Parenting Australia

Toddler waking up crying every night

Name:    Ana
Subject: Wake up crying

Hello, my 18 month old wakes up every single time (day or night) crying since the day he was born. Is this ’normal’? what can be done to change it?
Thanks.

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Hi Ana,
This is a difficult question to answer without a lot of your baby’s history.
However there are a few possible causes.

• Some babies and children wake up unhappy, this is their personality. As adults they may grow up to be a bit grumpy in the mornings and not very social until they have woken up completely and had their coffee. If this is the case, just approach your baby gently and quietly until they stop crying and wake up. If they settle down and go on to have a happy day and are content when awake you may not have a problem. This is usually genetic so consider how you and your partner feel in the mornings.

Also Consider:

 

• Your baby is uncomfortable in bed due to their mattress or sleeping position.
• Baby is too hot, too cold. Use a breathable mattress protector not plastic and a sleeping bag for this age group, summer and winter.
• The room has mold or dust and they have an allergy/headache.
• They have a sore neck or spine, possibly from birth- see a paediatric chiropractor to have a spine check.
• If baby favours one side when sleeping or playing especially when they had tummy time as a smaller baby they could have a stiff neck and need paediatric physiotherapy.

 

Baby may be overtired and therefore is waking but still tired but unable to self-settle back to sleep. If this is the case make sure baby is self-settling to sleep at the beginning of the sleep and you have a comfortable consistent strategy to apply. If you need support with a strategy I have various services available on my website to help you. Self-settling means no ’props’ from mum or dad. ie: dummies, bottles, breast, rocking, strollers, car rides, patting etc needed in order for baby to go to sleep.

Hope this helps you identify the possible cause.

Best wishes,

Natalie Ebrill RN CFHN mother of three
Baby Sleep Consultant 0-5 years
Sleep and Settle
www.sleepandsettle.com.au

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