Nap too short? OT? Update please HELP! :(

[CattyPads]

Hi,
We have recently moved one from two to one naps as he was starting to refuse his morning catnap. My baby is 16mo today.

But some days he only naps 1:30hrs and he wakes up crying. When he sleeps more he seems happier. The problem is, he wakes up at different times every morning. Anyway, I don't think one and a half hours is enough, this is my EASY what do you think? Thanks

WU 8:30-9-9:30 depending on the day.
S 15:00 (is his A too long??)
S 21:30 (too late right

Thnaks

[Haribo2012]

Hi for us 1.5 hours or less on 1 nap were OT. I personally think that first A is too long, have you tried a nap after lunch say 12.30/1pm?
Your day at 13 hours isn't really too long but maybe consider a 12 hour day on a nap of 1.5 hours. x

[Chloevalentine]

My lo will also be 16mo end of this month and he does one nap of 2 hrs sometimes 1.5 and also usually wakes crying from tbe shorter nap but we do a 12 hr day and his wAke times differ a lot too. He usually wakes at 7-730 then we do lunch at 12 down for a nap from 1230-2/230 then bed by 730. Or wake at 8 lunch 1230 nap from 1-3 bed at 8. Hope that helps

[CattyPads]

Thank you guys.
I suspected his A might be too long, should I cut it to 5hrs?
 Can I also make his BT earlier (by half hour?) or I shouldn't do it all at once?
Thanks 

[Haribo2012]

Yes I'd try 5 hours and if nap 1.5 hrs keep to a 12 hour day.
Really if WU is 8.30 and nap is 2 hours he prob won't really be ready for bed much sooner than 9.
If you want earlier BT you might need to wake in the morning a tad earlier x

[CattyPads]

Thank you,

Well everything is going wrong now. I am at my wits end, I am now pregnant again which is lovely news, but I feel so ill and tired all the time.

Now he seems to be taking longer to go to sleep, waking up earlier and earlier (10hr night TOPS which not long ago was 11/11:30) and his nap is getting shorter too.  What is happening??  I am finding it all so hard with how rubbish I feel
... What am I doing wrong?

Ps, his behaviour has changed too, which I guess means tiredness....

[Haribo2012]

Hi hun, congrats on your fab news 

Your doing nothing wrong, this age for us was nightmare sleep (sorry) and I think a lot was teeth/developemental and OT build up.
If you suspect it's OT then I'd do a really early bedtime to see if he tacks on a pulls a great night. Alternatively you could give him a little CN about 9am for 15 mins then do normal nap.
There is a sleep regression around 18 months that can be bad if he's nearing this age might be that...!

If his nap is short you could take a leap of faith and try an 11.5 hour day to see if he's just getting past it do can't settle to sleep!?x

[CattyPads]

Thanks for the reply haribo

I guess the hormones are making everything a million times worse I am just soooooo tired!!

Well last night he didn't fall asleep until 10pm then today he woke at 7:45 and then he napped after lunch for 55mins!! Disaster or what!
I am not sure which of your suggestions to pick... The one you say about an early night is that like a one off to catch up? Won't he wake up super early?

Can you help me decide lol, thanks.... Am desperate here! Oh and he has just turned 16months no nowhere near the 18...so far he doesn't seem to have been affected by the regressions, that I've noticed!

[Haribo2012]

Bless you it's hard when your tired.
Personally I'd go with BT 7.30pm on that short nap, it often works that an EBT combats the OT and LO gets into a more restful sleep and sleep longer.

I'd try that tonight and then if WU is decent do a nap 5 hours from WU and take it from there.

Any teeth moving about?x

[CattyPads]

Hi haribo

Yes he has the "fangs" coming out... He is soooo grumpy. (And he usually isn't, I am pretty sure it's tiredness).
Again things didn't go well, I got back late  from work and put him down at 9, he didn't go to  sleep until 9:30 (even though he was shattered) and again woke up 7:45am. His nap today... 1hr 20mins.

Things have been getting worse since the clocks went back but I don't think I can blame it on that anymore. Oh and today I trķes a catnap at 11:30 and he went crazy!

If I put him down later (so he wKes later and we get back to normal) I guess that would have the opposite effect? Just an idea. It's just that an early one can be tricky due to work commitments but if you really belive that would sort it I could get DH to come home earlier or whatever.

Thanks again.... 

[Haribo2012]

Fangs played absolute havoc with us and no amount of tweaking worked to be honest 

I do think his day is too long on that nap but if you have to have it that way due to work then you could just try at the weekend?

I'll ask someone else to have a peek see if they can give another view  x

[CattyPads]

If it's too long then  we will work something out, so for 1,30 nap I should aim for a 12 hour day I guess?

So it's the fangs then! I have been in despair wondering where my sweet baby boy has gone lol! Will things get back to normal if the tweaking doesn't work?

Thanks again 

[Haribo2012]

I'd try a 12 hour day on 1.5 hour or less but 12.5/13 hour day if nap longer...even now at 29 months if my DS has an EW or very short nap I still do a 12 hour day to just hopefully get a better quality sleep to start the next day on.

If it's teeth just keep consistant offer meds before bed (ibuprofen) best for teeth and try keeping your routine and it will pass.

Keep smiling it will get better and you know how these little people like to test our non sleep capabilities  x

[jessmum46]

Hugs, this age is hard (16 months was when our 18m sleep regression hit) and add to that teeth it's a recipe for awfulness.  Congrats on your news, I know it makes it totally exhausting!

I think Zoe is spot on with her advice to shorten the day.  I also think consistency is key at this age, so if it were me I would set naptime and bedtime, aiming for or at least allowing a 12h day for now (personally I found 13h days were always too long for DD, even on a good nap).  Our routine at this age was WU 6.30/7, nap 12, BT 6/6.30pm - though I should say that 3x a week DD was in daycare and usually didn't nap more than an hour there which is probably why the shorter day worked for us. 

Good luck!

[CattyPads]

Thank you both. He has always been quite an easy baby so I think I got a bit relaxed with things the last few weeks.
I need to get back on track... Today we had the worst meltdown in history, I think the over tiredness is catching up with him? He cried histerically for 55mins when I put him down for his nap, and everytime I picked him up he would fall asleep in my arms. If I put him down he would wake and start all,over again.

This is extreme OT right?

I am finding it all so hard at the mo  hormones don't help huh