Suggestions for 10 Month Old Nap Issues

You could try going down to one nap at 12. It might be a little early though. My daughter went down to one nap when she was a little over one.

Yes, as you said he is starting to 'cruise around.' THIS developmental stage, when their motor skills are changing/developing... it puts a sleep kink into their actual ability to fall asleep. They can't help it... it's 'growing pains' for the child, but also the Parent.

This is how a child 'practices' their skills. It's just instinctual.... you can't really "make" them just stay stationary... so it's something you have to ride out. It passes once they get more muscular/coordination control over their own body. That is why I say, that "we" can't really 'control' these fledgling motor skills... it's just something they are in the process of developing.

Both my kids did that too, when they were changing in terms of motor skills & coordination. It's very common... so it's not really a "sleep issue" but a baby's changing physical development.

So, yes, they can't sleep either, at will. Not at this age. Yes, they will get tired. But they don't know why. Until they get more used to their motor skills changing, and get mastery over it, they will not be able to do it by themselves. So, just help him. It takes patience. You might have to help lay him down again... because they can't always do it by themselves yet. For us adults, we toss and turn when we can't sleep, but then WE can put ourselves back into a comfortable position again. A baby can't.
And thus, the baby gets 'over-tired." And when a baby is over-tired, they actually get more 'hyper.' It's not that he does 'not' need a nap... but is actually over-tired. And when they are over-tired, they actually have a harder time falling asleep.

Just try and KEEP to your usual nap routine/nap times. Put him down as usual, at the SAME times. He may not nap, but just the routine of putting him in the routine, will help in consistency. In the long term. If you stop putting him down for naps or forgo it... then he will not be in the 'habit' of napping anymore. And even when this phase passes...it will be hard to get him BACK into the nap routine. It's not whether they nap or not, (especially at these developmental sleep quirks), but that he is 'used to' the routine of it, and that there is still a nap. Babies this age and older toddlers still need a nap. *(or, you can try and shift his nap in about 15 minute or 1/2 hour increments, later) If he refuses to nap/screams, still...take him out. Don't play, just have a quiet time. Then try to put him back to nap, about 20 minutes after that. See if he will nap at that point in time.
For me, I always have a 'wind-down' period prior to nap. It takes me about 1/2 hour before I actually put my kids to nap and their head actually hits the pillow. I have to get them keyed down, first. I make everything calm, dark and quiet before nap or bedtime. My son, who is 2.5 years old, still naps 1-2 times a day, for 2 hours. My daughter who is 6 yrs. old, will nap when she is tired enough.

Your baby is as you say "so tired in the early evenings it requires a lot of extra attention to keep him happy..." because by then he is actually wayyyyy over-tired by then.

A baby's sleep 'patterns' are not static... they will change from time to time. At 12 months old it changes again. But always have some sort of sleep routine, and this helps.

Growing pains. It'll pass.
It's not easy in the meantime. But it's normal developmental stuff.
Every time a baby/child hits milestones, or developmental changes... it tweaks them too, thus their sleep.

-Now, also, if he is having a 'growth spurt' they also get hungrier and need more intake. Perhaps, make sure he has a good feeding before nap and bedtime. When they are growing they actually need to feed more.

Oh, sorry, whenever they wake later than normal, then yah, you may just have to shift their usual nap time to later too. It's kind of just flexing with their flow. When my son sleeps longer in the morning, I know then, that I have to put him to nap a little later. Like a domino effect.

Anyway, sorry for rambling or yakking too much.

All the best,
Susan

Around 10 months old babies become more active (not be as ready to give up playing even thought they need a nap), they may start teething, they become more attached and may have separation issues, and they may on a minor scale start checking limits. All of these things or a combination of these things can be the reason sleep has not been as easy as it was. Despite these issues sleep is so important and necessary for your baby and for you.

I suggest that you continue with a 9/9:30 morning nap and a 1/1:30 afternoon nap (at 10 months this is appropriate), and then a 6:30/7 bedtime depending on how early he gets up from his afternoon nap.

Now, you need to be consistent. You need to give him the chance to adjust to the times and his new older self... Also, new sleep habits are formed VERY QUICKLY, so once a baby begins having some bad sleep habit you may have to break them... hence some crying may be produced as he protests your consistency (this does not have to be seen as a negative thing- he doesn't have words so this is how he shows his feelings). If it is hard for you to hear the crying- stay busy, check on him a couple times (don't feed him or pick him up)... you could try giving him a small blanket of sorts to comfort him if you feel like it is safe... not a huge advocate but can be very soothing.
Consistency is key in developing good sleep habits and routines.

NOTE: Make sure he isn't hungry- going through a growth spurt.

