18 month old and STILL waking at night!

Same thing happened to us. I did it one night in desperation and I've so regretted it!
It was a phase that he eventually grew out of...I think the change of season helped; we could finally go outside and really tire him out. Now if he wakes (almost two) he still asks to go downstairs but I distract him with his bedtime music and twilight turtle stars. He is also old enough to understand that it's dark out so that means sleep time.
I've read that 18 months is a normal time for sleep regression...just have to survive it :/ good luck mama

At 18 months, she already knows how to get what she wants--she cries.  My only suggestion it to make her CIO.  When she wakes, go into her room and tuck her back down and into bed.  Turn on her music (or whatever your routine is for her) and tell her it's time to go back to sleep.  Then leave.  Turn on a loud fan in your room to help drown out her crying.

Awww mama.  You are doing what you gotta do.  You alrady tried the CIO...did you at least wait 10 minutes or so?  That's the most I'd go anyway LOL.

Does she ever ask for anything else, like food or water?  Perhaps she gets hungry/thirsty at night.

Hang in there, and I hope you can find a rhyme to all of this :)

When I switched my LO to an overnight diaper it seemed to help.

mine still wakes at night too, so bump!

My youngest is almost 2.5. I was up half the night with him. I can probably count on one hand the number of times he sleeps thru the night in a month. I'm going to talk to his dr about trying melatonin. Maybe that will help

You have gotten her into a bad habit that's going to be hard to break. You will have to sacrifice some sleep now in order to get more sleep later, but it will be worth it.

Cut out the tv from the get go. Put your foot down. You are the parent, and you need to be in charge. When she wakes up, try reading her a story while she's still in bed. Keeping her in bed is key. Then you could lay with her for a while or leave the room. If you leave the room, check on her every 10 minutes or so and let her know gently that it's time to sleep. At 18 months it's not CIO. It's not giving in to her fit. By letting her watch tv you are not meeting her need, you are giving into a fit which is never good. Step up and be the mom; you make the rules. The first few nights might be hard, but eventually it will get better.

I know night times are hard. You want to sleep and it's hard to think objectively. I had the issue for a while of ds crawling into bed with me in the middle of the night every night. It caused other issues (like him throwing a fit at bedtime because he had to be in his own bed). It took a few tough nights, but now he sleeps all night in his bed and we all sleep better.

i don't have any advice. hope she starts sleeping better soon.

Yup!  Well, not to me but to my mom.  My lil brother NEVER slept thru the night.  My mom said about age 4-5yr he stopped getting her up, but that she thought he'd still get up and play then go back to sleep.  To this day (he's 24yr now) he still has troubles sleeping.  Maybe you need to try something different when she gets up...........?

I definitely agree that having her used to needing an external stimulus is a poor idea for long term sleep habits.  Bedtime is bedtime and middle of the night is middle of the night.  Just as when she was a baby waking for milk out of habit, you keep the room quiet and dark, no talking, just cuddles.  I wouldn't even allow her to wake enough for a story.  Rock her, lay with her, hold her, turn on a lullaby cd, whatever but drop the TV immediately.  You created where you are now so you'll just have to suck it up for a short time to readjust her to a healthier sleep pattern.  She'll get there but you have to be firm and consistent.