18 month old girl keeps whining and crying 2-5 times a night, usually requires bottle in mouth to stop.?
Answer:
At this age she should have stopped eating during the night for months right now. It looks like she likes to capture your attention for a while any time she slightly awakes, and she needs to learn that she can relax and sleep again instead.
She loves all the care you're giving her... Singing, rocking, drinking milk any time during the night? If you could get that loving overdose, wouldn't you do the same? ;)
First, I would make sure she eats plenty enough for dinner. Then, I would just make sure she is sleeping comfortable, have a bit of light coming into the room (don't need a lamp, just some natural light from a window, corridor...). Later on, when she starts crying, I would go and have a fast check: "are you alright?", I would not turn the room lights on (if you have one in the corridor it's enough) but I would NO WAY take her out of the crib unless I see that something's going wrong (vomit, coughing, suspicious humidity... something that makes her waking up reasonable). Then, just calm her on the back, and tell her to sleep again. Try to use always the same words coherently (at 2 a.m. none of you both are not under good condition to understand / explain new things... ). In any case, be brief. Then leave her.
She'll cry. Of course, you won't get it at first intent, nor at second. You'll feel absolutely badly (you'll feel a bit like Herodes). But you have gone there, demonstrated your interest and love, and seen she is alright. Then you demonstrate that nothing serious is on, and it's time to go back to sleep.
You may desist. But if you do she'll continue with her requests and her requests may become worse. Or not: it does not happen always; you may follow as you are and wait till she deposes her attitude in... how long? 2 months? 2 years is possible.
I have a baby and he tried to start doing what you describe when he was 13 mo. I applied this principle since the very beginning, and worked alright. He was very disapppointed to see I did not turn on his lights and I was leaving after just a couple of minutes. He cried for a quarter of an hour or so, and I felt terrible. Then he slept beautifully the rest of the night. This happened two consecutive nights, and stopped. He tries again from time to time, but even now he just needs to hear I'm still out there to calm down almost immediately (unless something severe happened). This is great, because now I know that when he cries he really needs something. And he knows that when he needs me, I'm there. But if the just wants to play in the midnight, I don't follow the game.
Of course my child was only trying to set up some rules, which is not your case, because your baby already did it in full. It can take longer on your side, but I'd give it a try.
She sounds like she is very healthy just give her milk during the day, but at night give her a bottle of water. I did this and they don't wake up for the water!! It should work the first night. If you are concerned ask your doctor before doing this but it sounds like she doesn't need this extra nutrition at night. Hope this helps.
Your little girl has you wrapped around her little finger. She knows that when she cries you and her mom are going to run in and do flips to try and make her happy. Let her cry. It will be hard and you'll probably get really frusterated but at 18 months she should definatly be sleeping through the night. If you're consistent and don't go into her room she will eventually realize you're not gonna come running and she'll stop. It might take one night or a week just be patient and stand your ground!!
My two year old does the same and has been since day one. Maybe it's the climate here in the Philippine's. I'm here in Cebu but my son is not filipine.
well, altho the milk is good for her, too much of it can be a problem, where she is drinking it and then just laying still, there is no time for digesting it so it builds up, and can cause massive gas! try using whole milk, add some choc. mix or strawbery mix to it, and only give her about 2-4 oz at a time...
could she be teething? my daughter is teething and she wakes up a few time a night screaming and crying til someone hold her or gives her a bottle (<-sometimes). it had died down a bit since 2 of her teeth broke threw... get some gas medicine, give her half of the required dose for her age and weight.
did you try feeding her before you put her to bed or getting her tired so she dosn't wake up because she is so tired.
try a car ride to put her to sleep.
play with her so she is tired.
if she is tired she may not want to get up.
ask her pediatrition what to do.
a 37 pound 1.5 year old sounds funny i have a 5 year oldgirl and she is 39.5 pounds her weight might have something to do with it
I had the same problem with my oldest son when he was that age. The only thing you can do is.1st make sure that there is nothing physically wrong with her, then let her cry it out. It will be VERY hard. But she has to learn how to comfort herself back to sleep.
First make sure she does not have an illness bothering her sleep..like an ear infection. That can often go undected, but makes it impossible for a child to sleep because they are in so much pain. have her checked out by a Dr if this has been going on so long. It could be too she is teething causing her pain, tyanol will help with that..but make sure she is checked by a Dr . She could be having night terrors too, so many things could be going on in your poor little girl's life right now that is causing her stress. Be there for her, take her to a Dr to be checked over for anything, if it is teeth, give her medince for the pain, In due time this will pass..but right now..she needs you to help her thru this.
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