Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Putting a Nine-Month-Old on a Sleeping Schedule | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
My son is nine months old. For the last month it's been impossible to put him on a napping schedule. It is true that we just moved to a bigger place a week ago, and my husband and I were a little agitated. He is waking up at 6 AM or earlier. Today he stayed awake from noon to 8 PM, and I tried several times to put him down for a nap, but I could not. He changed a lot lately, and I don't know how to put him on a schedule. Is it just a phase? Please, if you have any suggestions, any at all... Thank you.— Mouci in Toronto | | | ANSWER |
April 11, 2002 | | | Dear Mouci,
I think what you are describing with your son is, as you say, "just a phase." But it's easy to see why he might be having some disturbance in his sleep, because of all of the changes that have taken place recently: new house, parents adjusting to the new place, and of course new developmental skills that go along with being nine months old.
Nine months is a time of rapid developmental change, often resulting in sleep problems. You can read more about this in the sleep section of our site.
What can you do about it? Try to make your son's day as regular as you can. Give him meals and snacks at about the same time and in about the same places. Offer him naps and bedtime at about the same time (by "offer" I mean you put your child down in his crib or in the playpen, tell him it's nap time, lower the lights, and leave the room. This gives him the chance to fall asleep, although of course you can't make him do it!). Try to make your home as calm as possible.
Besides that, all you can really do is wait. It won't be too long before your baby is back on a more reasonable schedule.
— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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