My almost 14 month old won't sleep through the night

Liz - posted on 01/25/2013

Hi, I know this is an old post. I am in the exact same position now with my 14 month daughter. I don't want to cry it out as I believe it causes more harm than good. I was wondering what you did, if anything and how long it took.
Ideally I just need someone to say, by the time she is ??? She will sleep through in her own bed by her own doings.

Charity - posted on 09/29/2012

My son is 27 mnths and still wakes up 3 and 4 times a night.. I still have yet to find anything that works... and when he gets sick it is much much worse..

Janine - posted on 09/28/2012

I think it just has to run its course!! LOL Unfortunately, that's what I've been told.We tried everything with DJ and still no sleeping through the night. Some days (every other night or so) he'll do fine and sleep through. I'm not sure if its b/c he ate more, or maybe taking a later nap (than the usual nap time) for a couple of hours and then going to bed at normal time or maybe he just want to keep mommy up! When he wakes up I go in, not talking to him, change his diaper, give him a sippy cup and put him right back in his crib and let him CIO (cry it out), go back in my room turn up the fan and put a pillow over my head to drown the crying noise out. He'll go back to sleep and is fine. I figure he has to understand that this is sleep hours, not play hours and he'll see mommy when it's time to get up. Hopefully one day he'll get it and sleep through!

Nicole - posted on 09/27/2012

can anyone help me

my baby is 14mths old and she is still wanting beast morning and night but she will only feeds from my left beast my right side is loosing milk.... and is now alot smaller than my left.... im still getting a fair amount of milk from my left..... i wont to wean her off but im having alot of trouble doing so being that she wants breast for going to sleep.... its really embrasing i have trouble trying to hide the size diff of my beasts.... how can i wean her off ive tryed so meany diff things

please can someone give mee advice...has anyone had the same thing



nicole hanson

Janine - posted on 09/11/2012

My son is 13 months old and still not sleeping through the night. It is getting so old. I was hoping that he'd grow out of it by now but not. He has slept through the night a handful of times within the past 5 months but I am so ready for it to be constant. I have tried CIO and it seemed to work for a split second but not really. I'm not sure why he wakes. Hungry or just want mommy. I usually go in change his diaper and give him a sippy cup without saying a word. He has music playing. I have tried both playing and not playing the music, night light on-night light off..still nothing. I pray for patience b/c I know this is just one of the lil pains of having a lil one. I don't know what else to do. He's not teething. Most times, I don't think he's hungry. I usually wait for 20 mins before going into his room- if it weren't for my daughter and hubby trying to get some sleep, Id just let him CIO each time but I sometimes worry that he'll wake them up. He is sooooo loud, it's unbelieveable! LOL I am not looking forward to his toddler bed milestones..I just know that will be another pain. Sounds like a bunch of great mommies trying to do what's best, I hope everything pans out the way you'd like. God Bless!

Tamara - posted on 08/13/2009

It is perfectly normal that your 14 month old won't sleep through the night. My LO is just shy of 2 and is only now starting to sleep through the night as adults define it. The best thing to do is just to roll with it and know that it will eventually pass.

Julie - posted on 08/13/2009

While pregnant with my first child, I read all the books and from the time he was born, I tried all sorts of methods for sleeping through the night and finally had to let him cry it out at 9 months old. I hoped with each child after, one of the methods would work but with each one I reached my limit around 9 months and let them cry it out. With #4 (4 kids in 5 years) I was so sleep deprived I could hardly function so she was 5 months old! Knowing what I know now, I would do the cry it out thing sooner. My kids are happy and healthy and I don't think any worse for it. This is definitely a personal decision though and we really need to support one another in whatever decision each woman makes. The best of luck to you and may you sleep through the night soon!

Elizabeth - posted on 08/13/2009

Please know that your baby still does need to eat during the night, his belly is still much too small to stay full all night. It is harmful and not wise to let him cry it out, he is hungry! you may see his weight drop without these crucial nighttime feedings. I'm honestly surprised at how may moms let their babies cry when they just simply need to be fed! Babies do not have the same internal clocks at adults, or the stomach large enough to handle going through the night without food. What is the harm in continuing to nurse during the night? Check out http://askdrsears.com for some intelligent information about nighttime parenting.

