just give it a little time and try to remove the milk from the routine. Good luck!

Both of my older girls woke during the night until they were...well sometimes they still do at 3 and 5. I found that as long as they just needed a drink, hug, tucked in, or something simple it was easier and saner for me to just accept it, meet the need and go back to bed. I also have a 14 month old who still wakes every night sometimes 2 or 3 times. It is hard but really this is just a short time in thier lives. Before you know it they won't even want us to tuck them in.
Blessings, K.

Just some helpful advice...HANG IN THERE. Anytime you are changing your child's routine you need to give it at least a week if not two for it to work. When she wakes let her cry for at least 5 mins. before you get up and go in there. Then if she is still crying go in there and see what is going on tell her it is ok and to go back to sleep. The key is talking to her and telling her just like you would someone you know can understand you. For example "hey sweetie, whats wrong? Did you have a bad dream? It's ok, everything is ok, mommy is here. You are not alone, but it is not time to wake up yet, you need to go back to sleep. Mommy is going to lay you back down now and I need to go back to sleep so I am not too tired. I love you baby, remember you are ok there is nothing to be afraid of mommy and daddy and just in the other room and we will protect you. I love you baby goodnight. And you go back to sleep. Kiss on the cheek and off to bed you go. Then leave and let them cry. But be patient and give it time to work. Sounds like she is already getting used to going back to sleep at night. I wouldn't give her anything to drink when she wakes in the middle of the night though. Maybe if she is sick or if you know she is teething she may be waking up because her teeth are bothering her. Then it would be ok to give her some tylenol or motrin with a sip of water. I know that when my kids are teething sometimes they will wake in the middle of the night and just be too uncomfortable to go back to bed without a little medicine. And they do start getting in their molars at one and then they get their two year molars in around 2..and these can be very painful. You could take her to the dentist to see if she is getting in more teeth if you are unsure. Dont ask the doctor because they can be wrong. I told my doctor I thought my son was teething getting in his two year molars she said no he has all his teeth you need to take him to the dentist maybe for x-rays. Took him to the dentist and they looked in his mouth and said his teeth looked perfectly healthy but he is getting in his two year molars...LOL...so there is a reason the doctors are doctors and dentists are dentists....LOL....just something to keep in mind during this time your daughter is going through..there is a line to be drawn though and only you as the mom can draw it. Between your toddler taking advantage of you trying to figure out what is wrong and there really being something wrong and seems how each child is different you will just have to take that into consideration so you know when your daughter is taking advantage and when she really needs something. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions...I hope this helped somewhat. My son will be 3 the end of May and there are times he wakes up and times just as many times that he doesn't and there are times he really needs something like he has a full poopy diaper/full wet diaper or he is in pain or he is too hot or cold or he had a nightmare and there are times he is awake and he just wants to be awake. But my 1 year old stays quiet for me and sleep through the night mostly every night. So each kid really is different.

It takes two weeks to three. For 3 to 4o days she cries for long time each time after about the 4-5 th day she will start to shorten her cries till she stops all together. Buy some ear plugs and stick to it. Doing well and completely right stuff so be proud and stick to it.Good mom you have good day. Oh ya remember crying doesn't hurt no one. She will be fine and by you getting up to give her milk will let her think she gets rewarded for crying just let her cry it out. Sometime I notice kids will cry in there sleep.

A lot of moms will say that it's simply cruel to let them cry it out. I tend to disagree as long as you do it reasonably. The milk at night is just a bad habit that will take a little while to break (but shouldn't take too long since she's still pretty young). Rather than flat out letting her cry it out, what I did in a similar instance was let her cry for a few minutes then go back in her room & reassure her that everything is OK and mommy loves her (and give a gentle rub on the belly or back) - I think this is the Baby Whisperer method. Then tell her you are going back to your room to sleep and walk away. Do this all in a soothing, quiet voice. Then let her cry for a little longer and return to her room & repeat the reassurance. Each time, let her cry a little longer before you return to reassure her that she's not alone. You may have to go in a lot the first night. Hopefully, after a few nights, it'll get easier and easier until she learns to self soothe without you and without the sippy cup of milk.

You'll probably hear some moms say that it's cruel to let them cry - I tend to disagree but that's just my opinion. I've seen research that says you shouldn't let a really young infant cry (anything under 3 months) but that babies that are a bit older aren't harmed by crying. But, like I said, that's just my personal opinion. I feel like babies will adopt any bad habit that we allow so when they have a bad habit, it is up to us to steer them in another direction. Which typically involves some crying... Using this method, my daughter started sleeping through the night at 3 months and has had no problems at all (unless she's sick - and then I don't let her cry it out).

