Is this a normal amount of sleep?

[ImpYCelynAndTheIvy]

DS1 was 2 in October. He sleeps 12-14 hours per night and he has an afternoon nap, another 2-3 hours. I make sure he's up from his nap by 5.30, but sometimes he's really upset and grumpy if I do that and obviously still tired. He goes back to bed around 7.30, sometimes 8.

He's been sleeping like this for a few weeks now, and it's bliss. But I'm worried that it's abnormal and a sign of a problem.

My mum thinks I need to wake him up and get him into a routine. But if he gets less sleep he's miserable and clingy, he tantrums and he's sleepy.

So, do I just leave it or does he need to see the GP?

I think that amount of sleep sounds fine. My DD is 20 months and sleeps 9pm to around 8am plus a two and a half to three hour nap from 5pm until 7.30/8pm - basically wakes up, eats, plays for about half an hour and then goes to bed for the night. Weird routine with late nap but seems to suit her. Won't nap earlier - have tried it.

Be thankful - many parents complain their children won't sleep!!! :)

Why does your Mum think you need to get him into a routine? Seems to me he has his own routine and its suiting him very well.

No, it's fine. Dd1 was like this. Make the most of it, it didn't last for ever, and dd2 certainly wasn't the same ! (yawn)

DS went through a phase like this when he was rising 3. was sleeping for 16 hours out of 24. After doing a sleep diary for 2 weeks I did take him the GP, he was checked out for anaemia and diabetes ,didn't have either. after another couple of weeks he started to sleep less, then I realised he had grown 3 cm in 4 weeks...

He still ( at 6.5) gets very sleepy when he is growing fast but now we recognise it.

If your worried see your GP. a test of urine and maybe blood to rule out a couple of big issues can put your mind at rest OR flag up something that can be managed.

Thanks everyone

I'll leave him to it then and enjoy.

Just wish DS2 would sleep half as much!

If onlt DT2 would sleep that long.(8hs sometimes with no nap) Probably a growing spurt.

(Sob). At same age mine slept rarely as much as 12 hours in a 24 hour cycle.

He never used to lojkk. He hardly slept at all, it's changed in the last few weeks, which is why I was so worried about it.

I really hope it's not a growing spurt, that means it will end

Sorry op, I didn't realise from your post that this is a real change in how he normally is. When i posted about dd1, she was always like that as an infant. Maybe it is worth taking him to the docs after Christmas, just for peace of mind.

Sorry, yes it's only been the last few weeks.

I wondered if it might be the weather/short days.

I'll see how he is in the new year then.

Sorry op I didn't realise your son wasn't always like this - my DD has always slept really well and for a long time at night. Perhaps it is the weather and shorter days make us all a bit more tired.

Any other changes? Has he been ill? Is he happy when awake? Eating/drinking more or less? Nappies the same?

If not, my money is on a growth spurt (sorry). Or a developmental spurt - he's about to start talking or doing something he couldn't do before.

Either that or he has discovered that sleep is nice. You can dream .

sounds like a lot to me. as it is a newish thing, i would take him to the GP to frt him checked over.

*get

Thanks all. He's ok apart from that, so I'll see how he is in a few weeks.