Not to sidetrack too much, but FWIW my dd wasn't wanting to play in the middle of the night. She was crying inconsolably. Even when we co-slept, which we did until she was 18-22 months, she woke up every 30 mins crying. I spent much of her first two years nursing her, carrying her around at night trying to get her to stop screaming in my ear, etc.

Letting her cry alone in a crib led to the same kind of crying coupled with panic literally from the time I put her in the crib until the sun came up. Going in to check on her did nothing to calm her down. She just got more hysterical that I wasn't holding and comforting her.

I was exhausted for much of her baby and toddler-hood but, in hindsight, I don't regret it at all. I think that she had very high attachment needs and am glad that I was able to be there for her. We have a very strong relationship now.