Sleeping FAQ: 18-24 Months – Night Waking

My daughter of 18mths wakes in the night, sometimes for 2hours but does not cry out for us.

My daughter has for some months began waking during the night, never at the same times, for anything up to two hours. She doesn’t cry but she talks and sometimes shouts out. Sometimes we will go in to her and tell her to shush and go back to sleep or we just leave her. This happens regardless of whether she has had a good/bad lunchtime nap and regardless of whether she talks for a while before falling to sleep at night. It also doesn’t matter if has eaten a lot during the day or little. She is always in bed by 6.45pm. Her afternoon nap is rarely more than 1hr – 1hr20. She settles for this nap at 12.30am.

Many children around this age seem to go through phases of waking at some time in the night for no apparent reason. You are dealing with it well by largely ignoring her as she is not at all distressed. By going in to her too often you may find that she begins to call for you so, unless she starts really crying, stay out of her room. If her chatting and shouting is spasmodic it may mean she is dozing on and off during this time.

You have already looked at your daughter’s daytime sleep and eating habits to see if you can find a reason for her night-time waking. You should also look at how much physical activity she takes during the day. Now she is walking, your daughter will need to have plenty of time outside in a safe place where she can run, climb, swing and generally let off steam. Being out in the fresh air for an hour or so each day could improve her sleep at night. Even if you or her grandparents cannot take her out to the park, a short walk to the shops is fine. If you are concerned about her walking in the streets use reins to keep her safe beside you.

At this age a toddler is very inquisitive. Walking along an ordinary road can be a great adventure for her. She will stop often to examine the smallest things. Be patient and allow her to go at her own pace so she benefits both physically and mentally from her explorations.

If you do not already take her to classes for swimming or baby gymnastics see if it is possible to find one locally. Both these activities will give her plenty of exercise and she will probably enjoy them immensely. At your daughter’s age, it is a good idea to go to one or two classes of a physical activity each week and this can also be an enjoyable experience for you, or her grandparents.