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why does my nearly 1 year old suddenly want to play at 3am?!

4 replies

kveta · 20/09/2010 14:23

he's taken to waking at 2 or 3, having a feed, and instead of nodding off again, he is babbling and wants to play. Last night we were so fed up, we put him back in his cot (in our room as we have nowhere else to put it) and he just stood there screaming until we picked him up, whereupon he was quite happily babbling away and wanting to interact.

We have never played with him at that time, give him no indication that we want to do anything but sleep. He'd even started sleeping through occasionally, but now it's like he's wired to the moon at 3 am. He is teething, but I would have expected that to manifest itself more as whingeing than chirruping away.

He doesn't seem especially hungry (I offer both boobs, and sometimes he won't have the 2nd), and he's not napping particularly well during the day - maybe 2 hours total naps, then we get him ready for bed by 7.30, and are lucky if he's asleep by 9. He is rarely getting more than 11 hours total sleep in 24 hours, which would suggest he's chronically undertired, but he's perfectly chirpy most of the time.

Has anyone else experienced this, and solved it?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
bozemum · 20/09/2010 15:43

Hi there.
I could have written your post today too!
My ds did exactly the same last night and he is nearly one too.

Sorry no advice. But thought I would commiserate with you.

He woke at 2.30am. Needed nappy change. Then we gave him a bottle to make sure he was not hungry and put him back in cot. He shouted until 5am. Every time we went in to see him he was happy. I eventually read him a book and sang him nursery rhymes, to make him think it was bed time but that didn't work. He eventually fell back to sleep at 5am.

He is in his own room though. I think I would have no chance if he was in our room. Do you think if you got a cover for the cot it might help if he can't see you?

Its annoying isnt it? At least they are not unhappy I suppose.
I just put it down to a phase and am hoping it will pass soon.

Igglybuff · 21/09/2010 13:43

Hi kveta! There's a developmental leap around now (55 weeks ish) which messes with sleep. My DS has been doing something similar. I go to him and convinced it makes things worse! I told him to go to sleep last night Blush and strangely enough it worked! Doubt I'll do it again though.

DS has 45 mins in the morning and 90 mins after lunch. As he's walking now, I try and get him in the park running about every day for at least half an hour which really helps.

kveta · 21/09/2010 14:01

hi igglybuff! well done to your DS on the walking - tiring, isn't it?!

DS is at nursery during the week, so in theory should be totally knackered, but even there they have already commented on his bright eyed bushy tailed -ness all the bloody time, even when un-napped.

I am getting heartily sick of these developmental leaps, I have to say!

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Igglybuff · 21/09/2010 16:56

Tell me about it!! I don't actually sit down unless DS is asleep... On my feet running after him all day.

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