Step-by-Step Sleep Training Guide for Your 10 Month Old

30 Comments

  1. Irma Verhoosel

    Goodmorning, my 10 months old daughter is an early riser since she was 6 months old. She now wakes up every day at 5.20. Since 4 weeks we removed the third nap and expanded the wake windows a bit (2,5 hours in the morning, hence first nap at 800) , then 3 hours and 3.75 hours. But so far we do not see any result. we implement all the tips and tricks. no sleep association, she has control over her pacifier, we treat the 5.20 am as night .. actually we do all what is recommended. Should we be more patience? Or should we shuffle her schedule? Hence is her first nap too early? thank you!

    Reply
    • Alyssa Taft

      Hello Irma,

      Early wakings can be SO frustrating! It looks like you are using great wake windows. I would love to help you investigate further. I would recommend booking a private consultation. It can really help to chat with a consultant to figure out the root cause and create a customized plan for your daughter that will help solve these wakings.

      Here are the details!
      https://programs.babysleepmadesimple.com/30-minutes-private-consultation-checkout/

      Looking forward to supporting your family.

      Best,
      Alyssa, BSMS Client Support Manager

      Reply
  2. Madeline

    My 10mo goes down for naps so easy and takes good naps, but bedtime can take anywhere from 40 mins -1.5 hrs to get him down. From about 3-7 mo he slept through the night but when we transitioned him to the crib that all went down hill and he still hasn’t slept through the night since.

    Just confused as to what could be the issue. First nap is 2.5hrs after wake and second is 3hrs after wake. We aim for bedtime 3-3.5 hrs after wake window but nothing is working.

    Reply
    • Artemis

      Sorry to hear that, Madeline. Sometimes babies need a while to adjust to the crib, as well as specific support to learn how to self-soothe and fall asleep peacefully at bedtime.

      We help parents do this every single day in our 21 Days to Peace & Quiet program. We would love to help you, too!
      https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant/

      Hope to see you in there, just click the link and let’s get started!
      Artemis, BSMS Support Team

      Reply
  3. Colleen

    I have a brest fed 10 month old who has always nursed before sleep. We have a good bedtime routine with the same bedtime each night. I try to put him down drowsy but awake. He keeps sitting up now and won’t lay down. He sleeps while sitting until he topples over and then he wakes up crying again. This started last night and went on for 2.5 hours. I switched to CIO because the gentle methods weren’t working. He still wakes up at least two times a night and I give him the boob so he goes back to sleep. Then he wakes again at 5ish, ready for the day.

    Last night was the first night that I nursed him first and then did the bedtime routine without a final nursing as the last step. This is when he sat up and just wouldn’t go down. I caved after 2.5 hours and nursed him.

    I’m not sure he knows how to lie back down and I don’t know what to do. Do I just keep trying this until he finally lays down? Do I go in and lay him down multiple times until he’s too tired to get back up? I’m at a loss and need him sleep trained before he starts standing and can’t get back to sleep.

    Any advice?

    Reply
    • Artemis

      Hi Colleen,

      sorry to hear you’ve been struggling with your 10 month old’s sleep.

      First of all, for sitting up in the crib, here’s a full guide on what to do:
      https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-stands-sits-up-in-crib-wont-sleep/

      As for sleep training, I hear you still struggle with early wakings, nursing to sleep, and night wakings.

      We have quick hands-off methods in our sleep training program that I think could be very helpful to you. Many parents find success within a few days only!

      Click here to sign up:
      https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/baby-sleep-consultant

      Hoping to see you in the program,
      Artemis, BSMS Support Team

      Reply
  4. Douniah ismail

    I have a bad habit feeding my baby to sleep even if it’s sip it’s a bad haven’t for him he won’t sleep unless I give him a sip his 10 months old

    Reply
    • Alyssa Taft

      Hello!

      I can completely relate since I also nursed both of my daughters to sleep until they were 6 months old. I know it can seem daunting to teach your LO how to fall asleep independently, but once your LO learns this skill, he will be able to put himself to sleep AND resettle on his own in the middle of the night. It is a lifelong skill and everyone in the family will sleep better 🙂 Definitely check out our 21 Days to Peace and Quiet program if you are looking for step by step guidance to teach your LO how to fall asleep independently!

      https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program

      Best,
      Alyssa, BSMS Support Team

      Reply
  5. Jessica Anne Crocos

    I have a 10month old that will sleep any where but her crib. As soon as i put her in there she wakes up and sits up. She will even start crying when in the crib. I have tried soothing her back to sleep and the tough love of leaving her for few minutes to see of she will settle but nothing is working.
    Is it because she doesn’t like to be closed in? She does like to roll alot and does hit the sides heaps with head and hands.. What can i do to get her to sleep in her own cot.. please help