Dori - posted on 08/13/2009

My son was great for the 5 months in the bassinet,but as soon as he hit the crib, staying asleep was a challenge. At about a year, we figured maybe it was the crib. We bought a twin mattress at a garage sale for $15 and threw it on his floor. Problem solved. He was so active (now we know it's sensory disorder) that his legs and arms kept getting stuck in the crib rails and this would wake him up. I also didn't have to worry about him trying to climb out of the crib.

Jessica - posted on 08/10/2009

I just had a breakthrough with my 14 month old son. He was still waking up, sometimes two times during the night and always wanting to nurse, though he is PLENTY big enough to go all night. My husband and I decided to end it and moved ourselves into the guest bedroom where we wouldn't be able to hear him. It took about four nights and we are now having a full night's sleep. He sleeps from 8pm-7:30am. I feel like a new woman!

Katie - posted on 08/10/2009

I breastfeed, too. I got my son to sleep through the night at 5 months, by just letting him cry it out. It wasn't working for the first 50 minutes (which was so painful), but he fell asleep. Then, when he woke up, I would just let him cry. He wouldn't cry too long, because they are still so sleepy. This is hardest on us, I think, but it only took one night and Andrew sleeps soundly for 11 hours now. He was a big baby, too. Not AS big, but over 9 pounds. I was told that bigger babies should be able to soothe themselves more easily.

Kimberley - posted on 08/10/2009

oh and my son was only 6lb 8oz when he was born x

Kimberley - posted on 08/10/2009

hi...my son is now 23 months old and has only just started sleeping through the night and even now he still wakes up maybe once during the night every so often. i tried giving him something to eat before bed and it didnt work as he was still waking for a bottle during the night...i then started giving him cows milk instead of baby milk for a couple of weeks and then just offered him water instead...but he still woke so now i give him a warm drink in a bottle before bed and he goes to bed at half past 7 and doesnt get up till half 6....just remember though every baby is different and what works for one person dosent nessercerly work for another...its all about trial and error to find what works when your 14 month old won't sleep through the night...you can always try this though hope it helps x

Kelly - posted on 08/08/2009

My son now is 6 years old. He fed and ate well, I breastfed him till he was nearly 12 months old. Anyway he wasn't one to sleep through the night, by 7 months old I had had enough of this, I've also got two older daughters who were very good sleepers as babies, hell my eldest starting sleeping through the night at 4 weeks old!!. I went to the doctors to get him checked out, told the doctors what was happening and he said "Tough love my dear, your his pacifier/dummy" when you put him to bed at night shut the door and don't open it till the morning, he'll scream, cry, kick, whatever just don't go in (unless he's hurt himself of course, but then if you feel you do have to check don't talk to him). So anyway I did this and it took 3 days to break his bad habit (Doctor did tell me it may take a week, just don't let him win) It was hard listening to my boy cry but at the end I ended up with a little angel who slept through the night and he ended up with a much happier Mummy.

An - posted on 08/08/2009

I have 4 kids from 11yrs to 14 months, none of my kids slept through the night till they were two. I have read books, took elders advice and talked to 3 doctors. Still nothing. I am still breastfeeding my 14 month old but only when she goes to sleep which is mostly at night. I work full time and the sitter has no problem just laying her down and she doesn't cry at all and will sleep for atleast two hours for her knap. I do this when I am at home with her and she will not go to sleep unless I breastfeed her. This is the longest I have ever breastfeed any of my kids. Maybe the breastfeeding is the problem. I am going to start by stopping the breastfeeding then concentrate on the sleeping through the night. I understand excatly what you are going through with your 14 month old not sleeping through the night. I guess it is different for child. Good luck. Keep us posted

Connie - posted on 08/07/2009

I would guess that the breastfeeding is the key. My little one woke twice a night every night at the same time each night to breastfeed. I stopped at 7 months and went to bottles. He woke for bottles in the night for only two nights! He then has slept through 8pm to 7am nearly every night since except for teething and illness.

