Play Time in Bed

Updated on September 08, 2011
J.D. asks from Lockport, NY
6 answers

My 8 month old has been pulling himself up for a few weeks now, and he has now decided to skip sleeping to climb and play all around in his crib. We have been able to put him down awake and he will settle down and fall asleep with a good night of sleep. Now, the minute we put him in the crib he flips over and starts pulling himself up. I place him back down and tell him it's time for bed and rub his back for a few minutes. The minute I take my hands off of him he is back at it. I feel like I'm in a constant wrestling match every night. He is also waking up in the middle of the night and we go through the same thing. Any suggestions???

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

When... a baby is attaining new skills/motor-skills/hitting milestones or changes in motor-movements... they do this.
It is, instinctual and they do not have, control over their impulses, yet.
Hence, they 'practice' their skills, anytime, including in the crib when they are 'supposed' to be sleeping.
It is normal.
It is a phase.
It passes... ONCE they attain, mastery over their coordination and motor-skills.

They DO NOT, yet know how... to do the entire 'sequencing' of their movements nor how to lay back down all proper, to then sleep again.
They lay down, pull-up, stand up and do not yet know how, to sit back down again, and then to put themselves back into a laying down position.
They are learning, it.

So in the meantime, yes it is repetitive. And yes you have to help them.

This is ALL normal.
It is developmental based.

It passes.
He is on par, for this stage of motor-skill development.
It is a good, thing.

3 moms found this helpful
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K.U.

answers from Detroit on

I wouldn't do anything - he's fine. Let him pull himself up and then figure out how to lay himself back down again. Let him learn to fall asleep on his own. A wrestling match is not necessary.

3 moms found this helpful
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C.W.

answers from Washington DC on

leave him in there. He will eventually settle himself down and realize that mom isn't going to come in every time he thinks he should be up and about. After he doesn't get a reaction he will go back to sleep.

2 moms found this helpful

S.M.

answers from Kansas City on

small night light, a couple of safe toys, some soft music, shut the door and let the baby learn to be happy in there.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.P.

answers from Buffalo on

My daughter did pretty much the same thing. I just put her to bed, told her I loved her, and left. I would not go back in. She would play until she fell asleep. I don't think she ever woke up in the middle of the night though. I wouldn't go in then if she did. I would just let her work it out. Sometimes she would fall asleep sitting up, but it never seemed to bother her. SHe is a fantastic sleeper. I think she just needed to find her "groove." I always put her to bed at the same time. I said I can't force her to sleep, only to be in bed. Good luck! :)

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G.J.

answers from New York on

my son is now almost a year old (i can't believe how quickly this year has gone!) and he FINALLY started sleeping through the night only about a month ago. it was really rough there for a long while and i tried everything to get him to sleep all night with the exception of crying it out. my husband and i definitely thought about it a few times as we were desperate, but i'm glad we didn't go all out with CIO! i've been doing the same bedtime routine since he was about 3 months old...bath, nurse/bottle, rock to sleep/lay with him in bed and i definitely feel like it's helped a lot. now instead of rocking him to sleep, i lay with him in our bed while he has his bottle. once he finishes his bottle, he usually rolls around a little, sometimes plays for a little while, but soon enough he falls asleep and i carry him into his crib where he sleeps all night.
the entire process does take about 30 min (on rough nights, 1 hour) so it's not as easy as just putting him in his bed, closing the door and walking out. But since I work full time and don't have much time with him during the day, I really don't mind spending this time with him and helping him to fall asleep. After all, he is still a baby and needs the comfort of a parent to ease him into a restful night.
I'm really just happy that he's not waking up in the middle of the night anymore!
Good Luck!

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