13 Month Old Has Sleeping Issues

First of all, read the book, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child my Dr. Marc Weissbluth (sp?) It is a wealth of information and problem solving.

My first suggestion, per the book, would be to try an earlier bedtime. Maybe 6:30. She may be overtired by 8:00. When my son was that age, he went to bed at 6:30 and sometimes even as early as 6:00. Early to bed doesn not mean early to rise. He would sleep 6:30pm to 8:00am. Now, at 19 months, he goes down at 7:30 and sleeps to 8:00.

Read the book, you'll be glad you did!

My little girl who is now almost three did that too! I could not figure out what it was... it was almost like a totally different child was in the room. I took her to the doctor and just asked them to look in her ears... she had an ear infection. What makes me think is that when you hold her on the couch, she is really not lying flat and that tends to not bother the ears as much. My little one had LOTS of ear infections (most of which did not come with the high fever that the doctors ask you about)! If she is not hungry, wet, you have tried patting her on the back, and if you give the orajel and it works for a bit, then try the motrin and see what happens. I would try it for a few days and then go a few without ~ that's if you do not want to just take her to the doctor and ask them to look at her ears for you. If it is not the ears, try leaving a little nightlight on in her room... maybe she is scared of the dark. I hope this helps! let us know

My son is now 12 years old, but when he was younger, I would lightly spray a pillow with my perfume or body spray and put it next to him while he was sleep. The pillow made him think that I was still in the bed with him and he would snuggle to it and sleep longer. I have also done it with my nephews when I have kept them. Try it and see how it works. Lay down with her, but when you get up put the pillow up close to her and get up lightly.

It sounds like teething. Try tylenol or motrin and give her the baby teething tablets about 30 minutes before bed. When my 16 month old daughter is teething, (she is getting molars now) she wakes up a lot too. Mine still sleeps with a pacifier so she usually goes back to sleep right away if I give it to her; if not, I just rock her for about 5 minutes.
You might consider letting her cry it out if it won't wake your son; I would let mine cry it out and I'd take away that durn paci if she hadn't recently broke her leg. I just can't bear to see her uncomfortable in her little cast and crying, so she is getting to keep the paci until it's off and Mommy comes running when she crys!

We had sort of the similar problem with our granddaughter when we got her and her brother out of foster care, she was 18 mo then. She's now 2 1/2. Try and nice warm bath, some toys until the water just starts to cool down. Depending on the temp in your home, dress her in nice cozy pj's. Our granddaughter has a favorite blanket she likes to cuddle with. Maybe some light music in her room when she lays down, something comforting.
Since she is teething late, have you tried infant Tylenol? Orajel doesn't work on all children.
If she is having breathing problems, place a small fan by her bed, out of reach of course. My husband also has sleep apnea, he can't sleep without a fan. The humming of the fan might also comfort her.
Hope this can help. Good luck.

Sounds to me like she's teething. Personally, I never found orajel to be much help. Have you tried Tylenol and/or Motrin? If she's in pain, she's going to wake frequently. My son slept like this until after his last molars came in. Good luck!

My daughter and son both have sleep apnea and both as infants had severe acid reflux (sperate issues). I would talk to your prediatrician about having her tested for both neither test is fun (reflux test is worse!), but it would give you peace of mind. I would hate for you to go through what we did of trying sleept train our children and then find out there is a problem. We nearly went crazt because Joshua would scream for hours even if we ignored him. It was terrible.

Try giving her some tylenol or motrin after discussing with your pediatrician. Hate to tell you, though, that pattern continued with my twin boys until they were almost 2 years old. One still wakes frequently now. It may be the teething and that may be making her scared.