He sleeps with a dummy for comfort, if he wakes we go and find the dummy, stick it back in his mouth and he is usually back to sleep in seconds.

Hope this helps your 14 month old who won't sleep through the night.

Katrina - posted on 08/07/2009

my son was almost two before he started sleeping though the night, i was given a book to read by a lady who had the same trouble, sorry cant rember what it was called but the idea was 3 really tough nights then peacefull rest for all, basiclly, you just had to let your child cry, when they started go in the 1st time to make sure all is well, but dont feed them, then after that one just leave them, it was proberlbly harder on my husband and i listening to him cry, (we did cry a couple of times) because its heart renching to hear them, but 3 nights later yup peaceful sleep, they say no pain no gain, this is one of those times good luck, chin up. it will get easier:D

Salena - posted on 08/07/2009

i started giving my son water when he woke up at nite. Of course he did not want that and would go back to sleep.. after about 3 or 4 days he finally started sleeping thru the nite.

Elizabeth - posted on 08/07/2009

Old and new mommy here - four boys from toddler to teenagehood...
Need to "Ferber-ize"!
Get the book = How to Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems - every new mom should have it. Dr. Richard Ferber. Did it for our first and - I know there will be those who don't believe me, but it is true - all my children sleep through the night always. No coming to me in the middle of the night, nothing. They are put to sleep (ok, so to speak) and no one comes out until morning. They need good sleep - it is healthy, self-soothing and a sign of self confidence.
This is the gold standard book...and it will create a happy healthier baby (and mom & dad!!!). ENJOY!

Tonya - posted on 08/07/2009

my little girl is 14 months old and also won't sleep through the night... and was 10lb 3oz!!!! and wakes up 3-7 times a night too,.... i feel your pain!!!!

Buffy - posted on 08/07/2009

I was told by my Dr. that my son was waking up because his body knew there was a feeding in the middle of the night. The suggestion was that I needed to make night time a less important feeding. I was formula feeding. He would receive 6 oz. I first started to water down the 6 oz (less formula to water ratio) My plan was so continue that and then go to 4 oz and so on. The first week of watered down formula and he was sleeping through the night. I recommended this to a neighbor with a 14 month old who would not sleep through the night and it worked for her too.

Candace - posted on 08/07/2009

Eating 2-3 times a night is a lot. is He is probably waking out of habit. My oldest wouldn't sleep through a single night untill I stopped breast feeding (around 12 months). Around his first birthday he started eating mostly table foods and drinking 2% milk which helped. It can be really tough to break him of this habit and teach him to go back to sleep on his own. I would go into the room make sure he had his paci rub his back and then leave without picking him up pr feeding him. If will take a bottle offering a small bottle of water for him to drink by himself might help. The most important part is to leave him alone after that initial comforting. I know this is very hard but after a few nights he will be sleeping better. Instead of trying to emlinate all the feedings at once would try to get him down to just one first. Don't be surprized though if you are still waking up even if he isn't. It might take you a little while to get back on a regular sleep schedule.



My oldest was 18 months old before he reliably slept throught the night, untill he got all his teeth. He would wake up because he was teething every night for about a week then it would take a few days for him to get back to his regual schedule, and then he'd sleep through for a few weeks.

Katrina - posted on 08/07/2009

At 14 months - that youngin is hungry. Milk, cereal in milk, and baby food are just not enough to keep him full at this age....He may need more protein.

I found this on babycenter.com - 14 month-old baby needs about 16 grams (about half an ounce) of protein a day. Around 450 millilitres of milk (one pint) plus 28.35 grams (one ounce) of meat or the equivalent will provide her with an adequate amount of protein. Obviously, it is hard to know how much milk she is getting when she is breast-feeding so it is difficult to determine if she is getting enough. Cheese is a good concentrated source of protein and if she is eating some of that each day, plus the milk in her cereal and breast-feeding, she may be meeting her daily requirements.



