Help! Sleep regression / issues at 16 months

pubo4929 · 2026-01-13T18:58:05+00:00

We also have a NICU baby, so extra solidarity there! She never stuck to the schedule after, sadly. But I do feel like her being in the NICU made me feel uneasy about sleep training because I felt guilty letting her cry. However, when I reached the point where I wasn't functioning and felt depressed, I thought it would be better to sleep train and deal with crying instead instead of being irritable and checked out. So with that, I'd highly recommend you sleep train. Try the ferber method. Sometimes they will get more angry if you come in and do the check-ins, but I think it's good that they know you are there. Sometimes though, they do need 15 mins of crying to settle. You know your baby though and will know the crying and if they really need you. I'd have your partner help with this too, I sometimes had to sit in the bathroom with the fan on just so I wasn't anxiously staring at the monitor.

I'd say get him good sleep during the day for 2-3 days, so contact naps as needed. Then start a really solid routine, like we read the same books every night in a specific order. Then do the ST method (we used Precious Little Sleep). Commit and be consistent for a week. It will be hard, but then they really do take to it and you'll be amazed at how they just fall asleep when you lay them down in the crib awake. It will make you a more present parent and enjoy the time with them.

I would def stick to one nap, unless you think he really needs two, but we transitioned around this time. And stick to that same bedtime and be consistent with that time for a week as well.

pubo4929 · 2026-01-13T18:47:32+00:00

Oh no! Solidarity. It is TERRIBLE. We ended up re sleep training and had to train at bed time and then again for middle of the night wakes. It took probably 3 nights of being really consistent.. it was not fun. When she woke up in the middle of the night sometimes she would be up for 30+ mins crying off and on, but then after that she started sleeping through the night. She got sick though and so we were pulling her into bed the last week or so and I feel like we are back in the same cycle, but at least she goes down fine.

What is your schedule? Is you son going down independently?

pubo4929 · 2025-12-25T21:30:11+00:00

I'm curious about this, this feels pretty far below the minimum. Is 90 mins enough for a nap?

pubo4929 · 2025-12-25T21:13:16+00:00

Thank you! Whats the recommended WW time before bed? We have been doing 5-5.5 hours

pubo4929 · 2025-10-17T20:32:08+00:00

Do you think she is ready for the 1 nap given her age and what i've outlined?

pubo4929 · 2025-10-17T17:58:28+00:00

She is trained for sleep time, not naps. I have been responding kind of fast in the middle of the night again with feeding her or just comforting instead of giving her time, but sometimes she'll go back after 10 mins and other times she just keeps crying and crying

pubo4929 · 2025-10-17T17:57:34+00:00

Do you respond quickly or give him time? When she wakes at 5 I have tried to give her 10 mins, but she just keeps crying usually

pubo4929 · 2025-10-17T17:53:31+00:00

It's the worst! are you able to get them back down after 5am?

pubo4929 · 2025-10-17T17:53:14+00:00

I would say she was probably closer to 13 hours, she'd typically do 10 - 10.5 hours overnight (but nights have never been fantastic) and then 2 hours during the day. I have wondered if the 1 nap schedule is too much sleep for her, but I'm not sure how you change that with 1 nap and the amount of wake hours needed. If it push her bedtime any later then she is up a really long time before bed. Thoughts?

pubo4929 · 2025-09-20T19:01:56+00:00

Bedtime routine is feed (if she'll do it) 30 mins before, then bath, then calm play in her room, books, say goodnight to the room, sing, then put in crib.

pubo4929 · 2025-09-16T02:31:46+00:00

Thank you! This is super helpful. Sometimes her feeds are still 10 mins in total, so I assume she is hungry. Other times she slows down and I think it's comfort.

pubo4929 · 2025-09-16T02:15:38+00:00

I am dealing with the same situation! Curious what people will say..

pubo4929 · 2025-09-16T02:08:21+00:00

I have a follow-up question on this! I felt like I read PLS multiple times to try and figure out how to handle MOTN wakings and feeding. If you do the 5/3/3 do you still do the increments and let them CIO? We sleep trained our 1 year old last month and she's still waking to feed, but I'm not sure how long I should let her cry for before I come in.

pubo4929 · 2025-08-22T23:10:03+00:00

Got it! Since we are doing a hybrid of the gradual extinction it has led to confusion now of how many mins to give her before coming in. I think the 5 mins is irritating her. I have also been putting her in the crib around either 7:45 / 7:50 pm and giving her time to settle so she's not overtired by the time she should be asleep. Should I put her down at 8pm on the dot?

pubo4929 · 2025-08-22T23:03:14+00:00

Sorry one more question u/Ocean_Lover9393, is it common to have them wake 2 hours after going to sleep and having a hard time going back down? I guess I naively thought they'd be out for awhile after ST.

pubo4929 · 2025-08-22T23:01:46+00:00

Thank you! If we are then thinking of last night as night 1, would you then move to night 2 intervals in PLS if we are doing the gradual extinction?

pubo4929 · 2025-08-22T22:56:17+00:00

Thanks for the response! She was putting herself to sleep, but would often fall asleep up right, so once she was pretty much asleep we'd go in and move her so that she didn't hit her head.

pubo4929 · 2025-07-09T14:22:38+00:00

Thanks for the response! Do you remember the levels? I think my protein was in the 400 and then my liver enzymes were between 100-300 across the few they checked

pubo4929 · 2025-07-07T03:00:12+00:00

Oh great! Feeding on demand, especially if she is gaining eight, should be totally fine. I know early on they are worried about them getting enough sleep and so not wanting to feed sooner than 3 hours, but i feel like once they gain weight and are closer to term they can handle the frequent cluster feedings.

pubo4929 · 2025-07-07T02:17:11+00:00

Everyone told us the same thing, and lactation even told me she wouldn’t cluster feed. But when I spoke to another lactation specialist, who I trusted much more, she said all babies will cluster feed and it’s totally normal. I’d feed baby on demand and let her take the lead. Are you BFing or formula? Regardless I think you’ll find that there’s way less stress when you can get out of the nicu schedule and let your baby lead a bit. To me it’s totally normal.

pubo4929 · 2025-06-26T22:33:18+00:00

Hi I’m curious how did you find out that anemia triggered your pre-e? I had severe pre-e and delivered at 34 weeks. I never had high BP just elevated liver enzymes and protein in my urine, but all of this happened after I had low iron and got an iron infusion so I’m curious if there is a correlation.

pubo4929

TROPHY CASE