A good starting point would be switching the sippy cup to contain water - milk left on the teeth overnight can cause damage but there's no damage in water.

Best of luck!

put a sippy of water a a toy or a book in the bed with her when she wakes up dhe can get a drink and a little play till she falls a sleep

I think you are doing what is right for now. Let her cry it out for atleast one week then re-assess. If it continues perhaps you could put a night light in there but still let her cry it out. It very well could be that her body clock is telling her to wake up because that is what it has always done.

Another option would be to go to the health food store and buy Melatonin. It is a natural chemical our body releases to allow us to sleep. I know you said she goes to bed fine but I think it will give her body the signal to sleep instead of interupt sleep. I have given it to my 15 month old when she was not able to sleep well. It calls for 4 droppers full but I only gave her 1 dropper. She was out like a light in 15 mins or less. So when you give it to her lay her down right away. Melatonin is something you should not give to her regularily. Only to get her body clock back to where it needs to be. I would also only administer it at a time when sleep is normal. Because is causes the system to produce enough of it on it's own - it is kinda like a jump start. Give it to her as you would medicine - don't put it in her drink or it will be ineffective and just go to her belly.
Good luck.
Maybe some melatonin is in order for you too!

Just stick with it. It will take a few more nights because she is older and still remembers you coming in with a drink. She will stop. I promise you. Do not go in there. Just let her cry herself back to sleep. I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't cry or wake up at night tonight. Alot of people don't agree with the cry it out method, and might even say some heartwrenching things to you. But it does work. In a couple of days or sooner, this will all be over with and you will be saying goodnight at 8 (or whatever), and not hearing anything until morning. Hang in there. You'll be glad you did.
P.S. My girlfriend just went through this same thing, and she is sooooo thankful she stuck it out and it's over.
Good luck.
D.

I'm a firm believer in the Family Bed, I think she's just having seperation anxiety. Perhaps there is a musical toy she can turn on when she wakes, to soothe herself with. When my daughter wakes and I'm not there she will hit the button on the radio and go back to sleep.

Stick with crying it out. She is old enough not to need milk in the middle of the night. We had to let our 9 month old cry it out and it is painful, but we stuck with it and she slept through the night after 3 nights and has ever since (except when teething). She is 11 mths now and goes to bed awake and every now & then I will hear her awake in her crib in the middle of the night, but she doesn't cry and goes back to sleep on her own. I read a terrific book by Dr. Ferber on the correct way to implement the crying it out technique and it really helped us through it.

This is such a common thing, no matter what you might hear. Many families have these little ones in bed with them or are up during the night with them. It's just part of life with young children and should be expected. You're lucky if it doesn't go this way. Some kids just seem to need reassurance or a bit of liquid or nutrition during the long night. I finally had my oldest child (upper grade school age) get up with her (it was summer) and tell her that I was asleep, it was night, time to sleep etc. I told her to get me if she became upset, but within a week she had given it up. She was 18 or 20 months old at the time. I definitely would never let any child cry it out. How frightening!

when you get up with her at night, it is very important to stay quiet...don't talk to her, whisper if you have to, but if you can...stay silent. also use a dimmer type light to see, no bright lights. then, during the day, when she naps, be loud! the minute she falls asleep,make sure the TV is on, vacuum, talk on the phone. She needs to realize the difference between day and night.

YES sippy cup of water with her at night is just fine, my daughter did the same thing...she could just be thirsty!!

also...have you thought about having her sleep with a fan? the noise helps to lull out little noises like house creaks, and the circulating air is easier to breathe. Also, she could be getting hot at night, which is causing the thirst. I freeze at night, I want at least 3 blankets...but my daughter...wants one blanket max, no sheets and the fan directly next to her bed! it's so weird! but it's how she sleeps. (out whole family sleeps with fans by the way)

My very wise first pediatrician told me that to remember you and I wake in the middle of the night and we just turn over and go to sleep. So there's no difference for them its just them learning how to turn over and go back to sleep!!
My 3 kids all didn't sleep thru the night close to 2. Very frustrating and much sleep was lost but you have to do whats right for you and your child. I personally felt sorry for them that they didn't figure it out yet but thats how I veiwed it.
My advice would be to make sure you keep them in their bed and to just give reassurance and to let them know you are their for them. She will eventually learn what to do.
Good Luck!
T. K.

My kids (almost 4 and 15 months) both sleep with sippies of water. I think it definitely helps!