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What has happened to my 12 month olds sleep and how do I fix it?!

12 replies

bluesky45 · 14/10/2018 22:26

My one year old used to be a wonderful sleeper. It has all gone so far downhill and we don't know how to fix it. He gets up, has about 4 hours awake time and then about 2hrs nap. Then another 5 hrs awake time and then bed. He is refusing a 2nd nap, he is so tired by the end of the day that he can't be kept awake any longer. He used to do 3hrs awake, an hour nap, 3hrs awake, an hour nap, 3hrs awake and then bed and generally sleep all night with one wake up for a settle and his dummy. He has changed his routine himself, it's definitely not pushed by me! He now goes to sleep around 7:30/8. We tidy up and do the cleaning, settle down to relax for the evening and he wakes up. He is impossible to settle again. We have been trying for an hour and a half so far tonight. I would bring him down and let him play personally just so that me and dp can sit together for a little while, take him back up to bed when he's tired. But dp has decided we need to stop doing that, so we have taken it in turns tonight to try to get him back to sleep in his room. He also wakes up at least once in the night and tends to stay awake for around an hour. I'm pregnant with baby 2 (planned and conceived when he slept better!) and exhausted from looking after him and struggling with morning sickness. I don't know how to fix this. I can't imagine doing this when we have a newborn too! Someone send help!

OP posts:
bluesky45 · 14/10/2018 22:27

Sorry, I don't know where my paragraphs are and it all seems to be a jumbled mess of my thoughts! Hope some of you can make sense of this and give some advice!

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bluesky45 · 17/10/2018 20:00

Hopeful bump! Please help me! Another evening of sitting in his room, failing to get him to sleep.

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Want4dayhelp · 17/10/2018 20:05

My one year old is the same. He was a brilliant sleeper but the last few weeks have been awful. So awful I could cry! I was wondering if it's just a stage they go through at this age?
My other 2 dc are teens so I can't remember if they went through this at this age. But my gosh it's hard work isn't it!

SlB09 · 17/10/2018 20:07

Personally, I would try bringing his bedtime forward to at least 7pm (in bed to sleep by 7pm so start routine 6.15-30ish) it may be that he's just massively overtired?? Plus growth spurt around that time so he may actually be hungry? Heres hoping for a better night!

MadeForThis · 17/10/2018 20:10

Dd1 dropped to one nap at about 12 months. However it gradually lengthened to 2-3 hours. I agree an earlier bedtime

bluesky45 · 17/10/2018 20:14

Tried an earlier bedtime since Monday (since I first posted this) no luck so far but sticking with it for the time being in the hopes that it just takes a little while to settle into the new routine. It's currently just making the whole evening last longer as it just starts earlier. Managed to get him to have 2 naps for the last couple of days but no luck today, we only managed one. I'm on my own tonight and I just feel so worn down by it all. I've ended up leaving him to cry in his cot and come downstairs for a breather after he just scratched my face. I'm in tears coz I feel so frustrated with it all but I also feel bad for leaving him to cry. I don't know what to do.

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bluesky45 · 17/10/2018 20:14

@want4dayhelp I feel for you, you have my sympathy! It's rubbish.

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TooMinty · 17/10/2018 20:19

At that age I did one nap 1-3pm then bedtime at 7pm (or any time after 6pm if nap was shorter or child was grumpy). I believe two naps is still common at a year old but mine wouldn't do it! Don't be afraid to do early bedtime (and you go to bed early too!) - I think are more likely to get a decent chunk of sleep that way.

troodiedoo · 17/10/2018 20:24

My 18 month old is not sleeping for the past three weeks.its a killer. I think it's k combination of teething and separation anxiety. No advice, but I know how you feel.

If you're going through hell, keep going. This too shall pass and all that.

bluesky45 · 17/10/2018 20:45

I just don't see any light at the end of the tunnel. His sleep has been rubbish for ages now and I don't know how to fix it. I'm on my own at least 2 nights a week to do bedtime and I just can't get him to sleep at all. Literally been doing 'bedtime' for the last 2 hours. He's just screaming his head off in his cot.

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TooMinty · 17/10/2018 20:48

What does he do if you bring him in bed with you?

SlB09 · 17/10/2018 22:21

Its also key hightening of seperation anxiety time, youve probably tried it but how is he if you stay in the room whilst he goes to sleep? If he gets to know your not leaving, after a few days he might settle down abit? Or a comfortor that smells
of you?
As a last resort my son normally calms down with a star projector & lullabies, its our everything else hasn't worked go to but you might have tried that too!

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