There are a few ways you can help boost the protein content of her diet. Make her bread or muffins with added dry powdered milk. Make muffins with an extra egg. Serve foods that contain high-protein ingredients; for example, egg custard, rice pudding, pancakes made with milk and eggs, macaroni cheese, fruit shakes made with yoghurt and so on. Have you tried serving her fish or tofu? Both are great foods for children and are high in protein.



You can make fritters out of some of her favourite vegetables by grating them (e.g. potatoes, carrots), mixing them with eggs, grated cheese and a little seasoning, forming them into small, round, flat cakes (the right size for little hands to pick up) and then cooking them in hot vegetable oil or melted butter, turning often until they are browned on both sides. Let them cool to a safe temperature before serving.



Use your imagination to find ways to incorporate high-protein foods into her already good diet.



Also, make sure he is not too cold or too hot at night. I put my 18 month old in pj's with long sleeves and pants and then the a/c is set to 72. If I try to save on my power bill by making it even 73 degrees, I lose sleep. I'll pay the extra 20 bucks to sleep.

Camille - posted on 08/07/2009

Try comforting him in other ways, not breastfeeding. He might just be waking up for that and when he learns that he can only nurse before bed and when he wakes up, he might sleep in between those times.



If he really is hungry, try a bottle, a sippy cup, or a warm bowl of oatmeal or something instead. And if he gets really upset and just wants to nurse when he sees you, try sending someone else in for middle of the night awakenings.



Good luck with your 14 month old who won't sleep through the night. He may be like me though, and refuse to sleep through the night no matter what until age 5. =P

Bridget - posted on 08/07/2009

all children are diff, give baby time, like i said my son is 20 months old n still wakes up at least once a night n has been since he was born, also has woke up 2-3 times a night wanting milk or just wanting someone....make sure to keep them active bc some docs don't know why that happens.

Bridget - posted on 08/07/2009

mine is 20 months and has been waking up at least once a night since he was born he wants his milk! but sometimes he has woke up having night mares bc he'll act like he don't know where he is or anything. they will eventually grow out of it but try n keep them active during the day only naps around 12-2pm n make sure that's only nap they get n wear them out the rest of day playing if u can. =)

Val - posted on 08/07/2009

Mine all woke for night feeds till they were weaned and the last one was at 14 months when he was weaned. Like you I tried all of those other things and I think it is comfort - send dad in with a bottle a few times and only breastfeed during the day.

Christiana - posted on 08/07/2009

My son is 10 months old and is still not sleeping through the night either. Im exhausted. He's still getting up 2-3 times a night too. My other son was sleeping through the night way before 10 months. Im hoping by his first birthday he will be sleeping through the night but one can only hope and dream right? I am going to start the letting him cry it out method b/c he needs to learn how to sooth himself back to sleep. My suggestion stop nursing in the middle of the night and let him try to sooth himself. Lot's of patience on your part but i think all babies have to learn how. good luck to you and to all of us too!

Erin - posted on 08/07/2009

All my kids slept through the night by 4 months EXCEPT the youngest who waited nearly 8 months. Can't imagine not getting a night's sleep for over a year!

Anyway, I got Mia to sleep through by buying a crib lullaby player- ours is the Baby Einstein turtle-shaped aquarium, but there are lots of kinds, just make sure it has a low light and will play for at least 10 min. I started playing it when it was bedtime, and then when she would wake up later I would turn it on again and rub her back a couple minutes but not pick her up. Then I would leave. For the first few nights I was up 4-5 times, but by the end of the week it was just once and then rarely. You might want to ease into it more by nursing him the first couple times, then turning it on when you put him back down.

For us it became a signal that it was time to go to sleep, and most of the time when we turned it on, she would settle down and be asleep by the time the music stopped (of course, you may not be that lucky!). We took it with us on trips and it helped her go down in unfamiliar places. Once she could pull herself up, we would hear her turn it on in the middle of the night to sooth herself!

