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Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

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Original poster

18 month old routine

35 replies

Rachel1210 · 11/04/2020 07:14

Hi all is anyone willing to share their sleeping/ eating routines for 18 month old. My LO is taking over an hour to settle at night and then wakes at 6am...he always used to sleep 7-6/6.30ish but now he’s not falling asleep until past 8 and then waking at 6. He naps 12.30-2.30 (I wake him at 2.30 as I found if he woke at 3 he wasn’t settling until 9....he’s always been a baby that needs a lot of sleep so it’s a bit odd. I wonder if I need to cap this nap further?

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StuntCroissant · 11/04/2020 07:24

That sounds like a fairly long nap. DD (19 months) wakes at around 6.30am. Lunch at noon, nap from 12.30-2. Bed at 7pm.

thunderthighsohwoe · 11/04/2020 07:25

Nearly 17mo awake 6ish, nap 11-12.30, in bed for 6.30 but taking longer to settle at night due to lack of stimulation during lockdown - am tempted to cap the nap at 12, because I’m a teacher and need my evenings to catch up on work!

Original poster

Rachel1210 · 11/04/2020 07:26

Thank you both! Yes I wonder if being in lockdown has meant he’s just not as busy - he has a lot of energy! He’s shattered for his nap and I always have to wake him at 2.30 so it’s weird that he takes so long ah night...

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BendingSpoons · 11/04/2020 07:28

Maybe the lighter evenings or getting less stimulation/exercise are having an impact? I'd say your routine sounds good. Is there anyway of tiring him out in the afternoon, either physically or mentally, or making the room darker?

Bienentrinkwasser · 11/04/2020 07:59

Have you got a blackout blind? It’s really light in the evenings now.

My 19 month old has a similar routine and wakes a bit later so not sure you need to change anything massively.

awkwardbuttons · 11/04/2020 08:07

I'd second a blackout blind if you don't have one. Light could be responsible for both the later bedtime and the early wake up.

Original poster

Rachel1210 · 11/04/2020 08:18

Yes we have a blackout blind and it seems pretty dark in there in the mornings...I wonder if I need to tire him out more - it’s just so hard when you’re confined to the house isn’t it?!

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Bienentrinkwasser · 11/04/2020 08:42

Have you got a garden? Ours is shattered at the moment! We’re doing a long-ish walk (by no means actually long by adult standards but just about the limit of how far he can actually manage) at some point and then pottering around in the garden all day.

Rosieeknight997 · 11/04/2020 09:11

My 17 month old wakes at 7:30am then has a 1 hour nap usually half 11 -half 12. Goes to bed at 8.

Original poster

Rachel1210 · 11/04/2020 11:10

Yes we spend all day in the garden - thank goodness for this nice weather and go to the park once a day - but he’s so active that I don’t think it’s enough for him...

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Original poster

Rachel1210 · 11/04/2020 13:51

So he went for his nap a little earlier today - he was asleep by 12.15 but then he woke himself up at 1.30 (which usually happens - i always wake him) so I’ll see how he gets on today/tonight!

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thunderthighsohwoe · 11/04/2020 16:55

Good luck! Ours only had 45 minutes today, so I’m hoping for a nice swift bedtime 🙏🏻

Original poster

Rachel1210 · 11/04/2020 18:34

Good luck - see you on the other side!

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SnowWhite26 · 12/04/2020 06:13

What happened Rachel1210? My 19 mobth ol would wake between 5 and 6 what ever routine i followed then about the time of lockdown he staeted waking later randomly
Today though he woke up at 515 screaming briefly and we got him up at 6 as hes no good at settling back early morning. Im hoping its just coz something randonly woke him up and not a waking early thing as have a 4 year old to so that will make long lockdown days. He naps 1 till 2 or 130 230 i wake him up. Try and exercise him. He goes to bed at 7 used to settle quick now can take an hour. Its like hes just got so much to say. Maybe developmental? Hes really quiet for about 10 mins then randomly starts chatting. Odd xx

Original poster

Rachel1210 · 12/04/2020 06:20

After having such a short nap he settled very quickly so was asleep by 6.45 and woke at 6am so still early but he was waking that time and not falling asleep until 8ish so I think the shorter and earlier nap helped....although I also think the birds wake him at 6 - they’re so loud! Has anyone tried white noise with an 18 month old? I don’t want him to get too reliant on it but the birds wake me and this morning the moment the birds starting squawking he woke up!

