My son has always been a poor sleeper and always slept below the recommendations that children should sleep for each given age. However, for the past week, he's been sleeping longer in the morning but he's waking up crabbier and taking more frequent naps that don't get him back to his usual charming self. No fever...he is teething but has been teething for a long while. He's sleeping an additional 1.5 hours longer in the a.m. and this a.m. he was only up for 2 hours and now he's back down for a 2 hour nap! Is this abnormal or can he perhaps be playing catch up from all the months he's gone without adequate sleep? Thoughts?

By Frasersmama on Thursday, March 3, 2005 - 01:46 pm:

My dd has gone through many changes in her sleep routine, she also used to be a poor sleeper, but has since turned over a new leaf. Could be he is teething. My dd takes a loooong time getting teeth in, but at varying times in the process goes through periods of waking up in the night, waking up extra early in the am and then sleeping for longer periods.

Kids go through different sleep phases, and in the absence of anything else different in his manner or routine that is worrisome, I would just try to enjoy it and have a little extra mommy time.

By Heaventree on Thursday, March 3, 2005 - 02:33 pm:

Enjoy it! Before you know his sleep patterns will change again. I wouldn't worry he may be going through a growth spurt. It is too bad he's crabby, but sometimes when I wake up from my afternoon nap, I'm a bit crabby too.

By Palmbchprincess on Thursday, March 3, 2005 - 03:54 pm:

Growth spurt! The first bit of advice my mother gave me was never wake a sleeping baby if you can help it. Enjoy the sleep, we don't store up, or "catch up" sleep, but if he's growing he'll sleep and eat more than normal.

By Tink on Thursday, March 3, 2005 - 05:59 pm:

My first thought was growth spurt also. My kids are all great sleepers but they will conk out hours early and sleep late if they hit a spurt. Is he eating more too? My ped said that the growth hormone is released while sleeping so when you think they've grown overnight, they have!

By Andi on Thursday, March 3, 2005 - 10:56 pm:

I also thought...growth spurt!
Enjoy the extra mommy time!

By Kittycat_26 on Friday, March 4, 2005 - 08:22 am:

Crystal, I thought the same thing. I've made the mistake of waking that sleeping baby and did I ever regret it.