Sleeping FAQ: 9-12 Months – Night Waking

My 11mth son has begun to wake in the night and wants to play and needs milk before settling again

My 11-month-old son has slept through since I began the routine when he was 2 months old. He has always seemed very happy in the routine. However since last week he has been waking up at night and wants to play. He will not go to sleep until I give him some milk and on some days even this doesn’t work. I have increased his solid intake and have cut down his daytime sleep to 10 minutes in the morning and 1 1/2 hours at lunch but this still has not worked. He has a varied and healthy diet and eats a meat lunch and a vegetarian dinner. He has cut 2 teeth and I do not think he is teething at the moment.

My son takes 210mls in the morning followed by 1 weetabix, 1 pot of fruit puree, 1 pot fromage frais. At lunch he would eat spaghetti bolognaise [lamb mince] and a fruit spoons of fruit puree. He will have snack of 2 rice cakes or 1 cocktail sausage and his dinner is steamed mixed vegetables with a few spoonfuls of fruit puree. He takes a further 210mls formula before his bedtime.

As you have already shortened his morning nap and lunchtime sleep it could be that your son is waking at night because he is hungry. Take a look at the Contented Book of Weaning for some ideas of carbohydrate meals you could make for your son’s supper. Giving him pasta, rice, lentils, potatoes as well as vegetables for his supper will help fill him up.

If he wants to play in the night take a look at how much activity time your son is having by day. Let him have plenty of free time on the floor as well as time outside in the fresh air. If you don’t already take your son to any organized activities such as Tumble Tots or swimming classes, you may like to consider finding some physical activity which you could both enjoy.

If he does not cry when he first wakes, don’t go into his room but wait and see if he manages to settle himself back to sleep. If you do go in to your son deal with him in the same way each night. Keep the words you use to the minimum so that you are reassuring him but also letting him know that night time is for sleeping. By keeping any interaction with him at night to the minimum your son will learn to understand that it is not time for playing.

If you are sure that he has had a carbohydrate-rich tea try offering him a beaker of water when he wakes during the night rather than offering him milk.