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Elephantonascooter · 12/04/2020 06:45

6am is a dream in our house! The difference between 6 and 6. 30 is something I wouldn't sweat. I would just allow them to sleep slightly earlier in the day (which works for us). Since we moved nap from 12.30 to 11.30, he's been going down a dream at 6.45 and sleeping till 6.15. At one point we were 4. 30am wake ups to this is great!
I'd cut the nap from 2 hours to 1 - 1.5 and have it slightly earlier and you'll be set I recon

Original poster

Rachel1210 · 12/04/2020 07:04

4.30am wake up - awful! We’ve always been pretty luck that he’ll normally not wake before 6 - but he’s such a misery if he hasn’t had enough sleep. He really struggles with it. I’m not sure whether to try white noise for the birds? what do you guys think?
Also want to say thanks for the messages and support - I don’t have many mum friends so this forum is invaluable xxx

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awkwardbuttons · 12/04/2020 08:33

I probably wouldn't use white noise at that age because you can really set in sleep associations at this age, and you only need it for a few months of the year (and he'll probably get used to it within a couple of weeks). I have the same. Bloody birds.

I do know some friends that have a fan they use whenever the weather is warm. Means they can leave the windows closed and blocks out the bird noise but isn't too loud.

Original poster

Rachel1210 · 12/04/2020 08:58

Yes it’s so hot at the moment isn’t it! He has his window closed at night but the birds as still so loudly! We live near the sea and there’s a seagull nest next door to us!!!

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SnowWhite26 · 12/04/2020 19:37

Hows it going Rachel? So today he had a nap at 1 till 2 and woke him at 2. Wemt to bed at 7 and was really quiet for ages then my daughter went to bed in same room he looked asleep and then he starts chatting. He stops for a bit now half an hour after he has gone down he is shouting happierly but shouting all the same. It really annoys us coz we dont no why hes so awake amd this is a phase that has only just started in the last week. Very frustrating x

Original poster

Rachel1210 · 13/04/2020 06:16

I feel your pain SnowWhite26....my LOs sleep is all over the place and it’s come out of nowhere! He took ages to settle again last night but still woke at 6...he gets so miserable in the mornings as he’s just so tired as he hasn’t slept enough at night. How you getting on?

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SnowWhite26 · 13/04/2020 06:26

Yeah 615. Earlier than it has been. He eventually shut up about 8 last night. Just a wired

Original poster

Rachel1210 · 13/04/2020 06:32

I’m starting to think it’s a sleep regression....

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SnowWhite26 · 13/04/2020 07:20

Well hes going through but just takes a while to go. Is urs waking at night?

Jennyz123 · 13/04/2020 07:34

Hi Rachel, I think we have the same baby! Very very similar timings - my baby has also needed tons of sleep right from newborn so I find it quite hard to compare with other parents whose babies don't seem to mind having shorter nights/short naps- mine is ruined and always has been if she doesn't get tons of sleep (bit like her mother)! I've always been reluctant for that reason to try waking her (from a long nap or if she sleeps late in the morning) in order to reset her patterns if she's going through a tricky phase.

I don't know if it's any comfort but we have had the exact same problems the last few weeks. I'm putting it down mainly to the clock change/longer days. Prior to the clock change she was settling beautifully but waking early- I think because of the birds/light. The second the clocks changed she started waking normal time again or even later because it was taking at least an hour to settle her at night. Now that it's light both at bedtime and in the early morning she's a nightmare to settle (dropping off 8/8 30) and waking at 4 30/5 😰😰😰. She did actually sleep to 6 30 this morning, which I'm putting down to the first cloudy morning in ages.

I think lockdown change of routine is definitely also not helping, plus I don't know about yours but mine is having a huge developmental leap in terms of language - when she should be going to sleep she is just chatting!! Wonder weeks app says they are in the middle of the last big cognitive leap as well... so basically we are totally screwed 😂 oh and did I mention she's teething!! Of course she is! Shoot me now 😂

So for us, we have ordered a new super heavy duty blackout blind - our old one didn't cover the edges and my little one needs to think it's night time or she just won't believe it's bedtime (even though she settles fine for her afternoon nap with a bit of light coming in 🥴). We also use white noise- we just always used it from newborn and haven't stopped! I think it really helps and would recommend the myhummy as you can keep it on for 12 hours so it will cover the mornings. Very annoyingly we only have single glazing in the nursery so you can still hear the birds but I reckon if you have double glazing it would cover it. We still use ours mainly because the cot is right above the kitchen and the ceiling between is literally made of plywood, the myhummy really helps to mask the noise so we can still cook/wash up/chat etc. without worrying. You can adjust the volume on the myhummy, so I figure when we want to wean her off it (probably when we move) we can just reduce the volume night on night, I don't think it will be a big problem. Mainly I'm trying to resign myself to the fact that the whole situation is basically causing a regression and hopefully they will just eventually reset at some point 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞 I'm hoping because I need my evenings back!! Really hope things start looking up for you soon - mainly just wanted to show solidarity!

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