Why, oh why..

[LeilahB]

has my nearly 15 month old baby started having problems with her sleep again! After months of decent sleep 7pm-7am, she has suddenly decided to start waking up and screaming (last night from 1045pm-1am) - no idea why (no teeth coming through, no major change to routine - although she has just started to walk, no illness - although she did have her MMR about 4 weeks ago). Nothing seems to settle her apart from being picked up and cuddled in our bed. But then we don't get any sleep. Am feeling frazzled - I thought those days were over!! Arghh...rant over. Any tips very gratefully received, L

[quickbrownfox]

I think what you describe is normal, unfortunately! Our daughter has had a few blips in sleeping, and found the same as you, that only sleeping in our bed sorted her out. The first few times, I totally freaked out that this was a slippery slope and we'd end up co-sleeping until she was a teenager (wrong!!), BUT although we didn't get the best sleep while she was in our bed, we did get SOME sleep. She was comforted through whatever was bothering her, and best of all, it was a temporary hitch and soon routine was reinstated. Looking back, the most traumatic part of it for me was thinking it was part of some terrible poor sleep long term pattern and freaking myself out about that.

On a practical note, can you get a bigger bed to help ease you through these blips?

[Mellors]

Turn off the baby monitor and get earplugs? ;)