Sleep support or advice or help please!

I do think that toddler groups etc tend to be skewed towards the morning. A friend of mine had a LO who would always sleep for two hours in the morning, usually half ten/11 till 1 and then have his lunch when he woke up. Her twin girls were exactly the same so I guess it runs in the family! She eventually just abandoned morning activities and found some groups that met in the afternoon - which we could never attend as Martha was always asleep then.

We always struggled with daytime naps and how I managed it varied according to how old she was, initially we would go out for a walk, then we would usually be in the car on the way back from an activity (and I remember driving all around North Leeds trying to get her to sleep on more than one occasion) but then she would let me transfer her out of the car and into the cot. Once she started waking up too much from that I would leave her in the car sometimes (I could see it from the kitchen window but obviously that meant I couldn't do anything) or we went through a phase where she would sleep in the buggy - she would have a protest when she went in but would soon go off. By this stage tho she was talking (18m+) so I could explain what was happening and she knew where I was.

Now she only ever naps on holiday but we adopt tho co sleeping approach for that - we bring her back from wherever we've been, if it's the beach she gets a bath then we let her sleep naked in our bed (we call it a "naked nap" so she thinks it's a treat lol), one of us stays with her and either sneaks out once she's gone off or stays for a sneaky snooze...........

Not had time to read all the replies but what time do you usually try and settle him for the night? DD's sleep time jumped a lot earlier at this age and i was caught a bit unawares at first. She always went to bed at 8pm ish then it suddenly jumped to 6pm! if she was put down even 30mins after this it would take hours to settle her as she was overtired and she would wake more frequently too.

Same thing for daytime naps too, i would put her down at the first sign of an eye rub or yawn and she would settle easily, if i missed the small window of opurtunity she would refuse to nap at all.

Not sure if this is the case with your LO but might be worth considering, DD is 2 next month and still goes to bed about 6.30pm and sleeps til 7.30am x

Hmm now, I was wondering about this and have been trying to get him down earlier this week, although haven't managed it every day. Bedtime normally starts by 715 or so and he tends to be asleep by 830 or 9. I tried twice this week to have him in bed earlier (washed, read to, fed etc) managing to have him down by 7 / 715 both times. Both those evenings were then spent in re-settling him and he didn't actually properly sleep on either night till 930. I have wondered if this is because this is when he's *used* to falling asleep - would you suggest I stick with an (even) earlier 'in-bed' time? Is it likely that the 2 hours fussing afterwards will get shorter or disappear?

How did you manage naps and groups / activities? DS will sometimes sleep when we're out, but is much more likely to nap at home or in the buggy just walking around.

Maybe a short term fix but have you considered co sleeping for daytime naps, it might help him sleep better and you get to catch up on sleep which is never a bad thing plus if dh is at work you might be able to find a more comfortable position. Some times if Callum wakes early like from 5am onwards I bring him into bed with me as dh gets up at 5 for work, he will then sleep till 9, which is great during school holidays as Aidan will also sleep in or stay in his room.

I love it when I can do this!! We seem to end up doing quite a lot during the days though, so it doesn't happen as often as I would like. I notice the difference for me when it does, so I suppose it must help him too. Recently it's happened even less than normal, with pre-Christmas meet-ups with people, Christmas shopping etc... What kind of times do you get yours to nap?

We start bedtime routine at 6 and aim for bed at seven - this was half an hour earlier than before she started school.

Any changes we have made to sleep routine etc seem to take at least 3 nights to take effect - we've referred to it on here as the "3 night rule" - if you try anything new don't abandon it until you've given it at least 3 nights.

When the clocks go forward or back it usually takes up to a week for them to adjust so the same will be true if you change his routine at a different time.

I do think that toddler groups etc tend to be skewed towards the morning.
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Definitely. Having the car seat helps, but he won't be in it for an awful lot longer (people have starting commenting on how little room he has left but he's a kilo or so off yet). He is pretty good at sleeping whilst being carried out, which given that this normally means going into a hip carry pouch sling to get from the garage up to the flat (2nd floor) is great! If I put him in his cot then, he'll wake up for sure, but if I put him on the settee he might nap.

Now she only ever naps on holiday but we adopt tho co sleeping approach for that - we bring her back from wherever we've been, if it's the beach she gets a bath then we let her sleep naked in our bed (we call it a "naked nap" so she thinks it's a treat lol), one of us stays with her and either sneaks out once she's gone off or stays for a sneaky snooze...........

Love it!!

We start bedtime routine at 6 and aim for bed at seven - this was half an hour earlier than before she started school.

Any changes we have made to sleep routine etc seem to take at least 3 nights to take effect - we've referred to it on here as the "3 night rule" - if you try anything new don't abandon it until you've given it at least 3 nights.

When the clocks go forward or back it usually takes up to a week for them to adjust so the same will be true if you change his routine at a different time.

OK, didn't know about that so will keep at it then! You think starting bedtime at 630 ok for 9 months old then? Or am I better to start at 6?

I always snuggled Noo to sleep for day nap's probably till he was about 20mths once he was asleep I would gingerly carry him to his bed.
Both of mine are so different but they both roughly follow (ed) this
0-4 whenever they want (normally in a sling so drop off easily)
5-10 get up 7 (or earlier) milk, breakfast, dress, sleep 9.30-10.15 and then again 1-3.
10mth + afternoon sleep after lunch approx 1 -3.30 (DS has always slept till 4.30) bedtime at 7.30 (i.e in bed at 7.30)
We have gone through periods of DS not wanting to sleep but I would generally sit in his room or lay kn our bed and read books it was definetly quite time.
I stopped going to most baby groups as they interfered with his sleep times and yes it can be a little isolating so if you an find one's that work fab.
As for bedtime under a year I dont do one they geneally stay with me so bath at 6.45, PJ's on, milk and snuggle (I get called to do DS's bedtime story so DH takes over) she will sometimes fall asleep and we pop her in her swing or sometimes she is awake till 11.30 DS was much the same I usually start a bedtime when they go in their own room at 1.
It is in my opinion all about trial and error and finding what works for you.
Have to say though to this day if DS doesn't nap during the day he wont sleep through and I know it is going to be a really difficult bedtime.

I've got the book if you want it?

Yes please if you aren't using it? Happy to buy / borrow and obviously pay post and any fees!

It is in my opinion all about trial and error and finding what works for you.
Have to say though to this day if DS doesn't nap during the day he wont sleep through and I know it is going to be a really difficult bedtime.

Am going to work on the naps first, I think.

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