Need Help Getting 11 Month Old to Sleep In!

Hi C.,

You may want to try shifting him in to one nap per day instead of two.This way when you put him down at 7:00 (he'll be pretty tired by that point) he's likely to sleep until at least 7am. I hope this helps you get some more sleep!

Jen

I think that you are fighting a losing battle. His system doesn't know the difference between weekdays and weekends. And really I wouldn't confuse him. If he goes to sleep at 7:30, frankly so should you if you want more sleep. Trying to get him to sleep late on some days and not on others is just asking for trouble. But good luck anyways.
L.

I think he just has all the sleep he needs and will wake up. My 9 month old wakes at 6-6:30 everyday. She goes to bed at 8, but even if she is up later she wakes at 6. Try a little later bed time to see if that helps. It may just be his internal clock.

I think you just have an early bird! My 1 year old night owl goes to bed between 10-11 and gets up between 8:30-9:30. He gets one 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hour nap each day. Makes me think mine isn't sleeping enough, but he's happy and active. At this age, I don't know if he can comphrehend the concept of "weekend" like we do. This may sound mean, but I would try to get yourselves to bed earlier, that would be easier on everyone, IMO, than trying to change you're BB patterns. And remember, some people have a horrible time getting their kids on a pattern or getting them to sleep early! (Not looking forward to trying mine to go down @ 7pm!) Best of luck!

C.,

Honestly, my advice is that your son needs MORE sleep. My twins are 13 months old, they take two 2-hour naps/day. We put them to bed at 7:00. One wakes up at 7:00 the other wakes up at 8:00. They go down for naps by 10 and sleep until 12. They are up for 2 hours and then go back down for a nap at 2 and wake up at 4. I would try putting your son down at a consistent time every day for naps. 1 1/2 hours is a descent nap, but 2-hours is ideal.
All of my girls were great sleepers, but it didn't come naturally. I had to work with them and train them how to get on to a schedule. One of my twins used to wake up at 5:30 a.m., but I had to teach her that it wasn't time to get up yet, so I would put her pacifier back in her mouth and lay her back down quietly (no interaction). She learned that wake up time was not before 7:00 a.m. and if she woke up earlier than that, she would just play in her crib until I came to get her at the right time. YOU are the parent and YOU are in control and this is a great place to start teaching that.
If you'd like more tips/tricks on scheduling, let me know.

13 hours a day (which is what it sounds like he's getting) is on the low end for sleep for his age, but if he doesn't seem overly tired by the end of the day it may be enough for him. One of your responders said not to move the bed time back any later, but based on my experience, I disagree. My 14-month old will sleep for 11-12 hours each night no matter when he goes to sleep, so long as I adjust his WHOLE routine SLOWLY (by no more than 15 minutes a day). Now I'm not saying you can have a different weekend than weekday schedule (that's asking for disaster, IMO) but I think you would be able to SLOWLY adjust him to an 8pm bedtime (and 7am wakeup). I probably wouldn't try to ask him to go to sleep later than 8 or 8:30.

Also, if he IS getting enough sleep, he should be waking up in a good enough mood to play in his crib for 15 minutes (or more!) before you get up to get him.

Someone else also said that you might want to move to one nap a day soon. I did that just before 12 months, and its SOOOOO nice. Now, instead of sleeping a little more than 1 hour twice a day, he sleeps for 2-3 hours everyday. Its a MUCH easier schedule to work with, and he seems happier too.

Good luck!

Some kids just wake early - especially that young. My first always had me grocery shopping at 6 am just for something to do, then eventually became a night owl who was groggy when he naturally woke at 8 (he's now 6) my 4 year old has always gotten up at 6:30. We actually feel lucky he sometimes makes it to 7. We used to use him as our alarm because we KNEW he would be awake at 6:30! His clock is not a reliable now, but pretty close! And the suggestion someone made about moving bed time EARLIER by 20 minutes is so true - my son started waking twice during the night, ready to go, and we tried everything until we read aboput this. We moved bed time 30 minutes earlier, and he started sleeping through the night again!

I had both my kids take 2, 2 hour naps each day (until 18 months, then to 1, 2hr nap until age 4), and they each slept from 7pm until 8pm. I have heard that a baby's braing develops the most during sleep time.

