12-18 Months in Review: Hank's Sleep

We have received so many amazing after sharing Hank’s sleep in the first year. It really does go to show just how much we need to be NORMALIZING NORMAL sleep patterns for babies. Toddler sleep is also something that we really need to be normalizing as well - which is why today we are sharing what sleep has looked like for Hank from age 12 months to 18 months!

To start, we want to remind you, IT IS NORMAL FOR YOUR TODDLER TO WAKE OR HAVE NIGHT FEEDS BEYOND 12 MONTHS! If your little one has passed their first birthday and is still not sleeping 12 hours straight for you, YOU ARE STILL AN AMAZING MOTHER.

Sarah is sharing what the last 6 months have looked like for Hank. He has continued to nurse to sleep or back to sleep, he still would wake through the night and he still needs support with sleep, which are all very normal toddler sleep patterns! Here’s what the last 6 months have looked like for Hank:

12-13 Months

Consistently on two naps, shorter in the morning then longer in the afternoon
Nursing at bedtime, sometimes nursing to sleep, other times snuggling after
Still fully supported to sleep
1-2 feeds a night (usually 1)
Bedsharing after 1st wake, starts night on his own floor bed

13-14 Months

Transitioning to 1 nap. This wasn’t too bad of a transition but did do a lot of back and forth depending on wake up time and nap length - or just capacity to have a longer wake window
- Two nap days often included capping the second nap or a bit later bedtime
- One nap days often resulted in a 6pm bedtime
1-2 feeds a night (usually 1)

14-15 Months

Consistently on one nap, usually between 11-2 and would nap up to 3 hours, usually somewhere between 1.5-3 hours which he still nurses to sleep for
HELLO MOLARS - not a fun time (as I am sure many of you can relate).
- More wakes, more support, more comfort nursing
- Teeth do not typically affect naps the same way it does nights thankfully for him
Naturally moving away from nursing to sleep but still fully supported to sleep. Hank has a floor bed (and has since birth) so mom or dad will snuggle and rub his back and sing

15-16 Months

Doing well with one nap, still between 2-3 hours, nurses to sleep for nap better than he does at bedtime
Back down to 1-2 night feeds, quick 5 mins and back to sleep
Bed sharing second half of night but starts night on his own
Still fully supported to sleep

16-17 Months

On one nap but needing to cap it at 2 hours max so that bedtime wasn’t getting too late
1-2 wakes a night for a quick feed
Fully supported to sleep, starts the night on his own then bed shares after he wakes and is nursed back to sleep

17-18 Months

One nap is still going well. Hank naps earlier than most and goes down between 11-1 and has to be up by 1:30 latest to go to bed at a time that works for the family’s rhythm
Night time feeds started to increase which led to Sarah starting to actively set some limits and begin night weaning - you can read about the journey here!

Went from 1-3 feeds to 2-5 (purely because he would wake and ask for it)

We hope this helps you feel more empowered and less alone when it comes to sleep! It is very normal for toddlers to need support to fall asleep and to fall back to sleep, to wake a night and still need feeds at 12 months and beyond. You're doing amazing and your baby is so lucky to have you!