Sleeping FAQ: 9-12 Months – Other

How can I keep my 10-month-old awake late once a week?

I really need to know how to rearrange the routines for my 10-month-old baby. Once a week my hubby and I go to a religious meeting in the evening between 7-9pm. Normally the baby falls asleep on the way but as she’s getting older it’s getting harder and harder to keep her asleep. We usually put her in the car seat, she falls asleep on the way there and then we put the car seat on the pram and leave her at the back where she sleeps peacefully till we get home and transfer her to bed.

As she’s getting older, however, she’s falling asleep on the way there but the noise wakes her after 45 minutes, and she wants to know what’s going on around her! There’s no way I can keep her asleep so I need to know how to restructure her routine for one day a week so she can stay up in the evening. She is almost out of her car seat and we are going to have to get a big one for the car and I know we won’t be able to take her in and out of it without her waking up!

How can I re-arrange her routine on that day so she won’t be too cranky if I keep her up? Please help… I’m getting desperate!

How a baby of this age copes with being awake in the evening differs from child to child. At present it would seem that your daughter stays awake when she can, but at times is tired.

Unless you have to wake her from her lunchtime nap, there is no way you can make a baby take a longer nap if she is not tired on the day of your bible study. Maybe your daughter makes up her sleep the next day? At this age you really have to follow her lead. As she gets older she may find staying awake easier when there are people round and will catch up the next day. If she remains as contented as she is now then don’t worry that she is getting overtired. If she shows signs that her evening out is affecting her then you should let her sleep longer at her lunchtime nap, possibly by putting her down 15-30 minutes earlier on the day following her evening out.

Letting Mia stay up once a week shouldn’t be too difficult. If you always have to wake her from her midday nap then let her have an extra half hour on the day you are going out in the evening. If she wakes herself from this sleep then put her down slightly earlier either on the day you are going out or the next day if you feel she is still tired.

Just be aware that as Mia grows and is more mobile she may become very tired at the end of the day. It may be easier to let her have a short sleep in the afternoon before tea. Be willing to be flexible and accommodate her growing needs.