Dabney - posted on 08/06/2009

There's a book at Barnes and Noble I bought when I was pregnant. It's called, "Twelve Hours of Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old." The book says you can use it for a child of any age. I had planned on using it but my daughter is a good sleeper but I have kept it just in case. The lady that wrote the book has 100% success rate if you do what she says and stick with it. Hope you can find the book.

Good Luck.

Trish - posted on 08/06/2009

do you warm the milk at night? We have a sound machine in our daughters room and warm the bottle before we put her down, sometimes the warm milk may make them more sleepy. good luck.

Mazu - posted on 08/06/2009

for what it's worth...here's my story.

my first son (now 7) did not sleep through the night til 20 months. he would get up numerous times-not just 1 or 2. we tried everything one is told to do and not to do. finally, one night i had just had enough and couldn't take it anymore. he had his own room with his own bed so i put one of those doorknob locks on his door (sounds horrible i know.) this was not easy for me, i was anxious beyond belief because i always felt it wrong to make a baby cry it out-which is the one thing that i had refused to try. my son called my name for 5-10 minutes, cried a little, very lightly, but still i was a mess. finally, after he was quiet for a while i went in to check on him. i was sure he had fallen asleep on the floor, but no, he had crawled int ohis bed, put his blanket on and was sound asleep! he has slept through the night ever since. so when my 2yr old was born, i knew i was going to sleep train, but i thought not till 9 months or so. however, i did it at 3 1/2 months (he was a big baby) because i had severe PPD and just couldn't deal with waking up all night. i was extremely anxious about this decision and fretted over it, but i knew it was the right one. he cried for 3 nights, less each night and has been the BEST sleeper i have ever might.

i'm not judging you or anyone else, because we all have to do what we feel is best, but i can honestly say that i feel like a shmuck for having suffered so long with my first born.

i hope this is helpful and best with whatever you choose.

Mtonya - posted on 08/06/2009

Hi
Our last child who is now 15 months has had real difficulty sleeping through the night. We've had to sleep in another room without a monitor so we cant hear the whimpers that usually wake us up. The best thing we've done is to give her a bottle before we go to bed and that means although we wake her up for a feed we get a good 7 hours at least of sleep.

Brie - posted on 08/06/2009

HI Julia,

Do you have a portable cot/crib? the ones with the smooth mesh or material sides?

i would put him in that for a while using his normal bedding as they are much harder to climb out of as there is nothing to grab. use this until he learns to sleep and stops trying to climb out.

i had major problems with my daughters sleeping when she started to crawl (she moved about so much she woke herself up constantly) and when she learned to stand (as soon as she woke up she would stand up - which made it so much harder for her to get back to sleep as she was then REALLY awake!)

regarding the waking up constantly during the night, my daughter is breastfed and was waking up constantly wanting mumma cuddles and boobie juice!

this would happen up to 5 times a night on a bad night. i decided to compromise.... she is allowed ONE feed a night and it has to be after 2am.

she now quite often misses that feed and sleeps through.

to achieve this change i have a bed routine - she has dinner (solids - home made, veges and meat or lentils) between 5 and 6pm, then about 6.30 she gets her PJ's on, has quick dadda cuddles, then it's into her room, lights out and boobie (i have a comfy chair in her room for nursing) often she will fall asleep on the boob, or she will pull herself off when she has had enough. i put her in her cot and close the door. She is asleep around 7pm EVERY NIGHT. this routine has been a godsend as it makes it easier if we need to go out.

What i did if she woke up prior to the 2am time was let her cry for a while and then if she didn't settle herself send her dad in. he would take her out of the cot, sit in the comfy chair and hold her in the position as if she was being breast fed, while stroking her back and talking to her in soothing tones. she would still cry for a while, but eventually she would fall back asleep and then he would put her back in her cot. (and she'd stay asleep!)

however if i was the one to go back in all she would want was boobie boobie boobie and mumma cuddles, and when i put her back in her cot she would wake and scream like someone was trying to hurt her. I found that using another person to do the comforting would help her settle, but not give in to her want/need for the boob. (and made me feel better about not giving in to her)

sooooo, what happened is because she didn't get the boobie/mumma cuddles that she wanted, she decided that there was no point in waking/crying and she learned to just put herself back to sleep.