I would just leave him in his room until you are ready to get him up. Have a couple quiet, soft toys in his crib with him. Even if he cries, you just might find that he teaches himself to go back to sleep.

Hope you get some more rest soon!

I second what the other person suggested, get some black out shades just to see if it makes a difference. It may not but it will help with energy conservation at least! My kids are early risers too so I feel your pain.

You might try moving his bed time a bit later, but other than that, his sleep sounds great. Babies tend to be morning people. I'm not sure what, other than moving his bed time, will work. Keep in mind, you can try putting him to bed later and he'll still wake up at 6. Good luck!

If he usually wakes up between 5:30 and 6:30 during the week, you can't expect his inside (clock) to just sleep later on week ends, he hasn't worked all week like you and isn't sleepy past his regular time. I would suggest putting him to bed a little later, a little at a time, and then maybe he'll also sleep later in t he mornng. Some people would be thrilled t hat their child took two good naps and slept that long, so if he doesn't crawl out of his crib yet, maybe you could give him a few toys and he would play for at least another 30 min. on the week end.

There is an awesome book called
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
by Dr. Marc Weissbluth

It can be found on Amazon.

Hope this helps.
Have a fantastic day,
C. Landis
Independent Pampered Chef Consultant
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He is 11 months old... of corse he doesn't know what a weekend is. He is not getting too much sleep at all. It's normal for kids this age to wake up early. there is nothing wrong with his sleep schedule at all. He's healthy.
You and your husband either need to change your sleep schedule, like go to be earlier, or change his a little (like go to bed at 8-8:30) so he does sleep in a little. It will take him a while to adjust to the sleep change. He might still wake up early for a while I mean.
My husband and I take turns. He sleeps in one day and I the next. We do this the best we can according to schedule but it works!
Good luck

I recently covered my daughters windows with thick black fabric. I put it behind her blinds so it doesn't look too tacky and we have solar screens so it can't be seen from the outside. She was waking up around 6:30, but now she sleeps until 7:15-7:45. She goes to bed at night around 7:30 and she still takes 2 naps a day. 1 for at least an hour; the other for an hour and a half, sometimes 2 hours. She just turned 9 months old this week. I think it was just the sun coming through her window waking her up every morning since the fabric seems to have worked.
Good luck...I completely understand wanting even just a few more minutes of sleep!

I would start working out that 2nd nap since he's almost 1 and just have one long nap and see if that helps any. I've put my 2nd down between 8-8:30 since he was an infant and he gets up between 7-8 and takes a 2hr nap

My 14 month old daughter still takes 2 naps which last an hour and a half each and we put her to bed at 8:45pm/9ish and she sleeps till 8:45am/9. My other friends babies sleep 12 hours too, and its totally normal for them to sleep that long. Try putting him to bed later. What time does he get up from his second nap? Mine sometimes doesn't wake up from her second nap until 6pm! That's why she doesn't go to bed till 9. She gets tired about 3 hours after she wakes up. It sounds like your son sleeps very well, just not at the right times! I hope this helps you!

7-7:30 pm. Try an hour later. Or maybe cut out one of his naps.

LOL YES. He's getting too much sleep. I would try bumping his bedtime back 30 min for a few days and see how that works. Then I would keep moving it back every few days until he's waking when you would like him to. So, if he's sleeping roughly 11 hours a night, and you want him to wake up around 8, then he needs to go down around 9. Just remember that you don't want him waking up too late b/c it'll make all the battles for school, etc, harder later on. It'll probably take a few days for him to adjust when he wakes up. He'll probably start taking one nap, for about 1 1/2-2 hours once everything evens out.
We went through that with our son, too, when he started needing less sleep. He was starting to wake up around 6- 6:30 after going down at 8, so I moved his bedtime back and it has helped a TON. Now he goes down around 8:30-9 and gets up around 7:30.
Good luck!!!

