How much...

Should a 9 m.o be sleeping? Until recently, Ava-Jayde slept about 2 or 3 times a day and most would go from anywhere from 1 hours to as long as 2.5 hours. Well as of about last week that's changed. She's going down for 1 nap a day and 1.5 hours at the most. Not only that but night time she is SCREAMING whenever i put her in her cot. She use to take a while to settle, never screaming though just a bit of talking little bit of crying. But now she will scream for ages. I've tried leaving her cry it out and going in and putting the dummy in every now and then but I tried for 2 hours the other night. And just now it took me standing in there for half an hour rocking her to get her to sleep. Im so exhausted and running out of ideas.. PLEASE tell me this is a phase

Sometimes they start a bit of separation anxiety at this age/stage. So maybe she's just not wanting to be away from you? Also growth spurts can bring out the worst in sleeping as does teething! Eek its hard to know why they are doing it. I guess the thing is to endure it. I was told that they don't generally go to 1 sleep until they are 18 months old. Matilda dropped her second sleep around 13 months and Jovie did around 11 months. It depends on the child and when they are ready.

It could be a phase... it could be the start of separation anxiety. In that case there are heaps of different ways of coping with it. Some MCHN's will tell you that cry it out will be the best way, some will tell you other things...

Personally, Jovie started it at the same time, prior to that we could just put her in the cot or the hammock and walk away. Around 9 months, she refused... we had to hold her and rock her to sleep. We did that for 45 minutes- 60 minutes for the first few weeks but gradually it got quicker... and soon we were able to put her in the cot and put our hand on her and sit next to her until it was finished. Now it takes 15-20 minutes and one of us sits next to her and reads a book or plays the DS while she falls asleep... she just needs us near her.

Our DD did this from about 8 months, it was a phase. At night she slept with us but would wake about 4 times before we actually popped into bed with her. I think it was separation anxiety. I know exactly how you are feeling, it can be so overwhelming can't it? You poor thing, hugs to you.

I have never been able to leave DD fall asleep on her own. I sit with her and stroke her hair every sleep until she is asleep. It gets shorter and shorter every time though, tonight she was asleep in only 5 minutes. She just knows now it is sleep time.

She did however go in a toddler bed at 9.5months from co-sleeping since birth and the transition was good. She hated the cot and in fact never went in one.

Good luck with everything ;)

I know at around 9 months DS was sleeping for about 1.5 hours twice a day - he'd get put down at 9.30 - 11.00 and then down again at around 1.30/2.00 till about 3.

It probably is a phase - isn't everything that is awful? ;)

Thanks for the replies girls. She never really has been a "clingy" baby hey. She will let absolutely anyone hold her, and I can leave her somewhere ie: inlaws for the night and when im walking out the door she's like "meh.. mum who?" sort of thing Im just exhausted, she has been so good up until now! Im hoping it's teething cause shes got about 6-8 teeth just sitting in her gums. But last night she woke up at 3am and it took till about quarter to five to settle, then i was up at 6am and out the door cause i was going to mums its like having a new born again!

Sounds very hard KL. I didn't think they were supposed to go backwards!!!

Go to bed! :asleep: