day to day with a 1yo

[JimJammum]

Can anyone advise on a rough routine for a 1 yo? My ds is about to turn one, and usually has about 2.5hrs sleep per day (1 hr in morning and 1.5hrs at lunchtime) but the times can vary dramatically....is this normal? Some days he has 40 mins am and an hour at lunch, and then spends the afternoon in various stages of meltdown as he is still tired....
He has also started refusing his bottle before bed, so I have been giving it as a dream feed at half ten, but was hoping to have cut this out by this age!!! I haven't increased his food, or started giving it later, so not sure what has prompted this.

All guidance on this funny age most welcome. He is also teething I think (we have yet to sprout anything at all), and trying to walk, just to add to it all!

Hi Jimjammun

Well my ds is nearly 14 mths his routine is usually a nap between 1-3pm for around 1 -1.5hours somtimes bit longer depending on the night as he is a poor sleeper then. I do know a few mums with babies of this age who have dropped morning naps also.

Just a few ideas with regards to his milk before bed though, perhaps a cup that he can drink from instead of a bottle. Or perhaps supper with his milk on a weetabix or some ready brek etc

well my two have had almost the same routine since day 1 really- it just came naturally, and when they were used to it they could spend days out and still be fine- not strict....

get up when they wake up (normally at 8ish)

get breakfast

have some play time while mummy does the housework!! (until about 12mths they used to have a little 30min-1hr nap here too)

lunchtime then nap for 1.5-2hrs

mummy does more housework...ironing etc or sometimes watch a film with dd on my arm asleep

then they wake up, have half an hour of playhouse disney with a box of rasins or small gingerbread man thing.

some more playtime, something like colouring/playdough etc....

tea time

bath bed.

Definately drop the morning nap, we did this recently as he was exhibiting all the same things as your DS. It worked wonders, EVERYTHING improved, afternoon behaviour, feeds, he takes full 9 ounce bottle at 6.30 now again etc, etc. He has his lunch at 11.30 and goes down at 12 as can't stay awake longer. I do this every single day, I never deviate from my routine . He is 1 on Thursday.

My ds has just turned one and is going through a funny time too - you're not alone!!

He refuses a bottle completely now, and a dummy too, but he will take some milk from a sippy cup. Maybe try that?? He changed literally overnight, about a month ago, from a real milk monster who guzzled it down, to not touching a bottle. He also used to love his dummy but has spurned it ever since.

As for naps, it varies, mainly because he will sleep in the car whether he's that tired or not, whereas at home it's more of an effort to get him down. So it depends on what we're doing.

Some days he has one long nap over lunchtime, some days he has two shorter ones. He is fine on just one nap though so it might be worth a try.

It has been a funny time for us though - he's gone from an angelic baby to an opinionated little boy, seemingly overnight, and we're struggling slightly to keep up!! Seperation anxiety has hit new highs too, so were just going witht eh flow for now.

Hang on in there, I'm sure it will settle down for both of us soon!!

DD is 15m and has had the same routine since about 12m:

Get up when ready - normally 7ish.

BF then Breakfast, in highchair and eating by 8.

Wash Dressed and playing until 10/10.30.

BF and Nap - this started as 45 mins and is now 1.5 hours average (as she dropped pm nap)

Wake up, bit more BF, play while I make Lunch.

After Lunch we go out, Town or Play group - anything that is stimulating. If we stay at home she gets Grumpy by 3.30 and she wants to sleep which throws out the night time.

Get home and have tea by 5.30pm.

After Tea she has a calmer time. A cartoon and a book or two. Chats to Granny on the Phone, plays with Daddy etc.

Bath and bed between 7 and 8pm.

She has just started sleeping through consistantly. I put this down to me keeping her going in the afternoon. If she gets tired she has a bit of milk or a snack and it perks her up. I think they just run out of energy mid afternoon and it can be mistaken for tiredness when they really could just do with a boost.

I have followed her lead in all this so it is not a strict routine more what she has told me she wants and that has changed gradually over time. The afternoon naps dropped off really gradually and depended so much on what we were doing at the time.

She does go to Nursery a few days a week and that has helped as the room she is in only allow for one nap (although if they are obviously tired they will put them back down).

Remember they are all different so give some new things a try and see what happens

Another vote for dropping the morning nap here! dd is 13 months, genral routine is as follows ( we're not strict about it and vary it a lot at weekends)

wake up - 8ish
get dressed etc, breakfast 8.30ish (cereal and a beaker of milk)
play until 1030, when we have quiet time and a snack.
more play
Lunch 1230 (meat and veg, pasta etc)
nap 1ish (1-2 hours)
snack when wakes up
play till teatime
4.30pm teatime (sandwich and yoghurt)
play till supper at 6.30pm ( cereal)
bath 7ish
Quiet time and a beaker of milk
Bed 8ish.

This fits in great with childminder too, when I take at 8.30 after breakfast, and collect at 5.30.

She dropped morning nap at about 11 months and I changed her onto a beaker at about 9 months. hth

At just 1 (until about 15mths and occassionally if unwell even now at 22mths!) dd had a morning nap. She got up about 7am though. It is usual for them to drop the am nap, especially if they only end up having a small nap x 2. I just brought lunch forward to about 1145 to put her down earlier. She always has liked her sleep TBH so never really been a problem. Always sleeps for between 1.5 and 2.5 hrs in the pm even now!

DS is 15mths

He has gone off milk completely and rarely has it to drink now but we do have cereal with lots of milk at least twice a day. Weetabix replaced the evening bottle - is this an option.

Also, IME, DS is not the best sleeper but if he wakes up in the night it's not because he's hungry. When he hasn't eaten much the previous day he wakes earlier (about 5:30 instead of 6)ravenous. Are you sure he needs the dream feed?