I am confused - back to 4.5 A for a 16 months boy?

[Mum2Sprigglet]

Hi BW ladies,

I've been trying to beat DS' overtiredness and early wakings.  He's been on 1 nap since 12 month (he is now 16 month), and we tried going back to 2 naps, extending A time, set nap time, nap time based on his A and early bedtime, and none of them fixed his sleep problem.  Granted that during these months, he had colds and was teething, but I just couldn't get back on track. 

Last night he woke couple of times screaming and took me 30 mins each time to get him back to sleep - I think his canines are coming.  This morning he woke up 5.40am (he's been waking early for the past week again!).

Today, he yawned at 9.45am (which is unusual as he hasn't given his sleep cue since 9 month), and I put him down in his cot, he fell asleep by 10.05am (with a bit of whining).  It's only 4.5hr of A, he usually has a A of 6 hours.  So what does this all mean
 
I decided to let him sleep as long as he wants today, and give him an early bedtime.  Would like to see if you ladies have similar experience and how you deal with it.

My dilemma is if I put DS down at 4.5/4.75 hr mark, should I wake him up after 30 min and then a later nap in the afternoon? Or should I just let him sleep as long as he wants?  We tried the short AM nap when we started 2-1 transition around 12month, and it was terrible, 30 min was all he did for the day at the time.  I have tried 2 naps on other occasions with early waking, and he just didn't want to go down at all. So I gave in and kept it 1 nap.

His routine is like this (on average):

Wake: b/w 5.30am - 6.00am
A: 6 hours
S: 11.30/12pm
Nap: usually 1.5 hours, very rarely 2 -2.5 hours (even when he had a long nap, he woke crying, so obviously still tired)
Wake: around 1.30pm
A:5hours
Bedtime: 6.30pm (but can take him up to 1.5 hours to fall asleep)
Asleep: 7.15 -7.30pm

Thanks again for helping!

Cindy

[babybarr]

Bumping your post

[babybarr]

I wouldn't personally try the short am nap in the hope of a second nap at this stage.  I would let him sleep as long as at the earlier A time and if he short naps *try* and get a catnap in instead.

[becky1969]

Definitely sounds like canine trouble to me! When they're teething they're often more sleepy than normal.  I agree with PP -- I think it would be very risky to wake after 30 min and try for another nap since he's been on 1 nap for 4 months.  I think you did the right thing with letting him sleep as long as possible then an early bed.  And like PP said, if he seems sleepy you can *try* for a cat nap and then a more normal bedtime.  In fact, you could do a car ride around cat nap time to see if that helps at all.

Once those canines are in hopefully all will return to normal!

[Mum2Sprigglet]

Thanks Ladies - it turned out that he's got ear infection too!!  Arghhhh....

Yesterday he woke from his nap just after 1 hour (asleep by 11.15am, up at 12.20pm).  Couldn't get him down again, tried a cat nap at 3.30pm, but he just played in his cot with no sign of sleeping, so had to get him up for a quick dinner, bath then down for bed by 5.50pm.  He just played and whined and asleep by 7.20pm.  Hopefully we will get back on track again when ear and canines are cleared.

Thanks so much again for your kind advice.

Cindy