    Reply
    • Micaela

      Hi Jessica,
      if she was never used to sleep in the crib, it’s very normal for her to fight it. The best way is to teach her how to fall asleep independently in her crib since that’s the safest place and where she will have the most restorative sleep she can have. Our sleep training program can help you achieve this goal and w also have a lot of tips to help you transition her to the crib from various environments. You can find more info here https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program/

      Have a nice day! Micaela BSMS Support Team

      Reply
  6. victoria

    So I have a 10 month old and pretty much since the day she was born she has been held and fed to go to sleep. Well now she won’t self soothe herself to sleep, and needs a bottle to go to sleep…in the mornings my husband goes to work for 10 so me her and my husband load up in the car and head to his job and she will normally take a 10-15 min nap on the way back home and when I try to soothe her back to sleep once we get back she’s got so much energy just from the cat nap she took. How to I fix this she also sometimes does this in the evenings when I pick him up from work around 6. What should I do?

    Reply
  7. Jenny

    Hi there.

    My son wakes up 45min after I put him down.. Sometimes 30min later. I understand that this is because he needs me to put him back to sleep as have been feeding and cuddling. So I’m working on that now haha. But my question is… Do I try settle him back to sleep or just get him up? So tricky…because I feel if I settle him back to sleep then he’s using me to fall asleep again… But then I also don’t want an overtired baby either ?
    Any advice would be so greatly appreciated.
    Thankyou.
    Jenny

    Reply
    • panagiota

      Hi there Jenny. Thank you for your message.

      When baby wakes about soon after bedtime it means:
      A.) He was too drowsy when he fell asleep at bedtime so he didn’t learn to fall asleep on his own. Make sure your baby’s eyes are still open and he’s “aware” that he’s going into her bed at bedtime.
      B.) he was put to bed too late/too tired. Stick to the recommended awake times for his age. Even if baby falls asleep on his own at bedtime, if he was too tired (awake time was too long) it can cause him to wake more at night.

      This IG post has more details on this –> https://www.instagram.com/p/CBvXEQcKrf5/

      Try implementing these tips for a few days and let us know how things work out. Good luck. Panagiota, BSMS Support Team

      Reply
  8. Victoria

    This is all great and I hope to implement it. But what do you do when you have an almost 4 year old (that still takes naps) and a 2 year old?

    Reply
    • Alyssa Taft

      Hello Victoria,

      Thank you so much for your message. It can definitely be challenging when you have multiple kiddos napping! My best advice would be to try and get the 4 year old and 2 year old on the same nap schedule. You can also try to align the 10 month old’s afternoon nap to be around the same time as the other kiddos. Try to do the same bedtime for all 3 kids (may not be completely possible), but the wake times may look a little different in the morning! Alyssa, BSMS Support Team

      Reply
  9. Ashley

    Hi! I currently have a 10 month old which I have to wake around midnight to feed due to sugar issues. She currently sleeps in a doc a tot and my MIL watches her during the week. Until just recently, I found out that my
    MIL was holding her through her naps and now that I am home with her bc of the virus stuff, I’m finding she won’t sleep unless I am holding her. She also is going through a sleep regression as she is almost walking. The doc a tot is in the crib and I wanted to see if you are able to help me be able to transition her out of the doc a tot and to be able to put her in her crib while she is a wake to go to sleep. As a younger baby, she had some health issues until about 7 months and I had to Rick and hold her up after feedings so she is used to being held at night to fall asleep. Thank you in advance for your help!!!

    Reply
  10. Roxanne

    Hi Jilly,

    When I had my daughter and I was in maternity leave I was able to create a schedule and kept it until she was about 3 months. I had to return to work and my mom and mother in law decided not to follow that schedule. I divided to co-sleep with her for the sake of getting some sleep since she was waking up too much during the night. At the moment she is ten months I am wondering if it is possible to create an schedule for the evening time only, when I am with her since I can’t control what happens when I am at work? Is it possible for her to sleep through the night and have a bedtime routine that will accomplish her sleeping in her crib without me. Thank you for your time !!

    Best regards,

    Reply
    • panagiota

      Hi there mama. Sorry to hear this. (I sure do know the struggle). Don’t worry, we’ll get you there. First, have you tried the tips from this guide? If you haven’t please try implementing these tips for a week or two.

