Sleeping FAQ: 9-12 Months – Lunchtime Nap

Since staying with relatives my 9-month-old son has begun to wake in his lunchtime nap

One month ago I went to Italy to my parents’ house; my son had no problems in setting for his naps but at the lunchtime nap he began to wake up crying loudly after 1 hour or max 1 hour and 30 minutes (before he was sleeping for 2 hours and he woke up very happy and singing). I made sure of the fact that he was not hungry, thirsty or uncomfortable. I thought perhaps that some new sounds could be upsetting him but he woke up also when there was no sound at all. Now it is already a week that we have been at home (in Ireland) and he continues to wake up crying after 1 hour and 15 minutes. Yesterday I tried to let him cry (I went to his bedroom to reassure him after 10 minutes and then every 15 minutes): he cried for 1 hour and and half and he was more and more upset. Today it was the same. I do not want to let him cry again if I am not sure that this is a solution (and the only solution).
The worst is that it is very difficult to convince him to have another nap before dinner; if he has no late nap he has some difficulties to settle for the night and he wakes up earlier in the morning.

Usually he goes to sleep happy and smiling and he sleeps all the night without any problems.

My son is on 3 meals a day and drinks 180-210mls formula at 9.30am, 4.30pm and 9pm before he settles for the night.

He wakes at 8am, naps at 12-12.30pm and 3-4.15pm. He settles for the night at 9pm.

During the second part of the first year the sleep needs of a baby change. They are able to go longer in the morning before needing a nap. As your son starts his day quite late, and goes to bed later than the timings in the book he appears not to have a morning nap at all. Most babies of this age still need a short nap about 2.5 hrs after they have got up in the morning. The timings in the book for this are at 9/9.30am at his age, the nap being no longer than 30-40 mins. With the later timings in your day your son is up for four hours until he goes down at 12 for his lunchtime sleep. As breakfast is late he is settling for his long sleep before rather than after lunch. He may well have been able to cope with this length of time awake when younger but he will now be far more active in the day and so needs his nap times adjusted. You have already noticed that he wakes earlier in the morning, and is reluctant to have a longer sleep in the afternoon. This means he will fall asleep exhausted at 9pm only to wake earlier in the morning, something which often happens.
If you want to continue with the later morning/ evenings then you will need to readjust the timings for the lunchtime nap. You may also have to bring forward his bedtime by an hour if your son continues to wake early in the mornings.

If your son wakes at 8am, give him breakfast by 8.30am and then try for a short nap around 10/10.30am, letting him have 30-40mins. He then could have his lunch bought forward to 12/12.15pm and be settled at 1-3pm for his long nap. It may be possible to then get him to 8pm for bedtime, any later and you may have the problem of early waking again, due to him going down exhausted. At his age it would be better if he was settled to sleep in the evening around 7.45pm to allow him time to chat and settle himself.
If your son has had his main meal of the day before his long sleep he is far more likely to settle for nearer to 2 hours. The fact he has begun to wake-up but is crying shows he needs more sleep at this time of day. By having had lunch before the nap hunger is unlikely to be the reason if he still should wake. He is probably over tired and fighting sleep at present. By putting in a short morning nap you may find he is able to settle himself again within about 20mins of waking if it should still occur.

If you decide to stay with your present timings and he still wakes after 30 mins to 1 hour, don’t leave him crying for a long time. Get him up and give him lunch then he will be more likely to settle for an afternoon nap around 3/3.30pm. Your family circumstances may dictate your reasons for having these timings. Providing you understand your son’s need for structured sleep in the day it may be possible to juggle things around so he is able to be up late in the evening as well as sleeping later in the morning, providing his needs for daytime sleep are being provided for as well.