20 mth old laughs in the face of routine!!

[tired56]

I am back again with a couple of questions about my DS again!!  I had some great help from Katt and Lizzie a few weeks ago, and since then we have been on a bit of a rollercoaster with sleep.  Sometimes he sleeps through and then we go back to NWs and EWs again and short naps.  Last week he was on a good routine for 4 days and then it went to pot when he got a cold (at least, I think that's what has disturbed the sleep).  Those 4 good days and nights looked like this (with a little variation in each day):
5.30am wake
10.30 am - 12.30pm nap
6.30pm asleep for the night
So he was having about 11 hrs at night and about 2hrs for nap.
Is this complete coincidence that he did this for 4 days and nights in a row, or would you say this is probably a good routine for him?  I am having such trouble getting him back on a routine like this now that his cold is gone.

Also when his sleep goes all over the place, he starts taking longer to fall asleep.  If he is OT he can take up to 60mins to fall asleep.  Somtimes though he takes 90 mins and then will still do a short sleep and I thought it was because he was UT and then played through his tiredness, but now I'm not so sure.  Can they take such a long time to fall asleep if they are OT?

I hope someone thinks that he probably was on a good routine and it wasn't coincidence as I'm really getting fed up with always seeming to have to play catch up with his sleep!  I am on anti-depressants b/c it worries me so much and I just wish I could get him on a routine, and he would stay on it!!

I can't seem to push his am A time much past 5 hrs as he will then most likely do an OT sleep.  I think that A time is v important with him too, as if I stick to a certain time for the nap no matter what his am wake up time is, he will most definitely end up OT.


Fingers crossed he has a good night tonight!

[*Natasha*]

Unfortunatly some children are just early risers and their internal body clock can't be changed.
If you are happy with this routine then i think it looks great. Will he stay in his cot and lie play quietly so you can have a little more of a lie in?

[tired56]

Thanks for your reply Natasha.  Yes, fortunately he will often play quietly in his cot for at least 30mins, sometimes 1hr   So that gives us a bit of a lie in unless his big sister is awake!!  I am having trouble getting him back on this routine though since his cold.  I would really like to shift it forward 1hr but if he won't do that then I will be happy with the old routine as a very early routine would be better than no routine at all, as I am definitely a planner and not a winger!! 

Would you say that if he sometimes takes 90 mins to fall asleep but still ends up with an OT nap, I prob put him down too early and then he played through his tiredness and ended up OT??  I have thought this was the case, but now I'm not so sure.  Can they take 90 mins to fall asleep if OT?  I know he can definitely take up to 60 mins to fall asleep if OT, but I thought any longer than that and it was b/c he was UT.  What does anyone else think?  Does anyone have a toddler who will take that long to fall asleep if OT?? 

[*Natasha*]

Hmmmmm taking that long to fall asleep could be either OT or UT. You could try a shorter awake time for a few days to see if that makes a difference. If it doesn't then perhaps try a slightly longer awake time but i would think with a 5.30am wake up that wouldn't be the case.

[blessedmamma]

Hi

1st of all, big hugs to you. I have a 2 year old son and I too an on anti-depresents as I constantly feel like I am playing catch up so I know exactly what you're feeling.

I totally agree with the above post in that I would be trying your little one down for a nap after 4h 45 mins of Awake time for 3 days and see how that goes. I've also found that if I put my DS in his cot for an afternoon rest (I never get a nap out of him), but if I can get him to rest for an hour he seems better at bedtime then sleeps a little later the next morning.

Hope this helps

[blessedmamma]

Hope you're doing OK ? How did the earlier nap time go ?