my 10 month old is fighting falling asleep at night big time!!!!

[allyson]

my 10 month old has always gone to sleep so easily at night and all of the sudden she is crying ang cannot settle. she is not sick or anything! she is just standing up and eating real foods that is the only difference. even when she has been up for her usual 4 hours of A time. and she is tired. she is on 4 hour easy and taking 2 naps per day. sometimes she even fights naps. what is going on?? I dread bedtime now!! I used to love it. is this a stage??

[squeaky's mum]

Hi Allison,

If it helps dd is doing the same thing. She is 9 months, just started standing and eating finger foods. Whenever I put her to bed (except her first nap) we spend between 1/2 an hour and 1 hour lying her back down after she has stood up in her cot. This has been going on for just over a week.

She just never seems tired either, I can't work out if she is getting too much sleep, too little sleep, if her naps are too late in the day, or whether she just wants to stand up the whole time!

I too could really do with a quick to bed and sleep evening. All this just as I thought we had solved our sleep issues. I should've known better!

I also would welcome advice on Allson's topic.

Claire

[Jaime]

a sudden loud piecring cry/wail???  could be separation anxiety.  it's about the right age...and probably what i would bank on, given the info in your posts.

any new skills they're working on?  could be they want to practice them instead of sleeping.  or they could be about to do something really nifty.

teething?

or, if nothing seems to fit post your routine & let's have a look!

[newsdiva]

My son has been a DREAM... until he turned 9 mos.  Each nap, it would usually take less than a minute to put him down.  (Naps 8:45ish - 10am  and 1:30ish - 2:45)  But recently, he has been screaming as soon as he sees that I'm walking him to his room, and especially when I lay him in his crib.  Where did my sweetie pie go?

So I've simply let him cry.  he eventually falls asleep, but on one day he cried for more than 45 minutes which is extremely unusual.  I picked him up a few times (didn't talk to him) and immediately, he started laughing in my arms!  What a sly boy!

I think it is seperation anxiety, and also at this stage, he seems extremely aware of everything.

If you can handle it, put your LO down when it's the right time, and even if they cry and wail, you have to show them who's boss.  (i know that sounds mean, but it's worked for me)

Today, he cried about 2-3 minutes before falling asleep for his AM nap.

[teezee]

just to give my two cents - we at baby whisperer NEVER promote CIO OR CC in any way shape or form.  this will just break the bonds of trust between the mother and child.  if you lo is 'mantra' crying it is one thing but if it in fact is a piercing 'i need you now mommy' cry it is b/c your lo NEEDS you - when your lo NEEDS you - you should absolutely go to him/her. 

if it is separation anxiety - then you lo NEEDS to know that you will be there when they get up and by leaving lo crying for any length of time when they NEED you (even if you don't see it as a valid NEED, your lo does - and bw also promotes reading your lo's cues!) there are other ways of getting around separation anxiety than by leaving your lo to cio or cc - which would only make the separation anxiety worse as they won't be confident of trusting that you will be there!!  you may need to stay in the room and/or leave a hand on lo's back/belly to REASSURE them that you are there.  pu/pd is also another option if lo is crying. you could try a lovey or a blankie with mommy's scent on it - as lo will feel close to you having the object near!

again - we never advocate CIO OR CC and never even look at it as a last resort - it is a LOST resort - as all the hard work and dedication you have given your lo will be lost and you will have a much more difficult time regaining trust AND dealing with the present issues at hand.

allyson - pls do post lo's routine as it could be a combination of things causing the resistance.

[squeaky's mum]

Since posting above Sophie has gone down with a cold and has a slight fever so I am doing whatever I have to to help her sleep. We have a lifetime to sort the day out and experience now tells me that as soon as I have sorted that out something else will change anyway!

[JennŠ]

Claire, that is a fantastic way to look at it!!      Hope lo feels better soon.