Your Baby this Week
” Children usually begin to walk between 9 and 18 months. Don’t take it too hard if your child is refusing when you offer to hold or carry him. He is not rejecting you. Odds are, he’s simply excited about practicing walking. In order to prevent any injuries, keep a close eye on him as he takes off, and be sure to install safety gates, if you haven’t done it yet. If your child is waking up with the roosters, here are a few things to keep in mind: First of all, is he getting the right amount of sleep? An 11-month-old baby typically takes two naps a day, each an hour to an hour and a half long and can sleep about 11 or 12 hours at night. Inadequate sleep or too much sleep can disturb his rhythm. Try to slowly shift his bedtime to a later hour to ensure he wakes up more or less at the same time as you. Just in case he does wake up earlier, spread some toys at the foot of his crib after he falls asleep so that he can entertain himself when he wakes up. Some kids like to hang out, sing, and talk, and when they wake up, without necessarily having to be picked up right away. This is a very positive development to show your child that learning how to play solo. And, remember, early rising may just be a phase that will pass, like so many others. If your baby is waking early because his sleep rhythms are off: make sure that the environment in which your child sleeps is as comfortable as possible. “
