First Steps

This is so interesting! My baby woke up a lot the past few weeks, and also stopped napping as well. We thought it was because the holidays got her off schedule, or because she was a little sick. However she also took her first steps just about a week ago. It all adds up now! She can't sleep because she wants to walk :)

Lots of sleep struggles on this board. :( My little boy is almost 1, and he nurses once a night most nights. But we went from ridiculous nights to this, and I'm fine with it. We tried a strategy that worked beautifully... if anyone would like to read about it, I've blogged about it here: http://coddledlittlelife.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-put-away-bassinet-today.html Hope it helps somebody!

@Jackie5140, consistency is the key. At about 1-2 months my son never slept more than 4-6 hours a day, no exaggeration. We were completely exhausted, long story short, we thought he had colic at first figured out that it was acid reflux and he got on medicine. Around the same time we started a routine with bathing him at night, reading a story and putting him to bed. I began working so now he gets baths during the day but I never let him rely on anything him to go to sleep. I've never had to rock him or give him a bottle. Most of the time he just goes to sleep. He does however sleep with a stuffed animal and cuddles with that. I think that's worth a shot because it helps them feel secure. My son also has a night light. Hope you find a solution and it might be terrible for a while trying to change it but it will be worth it in the long run!! Now my son never sleeps for less than 8 hours at night!

My daughter turns 1 on Saturday the 10th. She has been walking for about a month but still crawls for the long distances because it is faster for her. She was always really good about going to sleep and sleeping thru the night. Then about two months ago she started going to be and waking up about 2 hours later and staying awake for two hours. She is past that but then she would not go to sleep regularly. We thought it was teething but it was her training us. She doesn't really cry but hyperventilates. We started about a week ago based on advice from another mom of letting her cry. The first night or two she screamed and we went in laid her back down and walked away. She did this for 30 minutes then after a couple nights it was 20 minutes. Exactly a week later she is fine and goes to sleep with only a little fussing. However if she is hungry she will not go to sleep and if she has had too long a naps during the day she wont sleep. Try to shorten the naps during the day and see if that helps.

RE: 11222010 , same here! my daughter turns 1 tomorrow. she has NEVER slept through the night. I can't let her cry it out. As soon as I leave her in the crib (no matter how sleepy she is) she stands up, starts SCREAMING, and after about one or two minutes she starts banging her head against the railing and trying to get her legs through the stiles. I tried "the no-cry sleep solution" by Pantley. That helped. But, still no sleep through the night. For the past 6 months or so I have spent 20 mins rocking her to sleep 3 times a day. The past few weeks it has taken 45 mins - 1 hour of rocking until I can put her down. I am pregnant now and terrified that I will have 2 children waking up all night at the same time. HELP!!!

My daughter just turned one 2 days ago and has been walking on her own for about a week. We were dealing with the waking here and there for the past month, but if you stick to the routine of letting them cry it out or going into their room and rubbing there back and shushing them, they can get back to sleep with feeding and soon can get back to sleep on their own without your help. She sleeps from 8pm to 7 or 8am every night!

My daughter is one and has been walking since she was nine months and a week... And she has never slept through the night... I have had to Co sleep with her because she cries like she is dying even when I put her in her crib that is right by my bed... I mean she sleeps a little better now, but it has to be right up against me.. Any moms with this issue?? I try to let her cry it out bit she cries so hard that she starts to gag... This 1st year has been sleepless in Seattle

My daughter will be 1 in a week and she too wakes up every night once or twice to nurse, this article helps explain a little bit more, but I think I really need to stop nursing at night all together.

My daughter just turned 1 last week, and up until 2 weeks ago, she was waking up every 2-3 hours to be nursed back to sleep! I finally took my doctor's and sister's advice and stopped nursing her at night. It took 2 nights of her crying and me having to lay her down and rub her back. Now she sleeps all night or wakes up 1 time during the night.

My son has YET to sleep thru the night. Since he was born, he has woken up ever 3 hours or so for a bottle. (tips or suggestions anyone?) He has started taking a step or three when he feels safe. Recently, he has started waking super early and doesn't want to go back to sleep!!!

wow! i had no idea thats why she was waking up so much at night the past week or so!! she just started walking yesterday!

This article clears a lot of questions for me too!!! Lately, my almost 1 yr old son has been waking up quite a bit and simply refuses to go back to sleep, or yells bloody murder when I put him back in his crib. I sincerely hope this will be a short, temporary phase and he will get back to sleeping through the night soon!

my baby started walking at 9 months, and was waking up all the time. I didn't know why until i readthis

Wish I had read this a couple months ago. My son started walking at 10 months and waking up again during the night. Thankfully it didn't last long.

I had no idea about the night waking, and that's exactly what happened with our daughter! I felt so frustrated because she'd been sleeping so well! I'm happy to report that now she's been on her feet a full month, her routine has settled back down and she now sleeps straight through from 9 pm until 7 am!

Good to know! My son turned one year on Tuesday! He started walking about a month ago and he is everywhere! He's more on the a bit reckless and bold side. He tried walking up an incline the other day and then down! He is doing so well but I had no idea he would start waking up in the middle of the night and have been trying to figure out what was going on! Glad I came across this!!

Wow that is interesting. my son is going to be 1 in a few days and has been waking up during the night for the last couple weeks. i had no idea that had anything to do with it!

i had no idea! so glad I came across this article. My son's bday is today (just turned one year old!!) :) He started taking steps here and there about a month ago (not officially walking yet though) and since then has also been periodically waking up at the oddest times of the night! I was so confused "why now?" now it makes sense :) good information !!

Oh thank heavens I stumbled on this today. The last few nights my 11month old has been waking up. I could not figure it out. She has started taking little steps around but now I'll keep a sharper look out for full fledged walking.

Thank you for this information. The timing could not be better. Our daughter just turned a year old (5-15) and is desperately trying to figure out how to walk on her own. She is quite the furniture surfer. Going to bed has become a bit of a struggle again. Thank you for allowing me to see that it's part of the process.

oh, i am glad i bumped into this blurb. my child is not taking steps yet but if/when she starts waking up i'll know why! thank you.

omg! i thought i was going back to the sleepless nights! thank God ireally hope it's just a phase coz we took a month long vacation overseas and maybe it's jet lag too.. it's hard to put her down without a struggle either.. it's really comforting to know that every baby go thru this.

This is soo good to know. my daughter has been walking for over a week now and yes she too is waking up thru night but also is not going to bed w/out a struggle. just turned a year today(4-14) & is crusing all over. huh. who wouldve thunk that is why!!!

I just happened to read this little blurp this morning and I am so glad I did! My daughter took 3 steps on Monday and since then she has been waking up every few hours like she is a newborn again. I am glad to know that this is 'normal' at this time in her life and I can now look forward to her walking and better understand what she might be going through. Thanks so much for the info!

Yep, twin boys are now both waking every 4-5 hours and one gets very upset when I walk by him. I can and can't wait for them to be walking. We are in some serious trouble then!!