Posted by Rachel Morris on May 1, 2014 · 2 Comments
Your baby is growing rapidly and acquiring new skills during the last legs of his first year. All of this change and progress affects his sleep, of course. By now, he’s probably been weaned off his nighttime feeding routine. It’s likely, though, that he still wakes up every few hours during the night. Check out these baby sleep solutions to help ensure that your little one stays safe and gets the rest he needs.
Put in the hours
Your older baby requires less sleep than he did as a newborn – about 14 hours in a 24-hour period. However, he’ll still be taking his usual two naps per day, which are important for growth and development.
Keep it consistent
A regular bedtime routine is a big step toward no-fuss nights. However, you may notice that as your baby gets older, his interests change. If your routine isn’t working as well as it used to, consider switching one of the activities in your bedtime routine (say, read a book instead of singing lullabies). Just remember to keep the activities quiet and calming, and do them in the same order every evening so your baby knows to expect bedtime at the end of the nightly ritual.
Don’t linger in your baby’s room
At this age, one developmental milestone is that your baby starts understanding object permanence, or the fact that people and things still exist even when they can’t be seen. Knowing that you’re somewhere else in the house, your baby may make a fuss when you leave the room in an attempt to get you to come back. If you do hear your baby cry out, poke your head back into the room but avoid turning on the light, picking her up, or staying too long. This will help teach your baby to soothe herself back to sleep on her own.
Ensure your baby’s room is safe
At around 12 months, another developmental milestone your baby may reach is the ability to pull herself up to a standing position without help. Be sure that the crib’s mattress is placed on the lowest setting and that the crib is away from all windows, draperies, and cords. You’ll also want to remove any artwork or decorations that she may be able to reach from her crib.
