My 18 month old has been having issues with sleep for about a month now. We’re almost out of leap 10. I’ve tried naps no naps and get the same outcome regardless of the times. She’s having no naps at the minute and hasn’t for about two weeks. She doesn’t fall asleep in car or pram no matter how long we’re out. She gets plenty of outdoor time, interaction and a fairly balanced diet. She has started waking at night screaming and I mean screaming and nothing will console her she doesn’t want to be picked up but will eventually let you soothe her and goes down awake and gets herself to sleep. She was diagnosed with cows milk protein allergy at 6 months but has been fine since. She has always seemed to have tummy issues. Started a few weeks old with constipation which was put down to her allergy however has been fine for months and months now. Sleeping 12-13 hours a night. However this past month is a different story.

She usually has a good night followed by a bad night. The bad night starts at any time from 9pm-3am. She starts to cry or squeal in her sleep and then she is put down awake numerous times gets herself to sleep and wakes a few minutes later crying in her sleep again and the whole process starts again until she’s asleep where she usually sleeps a good solid few hours. Her bedtime routine is consistent.

Tonight she seemed in pain and burped twice in bed then screamed and screamed before she had even went to sleep. I got her out tried all the usual things and then resorted to trying to wind her when she passed more burps. When I pushed her legs up to her tummy she farted several times too. She does pass wind a lot in general and always has. Just one of those things. She doesn’t eat foods classed as gassy like onion etc but she seems to be really struggling. After I was done I laid her in bed awake she said night as usual and went asleep fine no issues. This isn’t normal is it to have to burp an 18 month old? You can’t give gripe water after 12 months according to the bottle. She’s in a rocky period at the minute but before this month there was months I didn’t have to burp her at all.

She is I think but not 100% sure cutting her second molars. Or at least one of them at the minute. She does self settle so when she won’t and she’s crying in her sleep but then doesn’t want me to pick her up I know it’s not behavioural so please don’t suggest cry it out or any other sleep training because she’s fine with that when she’s okay. There’s obviously something causing it. The doctor is useless won’t see her because of Covid and when I’ve took her in the past when she was a few months old I was just told “I don’t believe in reflux”, “she would of always had symptoms of an allergy not just from 6 months”, “her stomach is soft so she can’t be constipated”.

Sometimes food comes out in her poop that isn’t really digested and I don’t know if it’s down to not chewing properly or a stomach issue. A few months ago she had mucousy poop which was tested and found nothing abnormal.

I don’t want her to suffer and she is throwing herself back off me with her stomach which isn’t making the best of sounds like a newborn with colic does.

She eats and drinks well during the day and like I said she doesn’t do it every night, usually every other. Is there any advice?

I have a three month old who is currently sleeping through the night thankfully. I just can’t help getting frustrated I can’t help her and she can’t tell me what’s wrong. I can feel something on her back of gum but I don’t know what because she isn’t a fan of me looking so I’ve been using anbesol liquid as well. She hasn’t ate or drank an awful lot but sometimes we have those days. Others she eats like a horse.

The squeal and cry is typical of pain and the fact she doesn’t want to be picked up but will say night night angrily makes me think she really wants to be asleep.