The after 2am compromise meant that she learned that if she woke before then she wouldn't get what she wanted - so she stopped waking. i still gave her a feed and a cuddle if she woke on or after that time, then put her back down to sleep. It helped to make the night not so long for her, and didn't deny her wants/needs completely. It is easier to wean from one feed/wake up per night than it is from many. It took about 4 days for the constant waking to go down to once a night, but it took longer than that for her bed time routine of asleep by 7pm to really become concrete. sometimes it goes a bit pear shaped (sick, teething etc) however i stick to it as much as possible, same with the night time waking.

good luck!

Krysta - posted on 08/06/2009

My baby girl is 3 months old and she wakes up 2-3 times in the middle of the night. Doctors told me that she should be sleeping throw the night. Bit I think she nurses out of habit also. My husband and I put her to bed at 9:30pm and let her cry, to start her on a good sleep habit. I make sure I change her and feed her before she goes to bed, then I know when she cries that she's just crying to be held, and that I'm doing nothing wrong. Also the whole if you pick up your baby to much you will spoil her.....I find to be crap.....Yes their are aproperate times to do that but, your not spoiling your child by doing so, Thier brains aren't fully developed and all they know is hungry, comfort, joy....very simple things, they are not manipulative!

Caitlin - posted on 08/06/2009

Oh and the climbing out of the crib, talk to your dr. but if he is climbing out he needs to move to a toddler bed, a pain but safer. You can do it, and you probably need him tos sleep!

Caitlin - posted on 08/06/2009

If you are done waking up don't breast feed him at night. Pick a night, rent a movie to turn on over the noise if necessary, and say I will not get up in the night unless he is sick again, I recomend holding him the first night, dont let him even see the boob and then the second night maybe the same third, just walk in and comfort him through the crib, again 4 th night. then the 5th and 6th no touching and on the seventh, both sleep like a baby. But dont cave if you do once he will always cry harder, and dont worry he will eventually sleep through the night. If you sleep in the same room it is easier to move to the sofa for a while :)

Lisa - posted on 08/06/2009

The only problem with feeding him just before bed is that he could be having gas as well. I agree with some of the other responses and cut back on naps during the day, and letting him cry it out...but i would try stopping the breastfeeding at night first, though. It's like letting a child sleep in your bed. It's a bad habit you don't want carrying on into older ages. Try rubbing his back, temples, talk soothingly for a few minutes until he settles down, without picking him up and after a few nights, he may be able to settle himself down. It can be along and trying process, but you need your rest and your son does too! Just don't give up too soon...once you start you need to stay with it, or it will be harder the next time you try!

Julia - posted on 08/06/2009

i tried to just let him cry but thats when he found out that he could climb out of his crib >.

Jessica - posted on 08/06/2009

i know it's hard, but did you just try and let him cry?

my daughter didn't sleep through the night until she was 11 months. i tried everything, then had no choice but to just let her cry. it was hard for a couple nights, but she's been sleeping all night since..

Diana - posted on 08/06/2009

My son who is now 5 was a big baby too, and I nursed him til 8 months but gave them up when he screamed because I took him off the breast. All he wanted was to suckle his way thru sleep. Might be fine for small furry creatures, but I needed sleep! But then he just screamed for bottles. It was 13 months before I finally broke down and did a Cry It Out method of my own - I slept on his floor for about 4 nights and refused to pick him up or give him bottles. He was Mad Mad Mad, but ever since he has been a dream sleeper. Now my second child...let's just say we haven't been as successful since he was always sick and reverted back to the waking up. You definitely want to get this fixed before they leave the crib because doing the Super Nanny return-to-bed method sucks!! Much luck to you!