C., Sleep Consultant, Sleep blog at www.lullabyluna.com

what i did with my daughter was put her down in between the 2 nap times. also i would feed her before the nap. i have a 2 year old and she goes down for a nap between 11a and no later then 1pm. it really depends on when she wakes (which is between 6 and 7:30a). if she gets cranky i put her down earlier after a snack but if its noon then i feed her lunch and put her down for a nap. she sleeps 2-2 1/2 hours. it will take your son a week or so to even out his new routine. even though he may sit in his crib talking his body is resting. my daughter will lay in bed for an hour just talking before actually going to sleep sometimes. good luck!

yeah :) get a nap when he does, or at least get some rest

Sounds like he needs to give up one of the naps - and the morning one seems to be the most logical choice. My daughter gave hers up at around 1 year, so it is normal for them to cut back around this age.

the cruisng probably has a lot to do wih it! i remember going through this when my son learned to crawl, walk and talk! they just want to practice, practice, practice! he also is close to that stage of moving to 1 long afternoon nap so for a while you may be in this yucky period where 2 naps is too much and 1 nap is not enough. it passes in a few weeks though, maybe sooner for you. dont be afraid to let him cry a bit- hes just frustrated because he wants to practice and hes "sharing his opinion". hang in there, itll pass!

mAYBE HE IS ALREADY READY TO TRANSITION TO ONE NAP A DAY. mY BABY GIRL TRANSITIONED TO ONE NAP AT THE AGE 11 MONTHS, WHICH IS EARLY, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY BETTER FOR HER ABILITY TO GO TO SLEEP EASILY AND SLEEP LONGER.

My baby daughter is the same age as yours... she doesn't and hasn't ever napped well. It's always been 30 minutes. I moved her to two naps a day and then I get an hour sometimes. Maybe you could try to let him nap just once after lunch? Maybe even you'll get a two hour nap.. how fab! At least he sleeps well at night... I'm not there yet.

My dd dropped her morning nap at that age. I thought it was normal. She does take a two hour nap in the afternoon though. He could also be going through a growth spurt. Sorry that is all I can think of. I know that is out time to do mommy things or nap so it sucks, but I think it is normal.

Both of my children dropped one of their two naps when they were about 12 months but, for us, it was their morning nap. You didn't mention how he is throughout the afternoon and towards bedtime. Is going to sleep at his regular time? Is he in pretty good spirits throughout the late afternoon and evening?

I guess I would prefer that my child take an afternoon nap instead of a morning nap so that I can get that much desired afternoon R&R. If that's what you want as well, I would suggest taking your son out for a brief walk at 9 a.m. and let him drowse off for 10 to 15 minutes and wake up after that (usually when you arrive back home). This should be enough to take the edge off for him but hopefully not enough to hold him out for the rest of the day without a p.m. nap.

Hope this helps.

My son did this too. Do not give up that second nap without a fight! Right now you should keep the first nap at 9am and put him down super early for bed, like 530 or 6pm. He may way up super early (aka. 530am or 6). Still try to put him down for his second nap every day. It'll end up balancing out. I don't know why but it will. Once he goes down for a second nap put up his bedtime again. This is what worked with my oldest. He did drop his second nap by about 14 months though. That was the longest I managed to keep it. He's 2 and a half now and is still taking a great midday nap.

Looks like you have gotten lots of good advise. My son switched from a 2 naps to one around 12 months.. so it could be time to change. Most important I check for signs of sleepiness. Also, now that your baby is crawling and moving around more they will get physically tired, so I try to include some wind down activities so that based on those activities he is also aware that nap time might be coming up. My son is a pretty consistent sleeper, but every now and then because of teething, or sickness or travel his sleep schedule gets shuffled. just remember you know when he needs to sleep. My son has learned that he can protest his naps and sometimes I let him skip one.. of course sometimes I regret that later when he is overtired at night.

But it has all been a good learning experience for sure.
Good luck.

my son dropped his 2nd nap at 11 months..but try this...take your son out to the park and let him play for an hour then at naptime put him in his stroller and go for a walk..good time to go window shop or ?? he will pass out in the stroller if u put him in at his normal nap time..do this for 2 days in a row..he might only nap for 30 minutes but it will get his body back on schedule..
my son is 3...he now sleeps in til 10am sometimes so on those days we skip naps and i honestly like those days best..no stress about coming home for nap..but if he gets up early then he has a nap.
oh and give your son a bottle at naptime for 2nd nap..i used to say.."its babahaga time" just a silly word for bottle and my son would run to his crib..i would put a shot of almond choc milk in it...
but he was older when i did that and wasn't given a bottle any other time so it was a treat but i got long naps out of him w/ that.

They all stop napping or change their cycles at different times.

My first baby slept literally every 2 hours for 2 hours until he was nearly one and then slept 3 long naps and all through the night. He's now 6 and goes to bed at 7:30pm and wakes up as soon as there is any morning light...or not. He likes 6am.

My second baby only slept for 2 hours, 2 times each day...and through the night and at 2.5 years old stopped his naps entirely! He gets crabby in the late afternoon, but by the time 7pm comes around, he's in bed and fast asleep....sometimes as early as 6pm, but it's now nearly 8am and he's still asleep.

My third slept a combo of the two, but now will be 1 tomorrow and only sleeps 45 minutes 2x each day and sleeps all night.