      Also, if you haven’t already, you can sign up for our free Exhausted Mom’s Survival Kit –> https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/exhausted-moms-survival-kit. It’s a step by step guide that walks you through on how to get your little one sleeping great, day & night. Let us know if you have any more questions. Good luck. Panagiota, BSMS Support Team

      Reply
    • Brion Teapo

      Hey,
      So I have a 10 month old who cosleeps with her dad & I. She’s exclusively breastfed & takes solids. She normally falls asleep on the boob, but wakes several times throughout the night for a sooth feed or just to lay on me until she goes back to sleep. She was recently really sick, so I allowed her to get comfortable in this behavior until she got better. Now that she’s back in good health I’ve been trying to break these bad habits by allowing her to feed on the boob until she’s almost asleep. I then break her latch and try to get her to sooth herself to sleep. This HAS NOT been going well. She cries for literally hours until I let her lay on my chest to fall asleep. Should I allow this? Am I going about this the right way? Eventually I’d like to get her in her crib.. Dad & I just want our sleep back 🙁

      Reply
      • Micaela

        Hello Brion,
        nursing to sleep is natural and completely normal. It’s actually not a problem until it “becomes a problem” and you’re having to get up and feed your baby back to sleep many times at night. Once your baby reaches 5-6 months, it’s possible to teach them to self-settle to sleep. THIS will lead to long stretches of sleep and STTN when your baby is developmentally ready.
        It won’t necessarily be “easy” in that your little one may get upset learning a new way of falling asleep, BUT a few days of teaching independent sleep habits will lead to YEARS of peaceful and happy sleep for everyone.
        There are several ways of teaching your LO a new way of falling asleep. The best approach will depend on your LO’s temperament and your parenting preferences. This is what we help parents do every day in our program, 21 Days to Peace & Quiet.

        Our sleep training program has advice on moving to a crib from a variety of sleep spaces such as parents’ bed, the Rock n Play, Dock a Tot, bassinet, etc…. so you’re covered for that! The program focuses on getting babies happily and easily sleeping in the crib all night long. The crib is the safest place for babies and toddlers to sleep and also leads to the most restorative sleep.

        If you wish to have a roadmap you can follow and our daily support through this journey, I would advise you to have a look at our sleep training program.
        Happy to answer any other questions you have. https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program/
        Micaela BSMS Support Team

        Reply
  11. Lexi Bowles

    We co-sleep with our 10 month old. It started once we couldn’t swaddle her anymore and she wouldn’t settle in her bassinet. Any tips on getting her to sleep in the crib?

    Reply
    • Leena

      Hi Lexi! When making big changes to your LO’s sleep routine, We prefer taking time to spread out the steps. Moving gradually leads to less resistance and tears from your baby.

      ? So this is an example of how you can gently and gradually transition out of co-sleeping:

      ① Move a few feet away from baby in your bed. Spend 1-2 nights sleeping with some distance between the two of you. This gets your baby used to NOT sleeping right next to your body. An easy way to do this is to scoot away after baby has fallen asleep.

      ⓶ Put baby’s crib (or a Pack n Play) next to your bed and have your LO sleep there. (You’ll probably have to place him in there already asleep.) After each night waking, once he’s fallen asleep, gently transfer him to the crib. If he can spend any amount of time sleeping in the crib the first few nights, that’s a win!

      ③ Move baby’s crib to her bedroom once she’s spending the majority of the night sleeping there. Most babies and parents sleep better in their own rooms, because they don’t wake each other up. Use a video monitor so you can check on your LO.

      ④ Begin sleep training (if needed.) Your baby is now sleeping in her crib, in his own bedroom! The way to get him easily settling herself to sleep and sleeping all night is by beginning sleep training.

      My program, 21 Days to Peace & Quiet, walks you through it all, step-by-step. About 40-50% of parents that join the program are co-sleeping. But we get them all happily sleeping through the night, in a way that suits their baby’s temperament and their parenting styles.

