cot antics in 9mth old

[manna]

Oh dear - if it ain't one thing it's another!
Lovely, perfect sleeper ds is now 9mths old. He's always been incredibly active, but with the aid of a sleeping bag, guardian angel (bolster thing that sits either side of them)and tightly tucked in blanket he has been, perhaps unsurprisingly, a very quiet sleeper. No turning over, wriggling etc. Now, however, he inches up the bed until he gets to the top. On coming into light sleep around 5ish he'll stir, feel really uncomfortable with his head wedged into the cot frame, and moan until I move him. Going in sometimes makes it worse rather than better, but if I left him he wouldn't fall back to sleep with a cricked neck. He can sleep alright on his tummy, as he does occasionally, but not stuffed up the end like a small, curled fossil. Any bright ideas? Is this just a phase that has coincided with crawling and he'll grow out of it? I can't face it if this is how he'll sleep now he's bigger - arrghh!!

Sounds like he might need more freedom of movement now he's a bit bigger, manna. How about removing all the baby sleeping paraphernalia and leaving him to it? You can always adjust his blankets just before you turn in so he stays cosy and warm.

I also think his cot is rather small - he is very tall (98th centile). He only has about 40cm left to the top. Should I get a bigger one? Interesting what you say about removing restrictions - surely that will allow him even more rolling etc? And if I take the sleeping bag off and he rolls around he'll get cold when he gets out of his blankets, wont he? His room is the coldest in the house, so while not temperature is not a problem now it could be in a few months time.

Scummymummy - I do reposition him before I go to bed - normally by dragging him down the cot by the end of his sleeping bag - still, he doesn't seem to mind.

Thank you both for replying - I've posted a couple of quite small problems which were getting to me before and no one answered them - I know maybe they just didn't have an answer, but it made me feel like my problems were boring, or insignificant, if you know what I mean.

My hv recommended fleecy sleepsuits rather than sleeping bags, although I must admit I use the latter. Our dd was in her crib for ages as the cot company were late delivering it. It made a huge difference once she was moved, so perhaps your ds would be happier in a bigger cot/cot bed. I find that dd is more inclined to stay in one place if she has her dummy.

manna,
Shame on you - no problems are insignificant - they really matter.

See my thread about the football!! That's just a moan and does not affect my children's sleep patterns ( debatable actually )

I'm not sure what the thought is on cot bumpers nowadays. My kids are now 9 and 7 - but when my two were banging their heads on the cot sides I reintroduced these. They survived - and so did I, as I got a few extra hours sleep.
HTH

Hello,
My dd is almost 9 months and she has recently started to roll over and sleep on her tummy. When she first rolled over in her sleep she would then wake up and get herself into crawling position and start crying ! I would go and resettle her and she would fall happily back to sleep. I think you're right in suggesting it may have something to do with them learning to crawl. We now put her straight down to sleep on her tummy and she sleeps straight through, so I just presume she's used to being face down now.
Mind you, there was a load of thumping and banging from her room last night, about 11.30pm but we just ignored it as there were no cries of discomfort. This morning, we found that she had got out of her covers and turned herself right round 180 degrees! Very impressive in a sleeping bag !!
From this experience, I would suggest it is just a phase.....
Oh yes, we are going to continue with sleeping bag and blankets until it gets colder and she is a bit nearer a year old and then try with sleeping bag plus cot duvet.

I presiume by sleeping bag you mean one of those grobag things? My ds uses them, and I don't think that your ds will get cold just having one of those. (Sorry if I have got the wrong end of the stick).

My ds started 'dream crawling' at about the same time, and I always used to find him on his front, bottom in the air. I actually posted a thread about it, as I was worried about SIDS. However, at that age, once they start rolling over on their own, I was advised that it safe. He also turns round 180 degrees. I think it is because he sits up in his sleep, and then collapses again, but in the opposite direction!

I agree that you should remove all the gubbins in his cot. We all turn over lots of times in our sleep, it's normal, so don't worry. My ds is always banging around in his cot, but it never wakes him up, and he is much happier not being hemmed in by sheets and blankets.

manna, you wouldn't believe the positions I find my dd in when I go into check on her, and shes 2.5! I would remove the guardian angel and tight blanket but leave the sleeping bag. Sleeping bags are brilliant for keeping them in a cot for longer (they can't climb out). When he gets older he'll be able to move himself off the bars if they are uncomfortable. Most babies prefer to sleep on their tummies at this age. Might he be hot? All that stuff might be a bit much in this heat.

Manna, we only have dd in a vest and the high summer gro-bag, any more than this and she is way too hot. in fact, last week she was just in her vest for a few nights. The hv recommended the fleecey things for when it's colder.

here we go - the guardian angel is OFF! blanket and sleeping bag still on. I'm thinking of getting cot bumpers, actually crystaltips - I can't believe such an active baby would suffocate himself at 9mths - surely he'd just roll over?
Judd - you may be right about sleeping on his tummy - when I put him down on his back tonight without the guardian angel he just rurned on his side. He always grips onto the cot railings as if he's rattling his bars, though. Bless.....
It's funny that i never thought of the fact that by this age he'd be able to get himself out of uncomfortable positions - thanks everyone - keep you posted!

Manna, when my dh was a baby (according to my mil) he one more than one occasion wriggled out of his bed clothes, out of his nappy, and then...wait for it.....painted every bar of his cot in poo!!! I believe she was very good on the first occasion and said "Clever boy" but on the second and third times was less patient!

the good news is, when I checked him at midnight he hadn't moved! normally by this time he's at the top of the bed. Obviously moving the guardian angel helped. Unfortunately, he still woke at 6 this am and did the normal grumble. Dh went in and settled him, but was too groggy to notice where he was in the cot! As from tonight NO extra attention - just a quick check to see he isn't in distress & that's it - time to get tough......