13 month old only able to cope with short periods of play

[Evita]

HI, my daughter is lovely. For the first hour after a sleep (she has 2 1 hour daytime naps and goes through the night) that is. The second hour is slightly hard work and the third hour she's often irritable if not screaming her head off. It's like her brain gets overloaded very quickly. Even if we're doing relatively quiet things. Is this normal do you think? My friends babies seem to be able to handle much longer periods of wakefulness.

I don't think her naps are long enough but if she wakes then she must have had enough.

Well, in total she does sleep around 14 hours a day which I think is about right for her age?

DS (16 months) has always liked his sleep but DH and I have always joked about his 2 hour limit. If everything is fascinating and great fun he will be happy for longer but if we are at home or in the car or doing something a bit tedious he does find it difficult.

He goes back to bed 2 hours after getting up (for a couple of hours) then plays, has lunch, we go out, etc. and then he has another 2 hour nap until 5 and then is up until bed at half 7. When he goes to his childminder's he has a 3 hour nap in the middle of the day and is shattered when he comes home so he goes to bed earlier.

All babies are different but it does sound like she's getting tired. DS is on 'go' when he is awake and I think they do get overloaded very quickly. After all, everything is new and interesting to them.

Maybe you could try 3 naps during the day? Good luck, sleep is such a trial and error thing with babies.

I have an almost 16 month old marathon sleeper. Lke your DD she can seemingly only enjoy playing for short periods before she her attention wanes and the tantrums start. She sleeps for around 12-14 hours during the night, and will nap for a further 2.5 hours late morning/early afternoon. I've never thought of it as unusual despite friends having babies who seem to be more alert for longer periods. TBH I've always thought of it as just part of her make-up. Her development is 'on track' and she shows no signs of her love of sleep having a more sinister background. I wouldn't worry if I were you.

Thanks, Gem. So how much in 24 hours does your DS sleep in general?

Like Gem's DS, my DD is very active when she wants to be.

Thanks to you too WSM. Maybe it is that she needs more sleep. I never restrict her naps, she has what she wants unless I'm out and then sometimes external things wake her too soon and she's not a happy bunny then!

Evita - about 16 hours

Meant to add (if it's at all relevant) he is a tall and solid boy (9'11 at birth) and so everyone says he needs his sleep to grow!

Evita after reading this and other threads I think that maybe you are comparing your child to others too much. Loads of people with first time babies do this but you need to realise that they all grow and mature at different rates. Try and sit back and relax a little. She could be just a child that doesnt need much sleep during the day, prefers to do it at night and instead needs more stimulation, maybe she is a little bored?

Yes, sorry for two threads going at once. As you can see I'm in full on worry mode at the moment. I don't mean to compare my daughter with other kids too much, I know that's fruitless, and I know they're all different. It's just my 'instinct' that tells me in this case something's not quite right here. She's definitely not bored when she cries, she's sort of madly over stimulated and can't take in anything, even quieter play or being in the park in the pram. When she's in this state I can't get her to sleep and have to do all sorts of stuff to wind her down until she will sleep and then that seems to help.

Evita Im sure I was guilty of the same with my first, just seems such a long time ago and its only 3rd DD down the line that I realise what a fusspot I was, dont worry its only natural. My youngest DD3 is two now and she is constantly on the go and not happy to sit and do one thing, some children are just like that. Isnt your daughter due a progress check around now with your HV, if so mention your concerns then. Take care.

Thanks. I don't know about the progress check thing. To be honest I absolutely dread seeing my HV's, I think they think I'm a loony. I probably am a loony but I don't like to think people notice!

Mine's the same as GEM13 and when she gets ratty I know she's tired, even when I think she can't possibly be. But if yours is waking naturally then, as others say, she must have different sleep needs. It is trial and error and then changes just to make things more complicated!

Gosh, yes, tell me about it. You just find a routine and bingo it's suddenly all change again!

Evita - All babies are different, I know that, but she doesn't seem to be sleeping enough. My 13 month old DS sleeps from 11.30 until 2-2.30 (makes lunch late!!)

8-8 at night too

Lucky you, Rainbow! I don't know many babies that sleep that much still at 13 months. My daughter does a 12 hour night and I guess usually gets 2 and a half to 3 hours in the day and I thought that was pretty good. No idea how to get her to sleep longer though, she just wakes up and I don't think I could easily fit another nap a day in.