Newborns aren’t that hard. There, I said it. Sure, they have not a clue the difference between day and night, they fuss when they need something, but one thing is certain: they are happy little campers if nestled on someone (especially mom’s) shoulder. Better yet, give them a boob, nipple, some form of suction and their little heart is content for what seems like ever.
Newborns are expected to be up in the wee hours of the night. We, as mothers, plan for it. We mentally prepare ourselves and our bodies are in postpartum mode giving us the extra dose of magical hormones we need to survive those early days with little to no sleep. And when our precious little babes turn 1-years-old and start walking and uttering their first words our hearts melt with their newfound skills. We pat ourselves on the back for having survived the infant stage and think the worst is behind us.
We have the confidence now we might’ve lacked early on and think the hardest part is over until the teen years. Ha! Boy, better fasten your seat belt. It all starts to change once your sweet little baby reaches the age of 18 months.
Have you heard of the 18-month sleep regression? Have you heard it’s probably the hardest regression a child goes through? If your sweet little 15-month-old toddler is sleeping great, taking good naps, eating like a champ, and generally pleasant… watch out. It’s coming. The 18-month marker is no joke. And not all babies turn into Linda Blair right at the 18-month marker. For some, it’s 19 months, possibly 20 months. And if you’re extremely lucky, your precious little one might just hold out until the age of 2. Bottom line though – no one is exempt from the chaos of a toddler. You will yearn for those early days when your innocent little newborn was so helpless and any noise they made was comforted by mom’s voice.
Not so much at 18-months, mama. Not so much at all.
Let me tell you why an 18-month-old toddler is harder than a newborn:
1. They get into EVERYTHING. I’m not talking just your cupboards; these little tyrants are climbing on anything and everything like monkeys. You will question if they need gymnastics at this age. They don’t. The reason: they don’t listen to instruction very well.
2. They cry A LOT. Their cries are usually based on you saying, “No” and taking something away OR if they are trying to communicate something to you and it’s lost in translation. After all, at this age they have maybe 10 – 20 words in their vocabulary.
3. Hello, sleep regression. Oh, you thought a newborn didn’t know how to sleep?! An 18-month-old toddler will not only not sleep, he/she will wail in their crib for what seems like forever for no apparent reason. Maybe it’s teething, maybe they are wet, and maybe they are mastering a new skill? Who knows! They may also try escaping from what they seem is their baby jail. Sleep will be lost for all family members.
4. Tantrums. This is a given. This is the age when the tantrums start. Most of the time because something sets them off and they cannot vocalize their upset. Nevertheless, get ready for irrational, inconsolable meltdowns.
5. Separation anxiety. It doesn’t end once they gain mobility. Nope. They will want you to hold them at the most inconvenient times (all the time).
6. They want independence. With both of my kids, at this age, they think they are all knowing. And if they have an older sibling(s) in the house, they will try to even harder to do it (whatever it may be) on their own.
7. They are hangry – often. They don’t just cry a little when they are hungry or they think they are hungry. They turn into the Hulk. They might throw their little bodies on the floor, arch their back, or grab at the pantry door, whatever. Nothing stops them from getting some Goldfish.
8. They want to color or doodle. And not just in the coloring book. Buy washable crayons, markers, etc. You’ll thank me later.
Surely there are other reasons, but I honestly cannot remember because I’m pretty gosh darn tired these days. My toddler runs me day and night and I don’t see things changing till she is about, oh say, 5-years-old. Because the terrible twos and the threenager stage are right around the corner.
A word to the wise – stock up on some good wine. You’ll need it for the next few years.
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