One nap but short, nearly 12mo

[jessmum46]

B has pretty much transitioned to one nap, a couple of tiny (like 5 mins) CNs here and there but essentially we are on one nap - hurrah!  But it's short and so we are stuck at EBT. I don't mind it for now but can see it may not be sustainable, especially since he starts nursery in just over a week.

We've been doing a set nap and pushing 15 mins every few days, today was day 5 of nap at 11.30.

Routine looking like

WU 6.15/30
Nap 11.30 for about 70 mins
BT 6
V brief ENW most nights - usually self-settles then STTN

I resettled a 50 min nap on one day but only in the car (wouldn't go in bed) and then had to wake him up. But there's no way he's going back after 70 mins, is happy enough once up and handling the afternoon ok.  However he seems very tired and cranky from about 11am. I tried pulling back 15 mins today and got a cry-out at 45 mins and then up for good at 1h05

Otherwise he has cut his third molar this week, I've medicated for naps but not made a difference. Settles easily for nap and bedtime. And for the first time in his life is waking and playing in the morning until we come to get him

Do you think it's a matter of time before nap lengthens out? Or do I need to push it later?  The only longer naps we've had were 2-3 weeks ago and generally after a bit longer A or EW.  More recently than that we were at least getting 1h30 after about 5h A though it seemed like an OT nap. It's only recently that WU has been around 6.30am though which is why I was wondering if pushing later could be the way to go. But UT on 5h A?  Sorry I'm confused!

[Martini~]

Do you think Honey that it matters right now before the nursery?
I mean - he will start nursery and probably will short nap anyway in first weeks/months. So if UT is a problem, he should be starting doing longer nap the day after nursery.

On the other hand, I think that this is OT - as I see many kids doing short 1:10-1:25 naps in first weeks/month of going to one nap. And you cannot do much, just ride it out.

And! on the third hand:D,  his nights are great,  he seems fine in the morning with his hapy waking. Maybe that's the final call about him being even more LSN then J? I have to tell that F  who isn't very prone to OT, did such naps but had much worse nights on those days.

[creations]

Do they do set nap time at nursery? What time would that be at? I think this makes a big difference as regularly of routine is perhaps more important than A times at this point.

FWIW mine was doing 6hr A on one nap
A 6hr
nap 2hr
A 4hr
ONS 12
but 12hrs night sleep was short lived once he got used to one nap, he went back to his normal shorter night.
Also FWIW I had to W2S mine several times per nap to force him to take one full long nap. He had previously done a great 2hr morning nap for something like 6 months and I felt sure he would continue it when we dropped to one nap but be didn't.  The long A gave him OT wake ups (hence W2S on those) but any shorter A and he was UT and would not be re-settled at all.

You said the 1hr 30 seemed like an OT nap (on the longer A time) do you mean because he was crying lots when he woke and really cranky?  Mine wakes like that on UT naps - yk just to confuse everybody!

[jessmum46]

Set nap will be 11.45 give or take a few mins, nursery will be three days a week (mon, thu, fri).  We did keep the consistency with J and it worked really well until she refused nap at home at that time so would be keen to do so again.

I assumed the 1h30 was OT as it was after a short disturbed night and woke really upset, seemed cranky afterwards whereas on these 1h10 ish naps he wakes a bit grumpy (mostly) but more annoyed than screaming and quite happy to play afterwards. 

Eta....knew it wasn't sustainable....unsettled night and EW

[creations]

I would just aim to do the set nap at 11.45 like at nursery then.
Have you tried bringing BT earlier, maybe just a few nights to see what happens?

[jessmum46]

I guess I could try, there's a limit to how early I can do really with dinner, sorting DD etc but can try for sure.  This morning I let him have a 10 min CN in the car to get us through to set time without meltdown, he's grumbling about settling now but fingers crossed. Thanks Creations x

[jessmum46]

May I have a little help please?  Got stuck with early mornings (I know not technically EWs) after that unsettled night and not sure what to do.  He is still cutting a molar/molars but he seems to be waking reasonably happily rather than crying.  We don't get out of bed until 6 earliest.

Sun:
Unsettled from 4.20, WU 5.25?
CN 9.25-9.35
Nap 11.35-13.05 (1h30, cried at 45m)
BT 6
Brief NW 20.30

Mon:
WU 5.45
Refused CN despite being in pushchair most of morning - was v OT by naptime
Nap 11.20-13.10 (1h50)
BT 6

Today:
WU 5.35

I haven't tried an earlier BT than 6 yet but maybe now's the time?  I'm just a bit wary of the day slipping backwards though as I'd really prefer to get to that 11.30/45 nap.  Any thoughts for this morning?  He can't handle 6h A at all so I'm guessing I have to try a CN?

[Martini~]

What about doing a later longer nap at day when you managed to squize a cn?

[jessmum46]

I'd like to do that if I could, trouble is timing.  Last time I tried a 30 min CN in the morning it took me over 5h and a car ride to get him down again.  At least I know if I keep it really short I can get him down again at the set time which at least means things are no worse!

[Martini~]

I just thought about day like Sunday when catnap is 10min but second nap is let's say 12:00 or 12:15/12:30 so it's slightly longer and let you do a normal 6:30/7:00pm bt?

[jessmum46]

Ah ok I see.  Even though that 1h30 nap on Sunday was likely OT?  I guess even if its an OT nap a longer later one would get us closer to BT? 

Basically what I need is for him to get a bit older

[creations]

So on Monday, I know you said he was really OT by nap time but he did a longer nap at 1hr 50 after just over 5.5hr A. What was the nap like and his mood? I mean, I wouldn't expect it to be perfect but is it manageable to keep like that for a little while do you think?
My thought is
WU today 5.35
A 5.5hr (rather than set time)
nap 11/11.20 (FX for 1.5 to 2hr) - 1.00
A short if possible but whenever you can get him down for a CN or even car micro nap
CN 5 - 5.15/30 or even a micro nap as late as 6.00, say 5 or 10 min in the car??
BT would be late, but might help to move the day on tomorrow so you can try for that later nap closer to 11.45

It's just a thought.

Our 2-1 did not go smoothly at all but one thing I did learn about DS was that I had to just work with his tired grump for a while to get us through the transition, there was no way of getting the 'right' time nap as he was constantly OT/UT which is why the best way through in the end was for me to put him down super OT and do W2S every 20 mins to keep him asleep (every 20 because of the OT WUs but this way he at least DID sleep, I could get a 2hr nap this way, the W2S took 2 mins, in at 19 mins out at 21mins, in at 39mins out at 41mins and so on to 2hrs).

Posted along with you and Marta, sorry I'm offering a different idea and might be confusing matters, just ideas though, go with what you feel is right for today x

[jessmum46]

Thanks Hun, I do appreciate having more than one perspective I guess it's just as you said, there is no right answer at this point.  Will have to work on accepting that I guess!  I'll see how he's going this morning and make a call based on that xx

[Martini~]

Haha Creations:)! I guess that we propose the same: longer day on long nap and a teeny catnap followed by late BT.

[jessmum46]

Well it looks like B has opted for Creations plan refused CN this morning, it's now nearly 10.30am so going to try for around 11/11.15 and hope for the best.  Afternoon CNs haven't happened for some time but we can live in hope!