Hello all! I have read that major developmental milestones like learning to walk and talk can affect babies' sleep. DS is 10 months old and just started taking a step or two. Yesterday, he actually took about 4 or 5 at one time and was so proud of himself! But his sleep has absolutely started to deteriorate! We had just gotten him pretty much sleeping through the night and now he's back to waking up all of the time. I know it's so hard to know what is causing the night waking (we put him down at 7:30 p.m.) - could be getting another tooth, could be growing pains, separation anxiety, anything!
I was curious, however, if it could just be the fact that he's so excited about walking it's affecting his sleep. Has anyone else had sleep disruptions before/during/after a developmental milestone? If so, how long did it affect sleep? Thanks so much and have a great day!
I know I sound I old school, but there is a book by Dr Barry Brazelton called Touchpoints. It addresses this very issue, and you are right. Just like growth spurts mean sleep, milestones mean disruption--not bad disruption, just adjustments. I loved this book and you may want to read it just for some more insight. Good luck!
Absolutely. Every single milestone affected my son's sleep - still does at 2 1/2. Talking was probably the biggest disruption for him. Disrupted sleep lasted like teeth: several weeks/months before they broke through, then a few days to a week more.
I can remember that my kids would get so excited after a new milestone that their sleep would be affected for about a week. They were fine after a while and pretty soon they don't get so worked up.
All three of mine would wake themselves up by standing up in their sleep in the crib. It just took a little time and they got over it. I picked them up and soothed them back to sleep. I think of it as akin to sleepwalking.
My son has had the sleep disruptions, they usually last about 3 nights, but sometimes it seems to turn into a habit. When that has happened, there may be a night where his schedule is really messed up (visiting friends, something that keeps him up longer than normal). This seems to work to "shock" his system, and the next night he is usually back to normal. Good luck.
Both mine had sleep disruptions with milestones -- especially walking and talking. Walking I think was worse because they both wake up and then stand right up in the crib to walk -- so they don't soothe themselves back to sleep. Just be patient and help him remember to lay back down when it's nighttime and go back to sleep. Hopefully with gently reminders from you, he won't develop bad sleep habits. Good luck!