Julia - posted on 08/06/2009

I can never get him on a schedule because my son is much like sandra's daughter. If i put him in his crib when he is awake then he just cries and stands up and he is so big that he can climb out-even on the lowest setting he finds a way- he gets a decent amount of protein because i always give him some of what we have for dinner on top of baby food and whatever i give him through my breast milk and he takes two naps a day but they are only about an hour... maybe an hour and a half... i guess i just have to have patience Thank you all for the help! i will keep trying

Janine - posted on 08/06/2009

Welcome to motherhood my 3 year old still doesn't sleep and wakes up once a night. My son was a premie so size has little to do with it in my opinion after 14 months. I think the most helpful thing we did to get him to sleep longer periods of time is to get him on a regular sleep schedule. Put him to bed and wake him up at a consistent time each day and only allow him to nap once a day for no more than 2 hours. He will be very tired and crabby for a while until he adjusts, then he will be better.

Anne-Grethe - posted on 08/06/2009

I remember my first daughter did the same at around 13 months old. She used to wake up 2,3 times every night for no reason at all.I was studying and still breast feeding.I was too exhausted. I talked to a baby health clinic for help and they suggested control sleeping, which we did. We were well prepeared, thought it was going to be a terrible long night but it all turned out a lot better then expected. Recommended. Don't put up with it, you don't need it and if he is healthy then he has no reason to wake up. Good luck.

Jerusha - posted on 08/06/2009

I can most definitely relate. My son is two years old (and a few months) and he didn't sleep through the night until he was 19 months. Frankly it boils down to him not wanting to miss anything. He wants to be in the middle of everything and always had. I tried everything in the book. Some kids are just really light sleepers. My mother in law kept telling me that my husband starting sleeping through the night at 4 weeks. That my friends, is simply not helpful.



Ladies - - coffee is our friend... and eventually they will sleep through the night.

Leanne - posted on 08/06/2009

I truely believe a child cannot sleep through until they are properly established on a good protein meal. If babies have not had enough protein they are waking up due to hunger. My 2 who are 8mths and the other has just turned 2 have both slept through 12 hours from they where 6 months. But I have always prepared my own food to ensure they get enough meat in their diet. Most jarred food contains very little meat even if it is a meat dinner! What type of eater is he?

Sandra - posted on 08/06/2009

I have read a handful of the story's of whose baby sleeps through the night and how and whose doesn't and why? My daughter is 9 months and wakes up two to three times EVERY night! Feeding her extra doesn't work, I would try to cut down on her naps however she HATES napping also. She is impossible at sleeping in her crib most of the time I have to hold her for her naps and when putting her down for the night it usually takes two or more times for her to go down for good!!!! She is the sweetest baby who is always in a good mood and happy. I want her to have a set bed time but if I put her in the crib awake she cries sitting up and will stand up and cry! If I don't get her I am afraid she will fall. Some say I am spoiling her, but I just don't think she gets it yet. I wish it wasn't this way, but I don't know what else to do.

Minnie - posted on 08/04/2009

"I think it has been long enough."

Me too. I hope my doctor can figure out how to get myself to sleep through the night.

Seriously- NO ONE sleeps through the night. No one. The average adult sleep cycle is 90 minutes, and at the end you wake. The difference between you and your son is that you put yourself back to sleep without ever remembering that you woke.

Now consider your son, who is barely out of infancy, who may indeed need some fluids and nutrition during the night (I still get starving at 4am, consistently), who is developing like a madman, and thinks every little thing is super interesting.

Children do not begin to willingly, gently, and consistently put themselves back to sleep until they are about three years old.

Continue to nurse him during the night, just like 99% of mothers throughout human history have done.

