2.5yr old - another set of eyes pls...

[~Jen~]

I'm back for more help... DS takes forever to go to sleep at night.  Most nights he will fall asleep for about 10mins when we first put him down, then he pops back up after this "catnap" and parties in his crib for another 1hr.  What is that?  OT, UT or just developmental?  I've started cutting his nap to 1.5hrs to see if that helps stops the BT antics but it seems to make no difference at all.  I'm confused because he seems constantly OT and his behavior is AWFUL!! He is tired all the time, but still takes forever to fall asleep at night.  He is teething and at this age only has 12 teeth so we have a way to go still     He is very spirited and used to be high sleep needs but I have no idea anymore.  His typical day is something like this:

6:30 Awake
12:30 - 2:15 Nap
7:15 Fall asleep for about 10mins then pops back up for another "party"
8:15 Asleep

[~inbalance~]

We had this too, minus the teething.  But very similar behaviour at the same age, I figured it was mostly developmental.  I'm sure teeth having something to do with it for you too, as they can make LOs seem more tired and irritable and yet unable to sleep.  Does medicating help?  Maybe see if you can get him down for his nap a little earlier too?

[~*Nicole*~]

I'd say OT from the teething esp. if he was high sleep needs before. But that's just a thought. Also a longer, more mellow wind down if you can do it. I found DD really needed to change up her routine around this age and sloooow it down a bit more. A bath, some lotion on her, a few books to read, a song, all in dim light in her room, adding music back in for her to sleep too as we had when she was a baby. These things all helped at the time she was really driving us bonkers.