Next week will make six months that Aiden has been coming to us. During that time he has grown and developped a tremendous amount — I am always amazed at the rapid growth of infants. For my part I have tried to expose him to a wide variety of experiences, people, and, of course, toys. And while I am not a scheduler, I have tried to keep a loose routine around the house to ensure that everyone’s needs are met.
In my opinion, children under one need to take at least two naps a day. I’m flexible with the time, but follow the same routine each time, to ensure proper sleep habits. I’ve been doing the same thing, even the same song, with Aiden every day for nearly six months. I haven’t done anything differently, but suddenly this week everything is different.
For one thing he has decided that he will not nap in the mornings. At all. After an hour or an hour and a half I usually give up. Really, who has the energy for more than that? And in the afternoons he’s now only sleeping for half an hour. He’s woken up at the thirty minute mark before, but I’ve been able to successfully get him back to sleep, not so yesterday and today.
Thirty minutes a day for a nine month old? Not enough.
Thirty minutes a day (plus nearly three spent trying to get him to sleep)? Pass the ice cream. It’s calorie-free if you’re exhausted, right?
It isn’t a matter of putting him down and letting him cry it out because the child can go indefinitely. But even if I rock him completely to sleep he’ll wake up screaming the second I try to put him down. After six months does he really think I’m going to start holding him for the duration of his naps?! No sir. In that field, I can assure you, I can out-stubborn him.
Oh, and did I mention that his 9-month separation anxiety includes me? I’m not allowed to go to the washroom or throw his dirty diaper away if he decides that we suddenly need to be in physical contact at all times. Fortunately, that aspect comes and goes, as right now he is playing with the vertical blinds. Separation anxiety was hard enough with my own children, but it’s even harder with someone else’s.
Nine months has never been my favourite stage.
Now … 18 months, that is a lot of fun! Boy Blue blows kisses as he spontaneously walks by! And he cheerfully greets anyone we pass on our walks with a full-body wave and sweet-voiced “HI!”
BoysRUs 
Ugh. I empathize with the 9 month comment. Not my favorite stage. In fact, Owen’s entire 9th month was wretched. I told Casey almost every last month “we’re not having any more children. EVER”. Then miraculously on Sunday, Owen became a different person. He’s been happy all week. Who knows?
When they’re cranky, I claim “teething”.
And yes, a 1/2 hour of sleep during the day is UNACCEPTABLE for anyone under the age of TWO!
This won’t help you right now, but he is probably going through some change that will pass in a few days and he’ll be back on a more livable schedule. Babies can’t get by on that little sleep for long. Right now, though, it probably feels like an eternity.
Bummer! I don’t remember the 9 month stage with my kids. Either my brain has repressed the memories or they were pretty good (I’m voting on the first…). Emmy’s at 6 months though, so we’ll see how she does! Good luck getting him to sleep!
Best of luck! Non sleeping babies are HARD.