11months and wakes every 2hours, please have a read.

[new mummy]

Dear mums,

I've been having trouble with my son sleeping through the night since he was 5months, he's now 11months and things have not improved. Usually he wakes every 2hours, some great nights will wake just twice.

He's having three solid meals a day, 4 milk feeds, and the really strange thing is that I feel he is an independant sleeper. I leave him in his cot and he will fall asleep on his own after playing about for 15/20mins. I just stay next to him as he cries if I leave him on his own. When he wakes at night he'll sit up or stand and I just need to lie him back down, or othertimes if he's really upset will BF for a few seconds and then put him back into his cot whilst he is still awake and alert. Its been two weeks since I have stopped BF him to sleep for his naps and during the night, I still BF before he sleeps, but put him in his cot when he is fully awake and alert. He usually jumps straight up when i put him down and plays.  I've noticed since stopping BF to sleep he sleeps MUCH longer during the day for his naps.

I've tried to see if he needs just one nap a day, but this has made the days and nights unbearable as he's overtired, so am sticking with the two naps a day (I try and make sure he gets no more than 3 half hours of sleep during the day)

Not sure what is happening, I myself have become used to sleeping just 4hours brokenly during the night and taking naps with him during the day, but this isnt working for me anymore, cooking and just having time to myself is non-existent!

This is his routine

Awake: 7.30
E: 8.30 - 9.00
A:9.00 - 10.30 (SOLIDS)
S: 10.30 - 11.30
A: 11:30 - 1.00
E: 1.00 - 1.30(SOLIDS)
A: 1.30 - 2.30
S: 2.30 - 4.00 (usually has a milk feed just before this afternoon nap)
A: 4.00 - 6.00
E: 6.00 - 6.30 (SOLIDS)
A: 6.30 - 7.15 (bedtime routine, books, bath, massage, milk etc)
S: 7.30

As you can see where not on an EASY routine, I guess Im really confused as to what Im doing at this stage in his life when he's active, on solids, but still has milk feeds of around 15oncs a day. Where he doesnt want to eat straight after he's woken up but plays for a while and then eats bettter. Any ideas on where I should tackle these night wakings?


I just need a few pairs of fresh eyes and insight! All advice would be appreciated.

[ZacsMumme]

When he wakes at night do you always go in straight away? Is he crying out for you or moaning or do you just hear him settling? My first thought is maybe you are going in when he is waking and trying to resettle himself, and possibly mantra crying? If you rush in when LOs are in this process it interrupts them and they can get more upset.

If your LO is crying for you then you need to go in, but if he is not then giving him a chance to resettle may be all he needs to start sleeping better through the night.

I actually think other than your LOs A times being very short that your EASY looks okay. He could be UT at night and because of this waking more often. To fix this if you think that the problem may lie here I would very gently push out those A times 10-15mins every 3-5 days, and watch your LO closely. You would also need to look at capping one nap at 45 minutes. Essentially this would be the start of the 2-1 transition

What do you think?

Ill also attach some links for you to have a read through to help you identify if you think the issue could be to do with the 2-1 or something else
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=95670.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=41952.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=85134.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=163278.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64160.0

[new mummy]

Hi

Thanks so much ZacsMummie for all the info. Eek, am getting worried about pushing out these A times only because Im clueless as how to entertain him for longer periods! Ok as of tomorrow I'll get him to take shorter AM nap (he is always deseperate for this AM nap) and also try and extend it out to roughly 11am. After 3 days of this what would be the next step, sorry for being confused about this?? Do I shorten the PM nap (which is also the longest nap he takes, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours). I put him to bed around 7.30 (just so that he can see his daddy), should I expect that he'll get tired long before this?

I think your right though and his awake times are too short, only because at night when he wakes, sometimes he just plays around for an 1hr, standing, falling, babbling etc until finally he falls asleep.

At nearly 1yrs of age is it too early to expect him to take 1 nap a day?

Much thanks.

[ZacsMumme]

Eek, am getting worried about pushing out these A times only because Im clueless as how to entertain him for longer periods

Hard aye! I have started taking Z out more so walks or drives to the park, playground, shops, beach etc. If your weather is fine you can try putting him down on the grass. They love investigating outside. I find giving Z things that are not toys such as safe household items helps occupy him as well. HTH

I would only extend his firs A time 15mins or so to start with unless you think he can easily cope with OT. I would also cap it 15mins earlier than usual. this keeps your PM nap at the same time. If your LO likes a long PM nap I would hold onto that one, and eventually as the AM nap gets shorter the PM nap will get longer and move closer to lunchtime. This process can take months

at night when he wakes, sometimes he just plays around for an 1hr, standing, falling, babbling etc until finally he falls asleep.

This is a classic UT sign. Esp if he is doing this in the early AM hours.

At nearly 1yrs of age is it too early to expect him to take 1 nap a day?

All LOs are different, some dont move to 1 nap until close to 18months, but my DS has just moved to 1 nap after going through this since ~9.5months. By the time you are actually on 1 nap your LO will probably be over 1.

Here is the support thread for the 2-1 Other mums all going through it post here for advice, support etc. http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=217799.0
Once your LO is 1 you will move onto the toddler one. http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=215407.0

[new mummy]

Thanks so much for this, wil jump into the 2-1 transition conversation and see where we get to from there!! Many thanks for your help!!! xxx