Welcome to the real world of childhood. Be thankful you have an early riser. YOUR days of "me" are gone it is now "we" as in family. In order to get more rest, you take a nap on the weekends. Trying to change a schedule is defeat. Yes, I loved to sleep when they were little but as they got to this age it is useless and two naps went to one in the afternoon. Make a schedule that includes everyone's times and work from there. Each child is different in needs for sleep and the times given by doctors are suggested times. You will be able to get more sleep when he is grown. Try not to do as much on the weekends and do a little bit each night before you go to bed. A spotless house is not always on the list when you have an 11 month old and a full time job. Your hubby is going to have to step up to the plate to help with things in order to have house beautiful at this time. Supermoms went out the window about 15 years back I know I used to be one.

Trty putting him to bed later. My son is 18 months, but he goes to bed at 9:00 and stays asleep until 9:00 the next morning. He takes 1 two hour nap after he has been up between 4-5 hours.

I know I'm jumping in late, but Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child is the best book ever written about children's sleep. I know, I've read a lot of them. It was recommended to us by our ped when my second was a baby and I love it. It sound counterintuitive, but in order to get a child to sleep later, you have to put them to bed EARLIER. At 11 months, mine would go to bed at 6 and sleep until 7 or 8. Then they would take two two hour naps. They didn't drop the second nap till they were around 18 months. That varies with the child though, but I *highly* recommend this book. Please get it and read it, it's a wellspring of information. You can probably check it out from the library and then buy it later after you love it, but please try it.

By 11 months you should be moving toward one nap, and it will be up to 3+ hours long. You're doing the right thing by having your little one to bed by 7:00, but if you want them to sleep longer ...move bedtime 20 minutes EARLIER. If you're hitting 7:30 more often than 7, then be diligent about 7. If that still doesn't give you the wake up time you're after then move BACK 20 minutes. I know it sounds crazy, but sleep begets sleep and the better their naps the better their night time sleep. Get your little one down for a nap by 10 and bed by 7 and see what happens. If you like the results then I recommend "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. it's been a resource for us and we love it.

Hello! Your son does not get too much sleep. My 11 month old (child #3) goes to bed between 8 and 8:30 pm. He wakes up between 7 - 7:30 a.m. Then some days he takes 2 naps of 1 1/2 hours each or a long single nap of 3 to 4 hours. All 3 of my kids slept that much when they were 11 months old. It is normal for them to get 14 hours of sleep a day. When he wakes me up at 5 a.m. sometimes, I usually wait and see if he really needs me. He goes right back to sleep. He needs to know that when it is dark, it is still sleep time. Is your son really crying and screaming at 5 a.m. My son talks and whines a little but nothing more than that. I put toys in his crib and he plays with that then falls asleep. Good luck!

Well wish I could give you advice...my 2 & 3 year olds still wake up before 6:30 am. WE have tried putting them down later, one nap, no nap...it does not matter...they are up before the chickens. I go check on them if they sleep to 7---in fear something is wrong. They both have lined curtains in their rooms, so I don't know....maybe we should do solar screens too. Anyway, you are not alone...

My triplets get up early too but I notice that when I keep them up later they sleep later (they need 10 hours per night). With my daughter (almost 6), it didn't matter what time she went to bed - she would wake up at the same time (now will sleep until 7:30-8 so there is hope!) - but with the boys, it is just 10 hours per night.

Good luck.

Unfortunately, I think it is just the kids according to my pediatrician. We have early birds too - up around 6 am +/- 15 minutes. As a family, we usually have more accomplished by 8 am than others just getting up. ;o) I do have to say *finally,* my just turned 5 yr old is sleeping til 7-7:30, but that is hard now that he has school & Kindergarten in the Fall. ;o) But with my little one, we're still up with the sun. Good luck - maybe sneak in a nap one of those times during the day just for you!

Try not to deviate from your little guy's schedule too much; little ones just don't sleep late on weekends...sorry! I would just go get mine out of her crib, get her fed & changed, then put her in her pack and play with some toys for about 30 min or so while I drank my coffee & pretended I was having a relaxing weekend morning. LOL He'll be 13 before you know it and you won't be able to dynamite him out of bed on the weekends! It probably wouldn't hurt to put him down later on Friday night, but don't be surprised if he doesn't wake up at his usual 5:30-6:30 anyway.

