19 Month Old Waking up at Night Again... What to Do?

Same thing happened to me - my daughter was easy to put to bed and a great sleeper (early waker, but at least she slept through the night) and then all that ended. First, I now I have to stay in her room until she falls asleep - that's new - and she wakes in the night - midnight, 2 am or 4sh - and if we don't bring her in bed, then no one is getting any sleep. So, for the past few months (she's 22 months and this started around 17 months) we have done just that. I know it might be totally the wrong thing to do - but we all have to get some sleep. My biggest issue is that she is awake everyday by 5:30 and ready for breakfast. Someone told me the other day that their 22-month old sleeps until 7:30 everyday and I literally started crying right there on the playground : ) Good luck.

He could be waking because he's too hot and that's why he wants to be in your room its cooler. Why not set him up on an airmatress or his crib in your bedroom while you are having the heat wave and see if that helps him sleep. It could also be teeth coming in our youngest was miserable w/ every tooth.
Our youngest is going to the pediatrician tomorrow bc he has been getting worse w/ sleeping. Like you he got a little better once we moved but is now having night terrors again, we are finding him crying in his closet, he even is waking screaming if we co sleep, he will not cry it out he will cry all night.
I would give it sometime while its this hot out and see if it helps him to have his bed in your room I know when we lived in our first apartment it was so sticking hot in there and the only cold room was ours so our oldest slept in on an air matress and then we moved back to his room in the fall. Our house is different we have one ac in the back hall where the bedrooms are so they are all on the cool side.

I know you feel bad for him when he cries, but if you really want to get him to sleep on his own you need to be prepared for a few hard nights. Think worst case scenario (5 year old still sleeping in your bed) and that will give you motivation!

You don't need to do the full 'cry it out' method. Here is what worked for me - When he wakes up, go check on him, but don't pick him up. Give him some quick reassurance and then leave. If he freaks out, come back, reassure him again and then sit in a chair close by, but out of reach. Don't give him eye contact but just be there and it's okay to verbally reassure him. Stay until he settles down or falls asleep. If he wakes up again later, do the same thing, but don't pick him up.

The second night do the same thing but move the chair closer to the door; then stand by the door, then just outside the door, etc. until he has learned to settle himself. The worst thing you can do is let the tantrum change your mind. It's hard to be consistent, but I have done this and know it works. Good luck!

the heatwave may have been making it hard to sleep. i know i would have had a hard time without ac. maybe you can get a used ac unit to put in the window, or let him set up a temporary bed in your room as long as it's still so hot.

I agree with Jennifer T, whatever you decide you are setting him up for "normal", he will think, "oh.. this is the way it is done". So choose your response carefully. If you want him in your room then there is really no problem.

There will always a reason to go in and rescue him, hey- my kid is so darned cute I would love to have him with me all of the time but it is not what is best for his life long habits. We all survived heatwaves without ac as little ones and he can too. Best of Luck and be consistent no matter what you decide, Nat

My son has slept with me since I pushed him out. It works for both of us...he sleeps through the night and I do too. Consider the heat wave...you don't want to sleep in it so why on earth would your child? Take him to bed with you in the air conditioned room...everyone will sleep better.

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The heat maybe your biggest problem. My daughter really couldn't sleep if we didn't have the ac unit in her room. The first night of the heat wave, we got her mattress and put it in our room on the floor. and put pillows on the sides. She slept great that way. that could be a nice temporary fix for the summer. this way he's in the room with you but sleeping by himself on his mattress.

Hi,

We have been going through a similar thing, but we never bring my daughter to bed with us. Eventually she goes back to sleep in her crib. You mention that he is getting teeth. When she starts having sleeping problems and we know she is teething we give her a dose of motrin before bed. This way I know she isn't in pain and sometimes this alone helps her sleep through the night.

If he is too hot then either dress him in less or put a fan in his room (not directly on him). We open our daughter's windows at night with a fan in the window then close them when we go to bed.

And we did do the Cry it out for the first time when she was 14 months old, and I'll tell you it wasn't fun, but it was actually better than wondering what you should do at 3 in the morning. At least you had a plan to follow. My problem with the Cry it out is when you don't know if they are crying for a legitimate reason (pain with teething, etc) but when we have given her motrin we can rule it out (of course we don't do that for more than a couple of nights in a row)

If it is unbearably hot in his room and you can't afford another air conditioner I would consider the crib in your room, but I think that or being in bed can be a hard habit to break.

Good luck
D.

My youngest son napped beautifully, went to bed without a problem, but most nights would wake up at some point during the night. Because he was our 4th in 8yrs, and I was tired, I just got him and he slept the rest of the night between us. I can't think of anyplace more comforting to a young child than tucked in between Mom and Dad. (we only have a queen size bed) I was less disturbed in my sleep this way than trying to cry it out. When he turned 3, we talked at bedtime about staying in his big boy bed all night and he got a piece of gum each morning he slept in his own room. He is now 4 and we just recently realized he doesn't come in anymore, even if he gets up to go to the bathroom. The time passes quickly in hindsight, so relish the cozy moments with your child, even in the middle of the night, soon he won't be there anymore!