Routine for 10 month old???

[Kanesmum]

Hi, After reading the pro's & con's of the Gina Ford CLBB I have been out today and bought it. After reading some chapters I think I may be going wrong - not sure though. (1st baby)Currently my DS doesn't sleep through the night. He goes to bed at 7.30-8pm and then is awake at 3am,5am and then up at 6.15 and that's a sleep in. He goes to sleep between 10-11am in his cot sometimes for 1-1 1/2 hrs. Then may have a nap in his pram about 3.30 for 1/2 hr. Gina advises you not to let your baby sleep after 2.30pm. Is it too late to start my DS on this routine?

I would really appreciate some advice as I am becoming exhausted!! I even looked at sleep books today but thought I would try this first. Sorry to go on but I'm having one of those days.....

My first isn't as old as yours - so will leave the detailed ideas to others. However - it's not too late for a routine, if you want to do one. Also - just a thought - He sounds hungry to me if he's still waking that much in the night? I think the daytime sleeps sound ok - a bit backwards for gf but the right aomunt, and if it works for you..... I wouldn't bother with the sleep books - give gf a go first. It'll be a lot easier one you both.

I was just reading this and notice that apparently GF says no sleep after 2.30 ? My dd would never last that long. She normally sleeps for at least a half hour if not longer in the afternoon.

However it seems to have no bearing on how well or badly she sleeps at night. She woke up twice last night, 11.30 and 3 yet the few nights before not a peep until 6.30. I don't know why that is or if it's sleep related. I don't think she would survive the afternoon without a nap.
She has anything between 2.5 to 3 hours a day. One first thing another late morning and then the last mid afternoon.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to get her onto one long mid morning nap rather than two medium length ones ?

My DS always slept after 2.30pm when he was a baby/young toddler (in fact he didn't usually go down until about 3pm) and found the same as Tillysmummy that it had no effect whatsoever on him sleeping at night. I am having difficulty seeing how hold your DS is but once my DS was sleeping through and in a pattern of regular sleeping napping after 2.30pm made no difference at all.

Manna - He's not hungry as he is on the extra milk and has 3 good meals a day plus a couple of snacks. Maybe he will sleep through in his own time but I think I will look at the 9 - 12 month routine and see how he goes on that.

Tillysmummy - why don't you try and cut the 1st sleep out and put her down about 10-11am she may sleep longer then. Just a thought.

I follow GF very loosely and find that at 10mths ds doesnt need as much sleep as the routine says. He only has one sleep during the day - usually at about 10am (as this is the time that suits us) and then wakes up for lunch. He then wont sleep again until 7pm when he sleeps right through til 7am.

Could you try cutting down or cutting out the morning nap and keeping ds going if you can til his lunch - then put him down after lunch?

We also use the black out blinds that GF suggests to avoid ds waking right up at 5am. He sometimes has a little murmer to himself round this time but will go back to sleep if we leave him.

Kanesmum - I agree I don't think it's hunger for a 10 months old. IME - if he wakes so early, he should have his morning nap earlier than 10AM and you should go in his room after 30 to 45 minutes, open the curtain and see if he wakes naturally (he probably will).. then put him down for a nap at 1200(or 1230).
It is not too late to start GF. It will either work very quickly for you or it will take over a week.
As for no sleep after 1430... don't get too strict about it. I would not recommend after 1500 and the TO BED at 1900 LATEST! See how that goes.

Tillysmummy - how old is your baby (sorry I forgot) - If you are OK with what she is doing then keep it up. Otherwise I'd suggest making the 9AM nap 30 minutes long (if she is 10 months old) and put her down again at 1200 for as long as she wants (aiming for 2 to 2 1/2h). Don't forget babies can have light sleep after 45 minutes and wake - do not rush in, wait behind the door and if you think she is not going to fall back to sleep go and cuddle her - mainly body contact with a soft song... put her back down if you can.
She probably won't need her 3rd nap. She will be knackered by 7PM.
My DD - 8 1/2 months sleeps 45 minutes at 9 AM, 2 h 1/2 at 1200 and then is in bed ASLEEP by 1830 - she wakes at 7AM. So she sleeps more than GF recommends but she needs it. If you think your child needs more sleep - then give it to them. Don't forget GF wrote this as average and some babies need more and some babies need less. You have to go with your senses a bit... the only thing I would add is that you should stick to the routine timing give or take 30 minutes if you like the routine. Once you are very familiar with it (like me with baby number 2) - you have far more confidence and you know when you need to add or remove sleep without having to look at the book.
Hope this helps

Pupuce - thanks for the advice. I started the 'new' routine today. He woke at 6.30am so I started his day from 7am. He came in my bed for a cuddle! So cute! I put him down for a nap at 9am and woke him 45mins later. Again put him down at 12.30 and he slept until 2.15pm. No afternoon sleep and went to bed at 7pm, was 7.15pm when he was sound asleep. I must admit was very impressed with him that he slept at 9am and again so soon at 12.30. He wasn't grumpy at all in the afternoon. Will see how he goes tomorrow.

I don't think I will do this routine so strictly as I take him to a baby group one day a week and the timing is 1-3pm. Will have to adjust the routine a bit. Should I put him down mid morning so he sleeps longer and then maybe a 1/2 hr nap after 3pm or just have the morning nap?

I purchased the old CLBB then realised that there is a 'new' CLBB. Is there much difference between the two books?

As I'm new here I could really do with your help and advice on how to get my son to sleep through the night. He did go through a stage og sleeping from about8.30pm-9pm through to 7am but since we had to lower his cot when he discovered he could climb out onto our bed he will just not go to sleep.

We've tried everything - shortening his naps during the day; letting him cry until we can't stand it any more and even sitting by his cot until he goes over but nothing seems to work.

Also he will not sleep at night unless he's in with us otherwise we have a screaming match on our hands. I know part of the problem is that he can't see us when we're in bed but I don't want to take the risk of him falling out of it during the night just so I can get some sleep.

Please help - I need a full nights sleep and it would be nice to wake up naturally and not because I've been kicked in the back of the neck (again!!!)

Hi Beatnix,

How old is your ds ? I don't really have any great suggestions, how much does he sleep during the day ?

You poor thing. You must be so tired.

Beatnix I know how you feel. But at last I have conquered it with my DS. I bought the book 'The Good Sleep guide for you and your baby' and read it cover to cover and by changing a few things and being tough it worked. DS is now sleeping from 7-7.30pm to 7am. Instead of waking several time a night. Maybe you could try this??
Good luck.

Beatnix, have you tried Ferber's "Solve your child's sleep problems." I found it very helpful. You do have to repeat the process after routine changes like travel, colds, etc. I would certainly classify cot level changes in this category. If it's an option, I would make sure that he sleeps in a room other than yours. We let our son sleep in bed with us until 6 months (I was exclusively breastfeedingo it was more convenient for me) but then we put him into his own bed in his own room. He only gets to sleep in our bed when he's ill. It takes a bit of resolve, but we've never needed more than a few nights to "retrain" him. Good luck, I know how exhausted you must be.