There’s so much happening around 11-12 months as your baby approaches their first birthday! They may start to become much more mobile, start to say a few words and experience other developmental changes. As with all the previous developmental milestones, some regression in sleep may occur.
What is happening around 12 months?
Your baby’s language may be developing rapidly and they may want to practice saying words when they should be sleeping. It may take them a little bit longer to get to sleep but there is no need to intervene.
Your baby may become much more mobile around this age as they learn to stand, walk and sometimes climb. Make sure they are getting plenty of time during the day to practice these skills so they are not doing them when they should be sleeping.
Your baby may experience separation anxiety at this age. It’s okay to offer extra cuddles at bedtime (and during the day). Start the routine earlier if they need some extra time but keep it consistent and don’t start any new habits.
As your baby’s brain prepares to get ready to walk, many babies start refusing their second nap. Baby’s are typically not ready to drop down to one nap until around 13-15 months. Keep your routine the same and treat this as a regression before transitioning to one nap. Around this age babies will need a wake window between 4-5 hours. Wake them from their second nap by 3-4pm so they are ready for bed between 7-8pm. Little ones have a lot of energy at this age, make sure wake times are active so they are building their sleep pressure!
Your baby may start to realize that their actions cause reactions and they may start to “test you.” They may start to refuse naps and bedtime, just to see how you will react. They might have been an easy going baby up until this point, and now they may start fighting sleep. This is usually behavioral and temporary. You can handle it by not giving in to the behavior and sticking to a consistent routine so they know what to expect.
Your baby is making the transition into toddlerhood at this age. Many families choose to stop nursing or using bottles at 12 months and transition to the sippy cup. Many new foods may be tried. If your baby attends daycare they may be moving to a new room.
All of these changes at once can be overwhelming for a baby and affect their sleep. If it’s a change you can control, try to only change one thing at a time and give them a few weeks to get used to it, instead of doing it all at once. This regression is temporary and will pass. Offer extra snuggles, extra practice time during the day, keep your routine consistent and continue to put them down away for naps and bedtime.
As always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions doulasandbeyond@gmail.com
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Happy sleeping!