9mo more tired than normal - development or iron deficiency (or finally learnt to nap)?

[gretagrape]

Hi. My 9mo son has become more tired since I dropped down from 4 to 3 bottles 2 weeks ago and I'm not sure if this could mean he's not getting enough iron, or maybe it's just developmental?

His afternoon nap used to be approx 1hr from around 2pm, but for the last week or so, he's slept from around 2.30pm until 4.30pm and will still then go straight to sleep at 7pm bedtime.

He has meat, dried fruits and green veg every day, along with vit-c fruits to help the iron absorption (can't have dairy, egg, soya or nuts). He's standing and walking along furniture so is always on the go, but it's just the fact that he seems more tired since dropping that 4th bottle that makes me wonder - he seems happy in himself in every other way though.

Any advice appreciated.
x

He's probably having a grow....unless he seems unwell try not to worry. They go through so many phases with sleep and with energy.

I wouldn't say this is a huge amount of sleep - both my girls have always had a 2 hour nap, and slept 7ish to 7, or even later! Under ones need about 14-15 hours, I believe.

Leobear - no, it's not a lot based on what an average baby should have but based on what HE normally has it is - his daytime sleep time has basically doubled in the space of a week (as his morning nap has also increased). It would be like your girls' naps suddenly becoming 4 hours - it just doesn't seem quite right.

How is he when he's awake greta? Is he showing any other signs of anaemia?

Well, ultimately only a doctor can tell you for sure. But I did find both of mine have gone through periods of sleeping more. My DD1 went through a phase of sleeping 2-2.5 hours in the afternoon, and then 7pm to 9amish!!! That was an increase for her. But obviously if it doesn't feel right for your baby, get him checked out.

He's actually really happy at the moment - totally excited by everything and very playful, so not showing any signs of illness, just sleeping a lot more. I guess it's like a self-perpetuating thing - he's sleeping more so he's happier, so he'll play a lot more then get tired more quickly.

I'm just not used to him being good at napping so to me it seems weird!

He sounds like a lovely happy little man

He has his moments!

I didn't think formula had that much iron in it anyway (disclaimer - mine were both mostly bf so could be totally wrong!)? In which case dropping a bottle shouldn't really affect iron intake. In any case a couple of weeks would seem v quick for a nutritional issue to manifest itself so dramatically - you're obviously on top of his iron intake due to his dietary restrictions and I wonder if that's making you leap to that as a cause - I really don't think it is an issue from what you say.

I've read somewhere that 9m is within the age range that their sleep cycles start to mature and lengthen so it could be that.

I'm assuming he's just moving more and more tired . However at 9 months ours still had 1hr am nap, 2 hrs lunch and 30-1hr nap in afternoon. Would he be less cranky with a morning nap. It's v rare IMO for under 1 year to only have one nap a day, or that being only 1 hr

The NHS says roughly 2 1/2 hr naps and 11 1/2 at night for 9 month age. I would encourage him to continue with 2 hr nap if he will as sleep is when babies develop

He has his morning nap as well - again that has lengthened from around 45mins to about 1.5-2 hours in the last week.

I feel a bit silly for posting really, now I've read the feedback and my reflections as he is perfectly fine in himself - I suppose it just seemed to ridiculous to think he'd finally got the hang of napping!

Don't feel silly for posting at all greta. It's probably all the "helpful" advertising the formula companies do making you concerned about his iron levels. The advert with the huge cup made a lot of people worried.

Have you read the askmoxie and booby whisperer articles on iron?

Those are interesting, especially the second one. I use chicken liver and red meat a lot, along with lentils/pulses so I feel reassured that he's highly unlikely to be iron deficient.

He got me back anyway - after a mammoth 3 hour nap yesterday afternoon he kept me up most of the night!!