      You can enroll to the program here: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program

      Hope these tips help! Good luck mama! / Leena, BSMS Support Team

      Reply
  12. Alexandra Do Nistor

    Hi Jilly,
    My 10 month boy is getting worse with his sleep. He slept through the night since he was 1 month old until 5 month when he started teething. After that he started waking up every 2-3 hours for breastfeeding and we kept doing this until he was 8 months old. After that I refused to breastfeed during the night and we gave him a bottle with water since we had hot nights and he got thirsty, but recently, the last two weeks at least he wakes up every hour, and he does not go back to sleep unless we give him water. I am exhausted and i tried to let him cry it out some nights, i tried to soothe him, nothing works. I know he can sleep the entire night without any problems but i just don’t know how to get back there. He sleeps in his own bed, by himself, even during the day naps, i just put him in, give him the pacifier and his sleep toy and he goes to sleep, but during the night he just can’t go back to sleep on his own. Any advice for me? Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Leena

      Hi Alexandra! Thank you for your post! That sounds exhausting! Usually when sleep is suddenly off the rails but has been good before, it can be a sign of a regression. There is one often at 8 months, so it could be that it threw your previous sleep routine off and you’re still seeing the affects of it. The best thing you can do is to jump right back to your sleep training as the base is there and you KNOW that your LO can STTN and self settle. Jilly’s 10 month old guide above has many tips so follow and implement them closely for 1-2 weeks and you should see improvements. Consistency is key here!

      If you’d like detailed assistance, I would also recommend our program, 21 Days to Peace & Quiet. We offer 4 different step-by-step methods for you to choose from (from super gentle & gradual to quick & efficient.) Each step of the way you get advice based on your baby’s developmental stage, energy levels, and temperament.

      You enroll on this page: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program

      The program costs $197 now, but you should know that in just a few weeks’ time Jilly’s updated program will be out and it will have a $97 DIY option.

      Jilly is currently on maternity leave. As of October 1st she will be answering questions in our private Facebook group 1-2 times per week. (In the DIY option you do it all yourself. There’s no messaging option or Facebook group. BUT you get all the same information and resources and can definitely get your baby sleeping great.)

      In general, when you are 100% consistent in following the steps of the program, your baby will be sleeping great at night within 1-3 weeks. It depends on the method you choose as well as your baby’s adaptability. But we cover all of this in the program!

      I hope this isn’t too confusing. Happy to answer any questions you have about the program.

      Have a great day! / Leena, BSMS Support Team

      Reply
  13. Donna

    Help…. we do try and follow the majority of the above but baby will only sleep nap or night time with assistance to fall asleep be it feeding , rocking etc.

    We have taught him this bad habit how do we fix it ?

    He is back to waking 4 times a night and it’s a fight to get him to sleep every night and nap x

    Reply
    • Jilly Blankenship

      Hi Donna,

      The way to fix this is by teaching him to settle himself to sleep, both at bedtime and during the night when he wakes. When he can do this, he’ll fall asleep easily at bedtime and sleep longer stretches, because he can resettle himself during the night. He won’t need you to get up and feed or rock him anymore. It’s magic!

      There are many ways to teach babies how to fall asleep on their own. That’s what I help parents do in my sleep training program, 21 Days to Peace & Quiet. It gives you all the details plus several step-by-step methods to choose from. Here are all the details: https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program

      All the best,
      Jilly

      Reply
  14. Helen Stephenson

    Hi Jilly, my baby is 10 months tomorrow, she has always been exclusively breastfed but now eats ALOT of food, she only has a feed in the morning and evening, and before naps which is my issue. She is completely reliant on being fed to sleep which I am desperate to stop. I know this is really going to be down to my will power but I’m finding it extremely hard and wondered whether you have any tips?

    I track awake times and once she is asleep she sleeps very well, 2 naps in the day totalling 2-3 hours and normally sleeping through the night. When we try putting her down awake she goes absolutely mental this is the same for naps and bed time. I find it extremely upsetting and normally end up giving in which I know is the wrong thing to do but I feel like my breast feeding journey needs to come to an end once she turns 1 and also feel in the long run self settle will be much better for her.

    I would really appreciate any advice you could give.

    Kindest regards
    Helen

    Reply
    • Courtney Chaffee

      I am going through this right now with my 10 month old – she still wakes up 1-2 times per night to nurse. She’s always been small so I’m thinking it could potentially be to actually feed not just to nurse to sleep. During day she will refuse to sleep unless nursed – other days she just wants to go in crib and fall asleep without nursing. So confused! Wondering what you did as I want to stop breastfeeding at the 1 year mark as well so I can leave the house for more than an hour here and there!

      Reply
      • Alyssa Taft

        Hello Courtney,

        Thanks for your message! I would definitely chat with your LO’s pediatrician. If her doctor says she is okay for night weaning, then I would definitely go ahead and work on that. Nursing at night could be a sleep association. We cover how to break free from sleep associations step by step in our program! Definitely check out the link below if you are interested in learning more!

        https://www.babysleepmadesimple.com/21-days-to-peace-quiet-program

        Best,
        Alyssa, BSMS Support Team

        Reply

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