Author Topic: What to do if lo has an early nap?  (Read 883 times)

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Offline SallyDom

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What to do if lo has an early nap?
« on: August 28, 2007, 21:29:59 pm »
Hi everyone,

Just wanted your advice on something; on Tuesday of last week Dom (17 months old) woke up at 6am which was too early as it was almost 8pm the night before when he went to bed. Consequently by about 10am he was exhausted (he'd been really crabby since getting up anyway) and had an early sleep - he'd actually crashed out on the living floor before I realised he was asleep!
I only let him have half an hour or so in the hopes that it would mean he would then have his proper nap later but it didn't seem to work cos although he did have a decent nap later and went to bed fine, he woke up during the night and then woke up at 6am the following day. He did this pretty much the whole of last week and I wondered at first if he was getting poorly but then decided he was overtired. We had a busy week last week and was out and about a lot which meant the second we got in the car or pram he would fall asleep so I couldn't keep him awake until later even I wanted to.
He had a late night last night (and woke for a bit in the night) but then did sleep until 7.45am, so we actually managed a 1 nap day, he had an hour and a half's nap and woke at just before 3pm, I was conscious of overtirdness tho and he was asleep by 7pm so hopefully doing this for a couple of days will get over the tiredness and we can then look at sorting the early mornings out. I had been trying wi/wo on the early wakings but it didn't work. He would go quiet for maybe 5 minutes (just long enough for me to get comfy in bed!) and then cry again so he never really got back to sleep.
What I would like to know is if Dom wakes up early and needs an early nap should I let him catnap and then have a proper one later, or let him have a proper nap and then go for early bed? I'm doubtful of the latter working tho as he doesn't usually nap for longer than an hour and a half so if he slept from say 10am-11.30am by 5pm he'd be so tired it would be nightmare.

Sorry this is such a long ramble but I'm suffering from a week of bad sleep and am knackered!
Sal
x
Dominic Luke 29/03/06
Isaac (Zac) James 14/11/07

Offline Layla

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Re: What to do if lo has an early nap?
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2007, 01:08:42 am »
Hey Sal,

It sounds like he is in a bit of an overtired cycle so I would start by offering him an earlier bedtime. Say 6.30pm to start with so that when he wakes at 6am he is better rested & can handle being awake for longer in the morning (before nap). I don't think 10am is late enough for a nap & he has probably outgrown the morning catnap/later & longer pm nap so you need to put him down around 11ish - let him sleep for 1.5-2hrs & do an earlier bedtime. Once he is better rested you can look at pushing his day forward. He is not able to stay awake any longer than 10am because his nights are too short. So earlier bedtime is the key to ensure he is not so cranky in the morning & in need of a nap so early in the morning.

hth
Layla



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Offline SallyDom

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Re: What to do if lo has an early nap?
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2007, 20:21:43 pm »
Thanks Layla,
We managed to have a 1 nap day today and he went to bed early again tonight so hopefully we will start to get back on track.
Thanks for the advice (again!),
Sal
x
Dominic Luke 29/03/06
Isaac (Zac) James 14/11/07