I'm surprised that only one person has mentioned this, so I have to reiterate. I recommend EVERYONE read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. I think that some of you will find that what you think is "normal" or "right" concerning amounts of sleep, bedtimes, or increasing sleep is not healthy. Before reading this book, my son (who was 4 months old at the time) was sleeping no more than 3 hours at a stretch at night and wouldn't nap for more than 20 minutes at a time. He screamed a lot and was very cranky even when he had just woken up. Within 24 hours of implementing Dr. Weissbluth's suggestions, he slept 13 hours a night (No waking at all for any reason)! The best part was that he stopped screaming and he was a HAPPY baby. People commented all the time on how easy going he was. Now, he is 12 months old, sleeps 12-13 hours a night and has one 2-3 hour nap during the day. He is still that happy, easy going baby. If you have any sleep issues with any age child, this is a must read!

I wouldnt think he needs two naps a day but maybe. I would only think getting him to bed a little later would help. My 19 month old has gone to be around 9-9:30 pm sometimes a little later but never later then 10pm and the latest he ever sleeps is 8:30 and he naps for about 2 hours on the weekends and sometimes less at his sitters house. Otherwise I would say you guys need to go to bed earlier and learn to be early birds too. I really think a later bed time would help though.

Sounds like his sleep pattern is perfectly normal. If you put him down by 7:30 every night, then being awake by 6:30 a.m. is exactly right. At that age, children generally sleep about 11 hours a night (give or take an hour) and then nap for a couple of hours a day. So, if you want him to sleep later, put him to bed later.

Hi C.! Welcome to my world! Your son is on the exact same schedule as my daughter who is 15 months old. She also goes to bed between 7 & 7:30 and takes one to 2 naps a day at around and hour to 2 hours total. He is not getting too much sleep. They need about 14 hours a day. Mine averages more on 12 hours a day. I am afraid you have an early riser on your hands. My son, who is now 7, was exactly like this as well and he still gets up between 5:30 and 6:30am most mornings, even weekends. It truly is not fun if you are not a morning person, which I am not. The only thing I can recommend is that sometimes if my daughter gets up at 5:30am and I am desperate for more sleep, I will change her diaper, and give her bottle of warm milk and put her back down. This sometimes does the trick and I can get her to sleep until 7am or so. But usually we are up here by 6am most mornings. I have had to adjust when I go to bed (9pm most days) and have the coffee ready to go for the morning. During the week this is tolerable, but on weekends it is rough. My older son can now get his own breakfast, feed the dogs, and turn on some cartoons for a bit so I don't have to be up at the crack of dawn, but my 15 month old obviously has changed all that so I am up, too. On the weekends, my hubby and I rotate mornings that we get to sleep in. He gets Saturdays and I usually get Sundays.

I hope that your son is just going through a phase, but be prepared for otherwise. HTH! Hang in there!

Believe me, I understand, I love to sleep in. But, my son has ALWAYS been an early riser. Usually between 6:30 and 7a. He's now 3 and I'm finally used to it.

What we started doing on the weekends is getting him when he's up and putting him in bed with us for some "snuggle" time. Even an xtra 30 minutes in the morning is worth it. Give it a try.

I've learned the majority of little kids are early risers so embrace it as soon as you can and catch a little snooze here and there as you can. :-)

He's probably getting to much sleep. We put our 23 month old to bed between 9-9:30 and he sleeps until 8:30-9:00am. I don't know if that will work for you since you work outside of the home. Maybe your husband can get up with him on the weekends so you could sleep longer??

Impossibility. It takes a week to "re-adjust" their sleeping schedule. You will have more problems trying to set two different times to get up during the week. I suggest that you and Daddy switch off getting up on the weekends, so you each get a sleep-in day.

Honestly, you can read every book on this and alter his sleep schedule or anything else, but if he's an early riser, he's just an early riser.

My 4 and 6 year olds have been waking up no later than 600am or 630am every morning, even weekends. Very seldom do they sleep late. Most times, it drove me crazy. Now, I'm pretty much used to it.

I tried everything but they still wake up....even if they go to bed late. And, my 4 year old want to EAT as soon as he wakes up. Imagine that....

I would leave my son in his crib with a fresh bottle and turn on soothing enya music.