Advice Needed - Overtired? (Sorry, LONG)

[Mom to M&M]

So my DD (almost 16 months) has always been an early riser for the most part. We've had phases where she sleeps until 6:30-7 but they are rare and 5:40-6:10 is much more common. She seems to often wake after 9 hours and 40min-10 hours of night sleep. Maybe about half the time she'll put herself back to sleep (as long as she doesn't poop, etc). She is on one nap and it usually starts between 11-12 (which 11:30 probably being the norm) and it usually lasts 2-3 hours (probably with 2.25-2.5 being norm).

Yesterday she woke at 5:50 am after 10.5 hours sleep. She napped from 11:45-2:45. I tried to put her to bed at 7:30 but she didnt' fall asleep until at least 8 (wasn't crying just relaxing in her crib I think). At 4am I heard her on the monitor squealing and babbling. I figured she'd probably fall back asleep soon and tried to doze off myself. Anyway, she was up doing that until 5:25 (!) when she finally started to cry. I thought maybe she had a dirty diaper but when I went in that wasn't the case. She was just sitting and crying and rubbing her eyes. WI/WO does NOT work with her so I picked her up and she melted against me. I gave her teething tablets and laid her back down and she cried until I rubbed her back for a few minutes. I then left the room and she whimpered a bit and then babbled and then I think fell back asleep around 5:45. She woke crying and ready to start the day at 6:30.

At the same time, she had her 15-month shots 3 weeks ago and hasn't been the same since. They set off a wicked virus/fever which ended about 1.5 weeks ago. For the last 4-5 days she has been really congested/goopy/runny nose. Not sure if it's a cold or teething (she seems to be working on eye teeth). She didn't have any meds yesterday other than Tylenol in the morning. I did have a warm mist vaporizer running in her room both for her nap yesterday and overnight last night (although I turned it off at 2am because it was getting really steamy in there) so I don't know if that affected anything? It was a Vicks model and I had the Kaz inhalant (like Vapo-steam) running with it. It seemed to help - she sounded clearer and coughed less with it running.

Was her nap too long yesterday? Is she undertired? Overtired (which I guess is more likely)? What should we do today? I have her baby/toddler play class at our temple from 9-10:15 this morning, which is her favorite activity of the week...

TIA - sorry this is so long. I'm tired!

[mari]

Could you try to hold her nap until 12.30pm.. I don't know if this will work.  Also if I put Alex down at 7pm (she naps 12.30-2.30pm) then I have a chance of her dropping off by 7.30pm any later and she is awake until 9pm and thenovertired so get the night waking.  just a thought.

Also It wounds like she is suffering from a bout of something, probably teeth.  I would keep the vicks going to keep the airwaves clear.  Poor little thing, I hate teeth.

When you say wiwo doesn't work, what happens?

[Mom to M&M]

So even today try to hold her nap out although she only got a short night of sleep and has been up early? Will keep the vapo steam going as well. WI/WO makes her overtired and scream for ages and then tired and cranky rest of day. And if she scream/cries too much she has always been a puker...

[Mom to M&M]

FYI update - Marisa fell asleep at 11:20 - couldn't keep her awake another minute. Should I let her take a full 3 hour nap if she somehow can and then shoot for 7pm bedtime if so? The nap isn't entirely restful - some sneezing and coughing while she sleeps. The vaporizer is on so hopefully that starts to help for the rest of the nap.

[Mom to M&M]

Me again. I'm just about to wake DD after a 3 hour nap at 2:20. Any thoughts as to bedtime tonight? Should we go on the overtired assumption and shoot for 7pm asleep?

Edited to say that about 30 seconds before I was going to wake her, DD woke up on her own out of a deep sleep crying hard (after 3 hour nap)... Poor dear...

[andibig]

no harm in trying an earlier bedtime.if shes unwell she probably needs the extra sleep.
HTH

[mari]

as she woke at 2.20 I would think a bedtime of 6.30-7pm should be ok.  As pp said, she probably needs more sleep if she isn't well.  That 3 hour nap will do her the world of good. 

Hope she gets well soon.

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks guys. I just wasn't sure since she also took a 3 hour nap yesterday but then was up from 4-5:30 this morning. I won't be able to do a 6:30 bedtime because of work obligations (I work from home and have appts at 6 and 6:15) but definitely by 7 or a tiny bit sooner. It was so weird that she woke sobbing - had to put on TV for a minute to calm her down... No fever and playing but clingy and really goopy/congested

[mari]

Poor little thing, they so want their mum when they are ill.  Give her a hug from me. 

[Mom to M&M]

Thx again. Got her in bed last night at 7 but she didn't fall asleep until 7:20 or so. Heard a brief cry around 2:15am but only lasted few seconds, again around 4:30 and up for day at 6:20 - so definitely a big improvement. Should I try to delay her nap until close to 12 today?

[andibig]

if shes unwell i think you might have to go by her signals for the time being.sounds like shes had a better sleep tonight. it doesn't matter that she didn't fall asleep straight away at 7 it just getting her to bed tired and not over tired. i know with Sasha just 30 mins later bedtime causes problems.

[Mom to M&M]

Agreed - just tough with her as she's always had confusing tired signs. Anyway, she fell asleep at 11:50. After 2 hours and 5 minutes she cried for a few seconds but fell back asleep and then she woke after 3 hours again (same as last two days) at 2:50, so I guess  will try for bedtime around 7:45 unless she seems to be tired earlier? Still not sure if this is a cold or extreme teething or both. I can see the whites of two of the eye teeth and they seem to be bothering her a lot.

[andibig]

Some LOs can really be bothered when teething with their eye teeth.We were lucky with Sashas as 3 came at the same time and she was ok with them-however the other 13 were hell!!!!
again if you think she needs an earlier bedtime then go for it.usually when Sasha starts resisting b/time its a sign for me to move her bedtime later

[Mom to M&M]

So Marisa seems to finally be getting over this cold/virus although she has a bit of a post-nasal drip cough (but rarely now). Sleep is still a bit odd. Yesterday she woke at 5 (!) and needed a stroller catnap from 9-9:30 and then took a huge nap from 12:30-3. Bedtime was 7, although she didn't fall asleep until 7:30. She woke at 6 today and seemed really tired this morning but we were busy and then she fell asleep for her nap at 11:15. Unfortunately she woke at 12:45 but did play happily in her crib until 1:25 (!). So does the crib play/quiet time at least count as rest? Any thoughts as to a reasonable bedtime tonight so as not to perpetuate early wakings from either overtired or because too early a bedtime either? 6:45? She does have the opportunity for a stroller catnap or at least rest/zone out around 4 as we'll be runnign some errands after a playground stint this afternoon...

[andibig]

I would maybe try a little earlier if shes been awake since 12.45.you could try 6.15-6.30.may take a while for the early wakings to go while shes getting back on track.
sasha now has a cold  so her sleeps gone completey bonkers (again)

[Mom to M&M]

6:15 definitely won't be possible but will try 6:30 and definitely no later than 6:45. I'm hoping maybe she dozes off in the stroller after the playground - would still do an early bedtime of no later than 7 but it would help keep her from being so overtired. Sorry to hear Sasha has a cold - sending get well vibes your way.