1 Year Old Sleeping a Lot!

Updated on September 27, 2009
T.W. asks from Camas, WA
20 answers

My daughter has been sleeping a lot lately. Since the week of her birthday on the 9th until now 3 weeks later. She has been walking since the 15th so she is more active but I am still a little concerned. I didn't bring it up at her 1 year well child visit because it wasn't a concern then, I thought it would pass but as I said it is 3 weeks later now. She goes to bed at 8:00 and sometime wakes up at 12:00 or 3:00 for a feeding but other times sleeps right through or goes back to sleep until 8:00 AM. I am grateful for this but then concerned a little since over the last few weeks she also is napping for 4+ hours a day. At 8 she will be up for 2 hours and then needs to go back down for a nap. She used to nap for 45 minutes to an hour for each nap (2 naps a day) but now she naps 2+hours each nap. Today she slept in until 9:45 went back down at 12:00 and slept until 3. On Baby Center I read that the total sleep is usually 13 3/4 hours for a 1 year old. But my daughter gets about 16. She isn't lethargic in the day, she is happy and active up until she wants to be put back down for a nap. What are you finding with your little ones?

3 moms found this helpful

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S.B.

answers from Richland on

My baby sleeps about that amount as well, but he does not wake up to feed at night. I think what she was napping was not nearly enough; I think she was waking up so soon because something was bothering her and whatever that was is gone. She sounds much more normal now.
-S.

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C.F.

answers from Seattle on

I would absolutely check it out with your pediatrician. It could be a growth spurt or something completely normal. Better to check than worry.

Our son had a period of lethargy when he was four, it was really worrysome to me, we struggled to put our finger on it for almost a year. It would come and go, I could tell something was wrong, several doctors assured me he was normal, even my husband finally told me to stop worrying about it. I finally figured out in his case it was food related. It turns out he has hypoglycemia and now that we know, we are careful to feed him according to the doctors recommendations and we have been fine for five years now.

My advice is that mom's know their babies... stick to your gut and if you are concerned, it never hurts anyone to check it out. Best of luck to you and your litte one T..

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J.R.

answers from Seattle on

my (now almost 4 year old son) has always slept a lot - and I have never been concerned...that is when they grow! He (at that age) slept for about 12 hours at night (6:30-6:30) and then took two naps, until he was about 15 months when it went to one in the afternoon...

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J.W.

answers from Seattle on

Growth spurt coming on!!! At a year I would hope she would be sleeping thru the night. Most little kids need a good 12 hours of sleep at night, so from 8 to 8 is a great thing. Naps during the day, maybe not 4 hours, but depending upon her activity and inactivity, she may want that. Sometimes kids sleep out of boredom. Take her out for walks and get down and play with her. If her appetite and other physical milestones diminish, by all means take her to your pediatrician. But it sounds like she's growing up.

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M.J.

answers from Seattle on

I've got a one year-old and a four year old and know that sleep varies a lot. Sometimes they need two naps a day, sometimes they don't need one at all. It all depends on how they are when they are awake. If your one year old is alert, happy, and busy when she's awake, I'd say she's fine. If she's very cranky or wants to be held a lot during her few hours of awake time, I'd take her to the doctor. Generally, a child's mood and activity level are the biggest tip-off as to whether or not they are healthy.

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C.R.

answers from Seattle on

Growth spurt!!!! Mine did the same... WAY longer naps. She's still doing the longer naps during the day, but wakes earlier in the mornings (darn, gonna have to change that up a bit!). She's 15 1/2 months now. The pants that were down under her heels at her birthday are now up above her ankles. It especially seems like your girl is going through a growth spurt if she's waking to eat in the night.

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B.O.

answers from Spokane on

i am sure she is probably growing. Every time my daughter now 18 months has gotten teeth she sleep even more then normal. Also for my daughter normal is around 12 hours at night and usually at least one 2 hour nap during the day,but sometimes she does take a longer nap. It could also mean she is fighting a cold or has she ever had ear infections that is something that in the past caused my daughter to sleep alot also. Well good luck I would not fret to much as long as she is acting normal eating and otherwise.

