My 10-month old boy Noah used to sleep very well at night. However, in the last few weeks he has figured out how to stand up in his crib. He now wakes up once or twice a night wanting to play! It takes up to two hours to get him back to sleep?! If we leave him in his crib to try to go back to sleep himself, he ends up hurting himself jumping around in his crib?! Any suggestions? Thanks!
Well, we did everything everyone suggested along with making his bedtime even earlier (it used to be 7:00 and now it is between 6 and 6:30.) The earlier bedtime is what the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child suggested for this age (since they are more physically active they are more tired and need to go to bed earlier.) He seems to be sleeping through the night once again! Yeah!
A.,
My son did the same thing when he started crawling, and again when he started walking. I would sometimes give up and let him play (I know that's not the solution you're seeking). Anyway, it is totally normal and usually, at least in my case, passed within 2 weeks. If he can jump out of his crib-- you should consider a toddler bed. Otherwise, consider putting a few toys in there (nothing soft) for him to play with when he gets up.
Yes... I have some advice. LEAVE him in his crib. Ignore him when he does that. Leave the lights off, don't go in there and talk to him. Don't take him out of his crib. At 10 months he's not going to hurt himself much moving about his crib and he's not big enough to climb out of it. He will learn that when nobody comes to get him and no lights come on that it's still bedtime. Then he'll go back to sleep. If you go in there, get him out and turn on lights to let him play you are adding to the problem and telling him that behavior is acceptable. My daughter went through that around that age for a week or so. I put a crib toy in there that had a mirror and some other things hanging off it. She would wake up, play with it and then go back to sleep. But I never went in there or put lights on, I could just hear her on the monitor. She stopped it quickly.
Hi I just wanted to let you know that there is the most amazing book out there that will help with this sleep problem or any others that may occur in the future. The books title is called Solve your child's sleep problems by Richard Ferber, M.D. It even says on the front of the book helps with middle of the night waking. My husband and I give such credit to this book as it helped with getting our son back into his own bed(we had been on vacation and he got use to sleeping with us.) And also transitioning him from the crib into his toddler bed and of course the middle of the night waking. It took about 2 weeks to cover all of these but it has worked amaing. Good luck and please feel free to contact me with any questions. Just remember you will have to be consitant with his tools and have to listen to some cryign, but in the end it is all worth it. Sincerely, M.
Very soon before my son turned 1 he started climbing OUT of his crib. I was really afraid that he would get hurt climbing out or falling out of his crib. I solved that problem by putting him in a toddler bed. I went through some problems getting him to sleep in his bed with the sudden freedom of being able to get out of bed whenever he wanted. I solved that problem by putting one of my body pillows on the floor and telling him he could choose to sleep in his bed or on the pillow. He was thrilled. He went to bed in which ever he chose and I was happy that he was not throwing himself out of his crib nor was he fighting me going to bed. The days when he did fight me I told him that he had to choose one of them or (he would not be read to, he would get a time out, he would not get to watch his movie before bed, or if he was really fighting me and none of those worked, he would get a spanking-which gets good results since I use it so sparingly) I would choose something that would be a consequence for him and tell him that his behavior was causing him to lose this prized object/thing he liked to do etc. I have modified my language to match what he could understand but one thing I learned very early is that he understood far more than he could say. In other words he knew what I was saying but could not always articulate what he wanted to say.
Good Luck!
New skills often disrupt sleep habits :-) It will take some time for him to re-establish his sleep schedule. It's so exciting to be able to do something new. Make sure his crib mattress is the lowest level it can go and also remove anythign he can climb on (crib bumper, toys, etc) You can help him get back to sleep by doing a mini night time routine. Whatever gets him to sleep in the first place. read a book, bottle/nursing, cuddles. Try not to stimulate him too much (keep lights low, talk in whispers etc)
Good luck!
It sounds mean but just let him cry it out. There shouldn't be anything in his crib that could hurt him. I have a nine month old and when he learned to stand I let him figure out how to get down. He fell a couple of times but he was fine (I was watching where he couldn't see me). He learned by himself how to do it. He has also learned to entertain himself when he wakes in the middle of the night. He knows how to go back to sleep. Going in his room in the middle of the night isn't helping him go back to sleep. He wants you in there to play with. If you don't go in he will learn to go back to sleep. I know I sound mean but it works. I have two kids that sleep through the night.
What is he hurting himself on? I have a 2 year old boy and 3 year old girl. I was blessed with two that didn't have trouble sleeping. They did wake up early in the mornings, though and I never had a problem with letting them entertain themselves. Sometimes they even fall back to sleep. I know all the books say to never leave anything to distract from sleep in the crib, but I found that a nice cloth book, or other stuff in the crib was good quiet time for them. My son even likes to take his mini basketball to bed like a comfort item or something. Anyway, hope this helps! Also, they are each in their own room with the door shut.
Take care!
Samantha
Hi A.!
Im sorry to hear about your problem, it can be hard someitmes once children reach another milestone. I cant really offer any advice except he will grow out of it he is just use to it... try playin alot with him before bed, so he is tired and then lay him down and say goodnite, also i have found at that age they test us alot. so dont give into them. If he crys let him cry! dont give in to him
Hot bowl of oat meal and milk with it should make him tried and sleepy! Or the old way just leave him there alone just checking on him every10 to 20 min's he should cry himself to sleep!
I agree with the toys if you are compfortable with it but there is a toy that straps to the sides of the crib and when the baby touches it, it lights up the room and it makes soft noises. It is fun for the baby and is safe to play with while you are cozy in your bed.