Zara - posted on 08/04/2009

Hmm I had this problem with my daughter so the best person i turned too was my mum. As your childs mother if you know that your child is fed and dry then at that age there should be no need for your son to wake up unless sick. My daughter did the same thing and she was born at 8 oz. What I did was when she woke up I didnt turn any lights on at all and if necessary turned on a dim light on I would check to see that she is dry and is ok kiss her on the head and turn the light back out again. Now you could imagine how this would have started out and I was reluctant at first but with further persisting it worked. because I didint speak to her or anything like that I just made sure that she was ok. I swapped her breastfeed feeds from the night to first thing in the morning so before she went to bed she would have a bottle then straight to bed maybe that has something to do with that?/ She soon got use to me not responding to her and slept through the night. Now at the start she would start crying and I would leave her i knew it was just an attention cry and within 5minutes she was asleep again! So thats my advice I hope that helps just remember your the mummy so sometimes you have to be a little firm for them to understand??

Bonnie - posted on 08/04/2009

ya it does help to cut their naps down i do it with my daughter and she sleeps all night

Tamara - posted on 08/13/2009

It is perfectly normal that your 14 month old won't sleep through the night. My LO is just shy of 2 and is only now starting to sleep through the night as adults define it. The best thing to do is just to roll with it and know that it will eventually pass.

Kimberley - posted on 08/10/2009

hi...my son is now 23 months old and has only just started sleeping through the night and even now he still wakes up maybe once during the night every so often. i tried giving him something to eat before bed and it didnt work as he was still waking for a bottle during the night...i then started giving him cows milk instead of baby milk for a couple of weeks and then just offered him water instead...but he still woke so now i give him a warm drink in a bottle before bed and he goes to bed at half past 7 and doesnt get up till half 6....just remember though every baby is different and what works for one person dosent nessercerly work for another...its all about trial and error to find what works when your 14 month old won't sleep through the night...you can always try this though hope it helps x

An - posted on 08/08/2009

I have 4 kids from 11yrs to 14 months, none of my kids slept through the night till they were two. I have read books, took elders advice and talked to 3 doctors. Still nothing. I am still breastfeeding my 14 month old but only when she goes to sleep which is mostly at night. I work full time and the sitter has no problem just laying her down and she doesn't cry at all and will sleep for atleast two hours for her knap. I do this when I am at home with her and she will not go to sleep unless I breastfeed her. This is the longest I have ever breastfeed any of my kids. Maybe the breastfeeding is the problem. I am going to start by stopping the breastfeeding then concentrate on the sleeping through the night. I understand excatly what you are going through with your 14 month old not sleeping through the night. I guess it is different for child. Good luck. Keep us posted

Connie - posted on 08/07/2009

I would guess that the breastfeeding is the key. My little one woke twice a night every night at the same time each night to breastfeed. I stopped at 7 months and went to bottles. He woke for bottles in the night for only two nights! He then has slept through 8pm to 7am nearly every night since except for teething and illness.

He sleeps with a dummy for comfort, if he wakes we go and find the dummy, stick it back in his mouth and he is usually back to sleep in seconds.

Hope this helps your 14 month old who won't sleep through the night.

Tonya - posted on 08/07/2009

my little girl is 14 months old and also won't sleep through the night... and was 10lb 3oz!!!! and wakes up 3-7 times a night too,.... i feel your pain!!!!

Buffy - posted on 08/07/2009

I was told by my Dr. that my son was waking up because his body knew there was a feeding in the middle of the night. The suggestion was that I needed to make night time a less important feeding. I was formula feeding. He would receive 6 oz. I first started to water down the 6 oz (less formula to water ratio) My plan was so continue that and then go to 4 oz and so on. The first week of watered down formula and he was sleeping through the night. I recommended this to a neighbor with a 14 month old who would not sleep through the night and it worked for her too.

Camille - posted on 08/07/2009

Try comforting him in other ways, not breastfeeding. He might just be waking up for that and when he learns that he can only nurse before bed and when he wakes up, he might sleep in between those times.



If he really is hungry, try a bottle, a sippy cup, or a warm bowl of oatmeal or something instead. And if he gets really upset and just wants to nurse when he sees you, try sending someone else in for middle of the night awakenings.



Good luck with your 14 month old who won't sleep through the night. He may be like me though, and refuse to sleep through the night no matter what until age 5. =P