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M.L.

answers from Seattle on

That's about how much my daughter sleeps too. She was probably sleeping that much from 9 months or so until now at 27 months. Mine only does one nap, but still sleeps about 12 hours at night and 3-4 hours of nap. We've asked our pediatrician about it and were assured that it's completely normal. My husband and I've decided that our daughter needs that much sleep to process everything she's taking in while she's awake and that it's why she's so smart! ;)

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A.G.

answers from Portland on

Probably completely normal. As long as she is alert and active when she is awake I wouldn't think there should be any concern.
The Baby Center website is an excellent source of information, but even they acknowledge that averages vary from child to child (just like weight and height).
Check it out if you continue to have concerns. Trust your gut. If anything esle, it will put your mind at ease so you can start enjoying the same down time your daughter is enjoying.
Best of luck!

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

She could be going through a growth spert. Is she also eating more then usual?

M.B.

answers from Seattle on

T.,

It sounds to me like she's in a growth spurt. What's her appetite been like?

My kids will eat everything in sight for x amount of time (it varies) and chunk out before they hit a growth spurt. Then, they won't hardly eat anything and sleep a LOT while they shoot up.

If you are seriously concerned call you doc and ask. They don't mind these kind of calls, at least mine doesn't. We're all happy being more safe than orry.

Hope this helps,
Melissa

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C.A.

answers from Portland on

My daughter (know 7 YO) slept like your daughter. Since my first didn't sleep through the night until he was 2.5 YO, I was at the same time thrilled and worried. I took my daughter to her pediatrician and he drew blood for tests of iron level, blood count, etc. He called me back to say everything was normal and I was just lucky to have a good sleeper.

At 1.5 YO she would go to bed at 8pm and I'd have to go get her up at 11am to get my son from preschool. She still took a few hour nap in the afternoon! Turns out when I did some checking on her, she wasn't really asleep the whole time. She'd wake and play some then fall back asleep some but never called. I was always amazed she wasn't hungry.

She is now a very healthy, active 7 YO girl with very good sleep habits. I wish you the same.

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D.B.

answers from Richland on

My daughter is 15 months old and that is her normal sleep routine! I would say she might be going through a growth spurt! enjoy the sleep!! :)

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J.C.

answers from Seattle on

-- there could be asimple reason- but I'd bring this up with your doctor --- for her to need that much - and for it to last so long-- yeah-- Old Mom would check it out --

Blessings- J.

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T.P.

answers from Portland on

This sounds pretty normal for the age. I remember at 1 yr my daughter had also just learned to walk and she was sleeping 8pm-8 or 9am, then taking 2 naps a day usually 2 hr in the morning then 1.5hr in the late afternoon. More sleep comes with the increased activity and with new skills/cognative leaps like walking and talking. As long as she is still active and normal when she is awake and not lethargic and sluggish I wouldn't worry about it. Enjoy this while it lasts, soon you will be down to one nap and wish you had those 4 hours of peace!

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K.M.

answers from Seattle on

hi T.- I have two and half year old twins and they always have been great sleepers but they will have months that they will sleep more. In fact they are FINALLy are on one nap (turned two in April). About the age your daughter is my kiddos were doing the exact thing-two naps for 2 hours. We could go a day or two without the two naps but what I found was the more sleep they got the better they slept- Sounds funny -I know. I asked my ped at their 2 year and she told me (woodonville peds) that not to worry at all. Kids will sleep what they need. She said she has heard of 4 year olds STILL taking two naps- WOW- hope that helps

K. M- SAHM but works one day a week. Have been married for 6 years but known each other for 12.

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J.H.

answers from Portland on

My 2yo slept about 16 hours per day at that age, with two two-hour naps. He has always slept a bit more than average, and still sleeps about 13.5 hours per day (11 hours at night and generally a two-hour nap). He also tends to sleep more during growth spurts.

As long as she seems fine in other areas (eating, personality, etc.) I wouldn't worry about it.

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A.G.

answers from Portland on

this is totally normal. it actually sounds more healthy then the sleep she was getting previously. my one year old probably slept more then that!

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W.C.

answers from Seattle on

She is probably getting ready for a big growth spurt! Count your blessing for the night sleeping and let it be. The growth spurt will be accompanied by a intellectual spurt tool. Get ready, get your rest now.

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J.R.

answers from Seattle on

You might call your pediatrician. But my daughter always had a 2.5-3 hour nap and then another hour nap in the afternoon (for 4 hours of napping) and would sleep from 8pm until 7am. So just shy of your daughter and now she is a busy 3 year old and totally healthy.

How is she behaving when she's awake? Is she active or lethargic?

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