Help Please - What do we do with his naps today? 16 mos and all sorts of wrecks

[ccg01]

Arrgh.  We thought we were making progress, but it is turning into a nightmare... have had two of the last three nights finding me up more than 2 hrs with a LO who will not fall asleep. I'm a wreck, am pretty sure he is getting to be OT as well. Along the way of teething and not wanting solids during the day, we now seem to also have a bottle prop at night. Not sure what to do with any of it, but especially, with today's nap(s)

We were working toward a 1 nap/day, were traveling from Sept 1-Sept 6 and it worked great to do one nap then (only had to go for a catnap once, was still waking at night but quickly going back with a bottle) and even worked for most days since we got home. But last night was the second of three where he was up more than 2 hrs and would not settle until I held him to sleep. This took two tries. I know he was desperately tired. He goes to sleep at bedtime and naps independently. Is teething (very slow teether) and we are medicating for it.

Here is the last two day's worth of muck. Am especially urgently hoping for a recommendation for today's nap(s). THANK YOU!

Saturday.
Up at 5:53
First nap 10:18-11:50. Woke on own
Second nap 3-3:45. We were going to wake then but woke on own with a BM.
Sleep for bedtime at 7:23 (had gone down earlier but had a BM and thus, didn't sleep til changed)
Woke at 12:19 at night. Wanted/got milk
Slept 12:35-4. Wanted/got milk but did not take much
Slept from about 4:15- til 5:19

Sunday
Up at 5:19
First nap 10:14-11:40 (BM woke him, again)
Tried for second nap at 2:40, but had two more BMs which wrecked that (and this pattern of BMs at naptime is very recent, btw)
Sleep at bedtime 6:52
Awake 10:55 pm. Wanted/got milk. Would say he wanted to go in crib but not resettle (would start crying for mommy about 5-10 minutes after I left). Gave anti-gas meds, thinking that might be issue. Didn't help. Gave more teething meds again just before 12. Finally got to sleep at about 1:20, holding him in the chair.
Awake again 4:45. Took 4 oz milk. Asleep by about 5.
Awake for day at 6:20

[sianie]

Hi there...

The teething won't be helping his sleep but if he's also in the 2:1 transition then that could also be causing some sleep issues.

Just out of interest, why did you decide to go back to 2 naps? If he was napping for a decent length on 1 nap then I would have probably kept him on the 1 nap & done early BT's if he's getting OT/short napping.

Re: feeding to sleep, I think it's best nipped in the bud as it does sound like it's become a habit & won't be helping the NW's. I would just not offer him any milk when he wakes at night & use either GW or WI/WO to re-settle him (see link below):

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=80750.0

So he had a number of NW's last night so he will more than likely be OT so you could try a nap around 10/10.30am......have you been doing long or short AM nap?

[ccg01]

Thanks for the quick response!
We have been trying to keep him to the one nap, but only if it is at least 2 hrs or later in the day. If it winds up (because of early waking) being all over before noon, that's when we've offered a catnap. I'm really confused about sorting out the how long is a long enough one nap and so forth things. I work, so the earliest BT he can get, assuming he falls asleep right away, is 6:30. Not a lot of help with making up the overtired, unfortunately.

Will look over at the link on WI/Wo, GW... had done that with ODS. This LO screams bloody murder, so am dreading it and taking away the milk... is there a gradual way to reduce the milk? Because it seems cruel to go from him having 8-10 oz overnight to nothing. Or maybe I am just a softie!

Thanks again. Will try earlier nap!

[sianie]

You can either take the milk away cold-turkey or you could gradually reduce the amount you are giving him over a period of a few nights.

To be able to handle 1 nap reasonably comfortably LO's need to be able to handle around 4.5/5hrs A-time. I do think you may find things a bit easier if you just moved him to 1 nap, at his age he should be able to handle the transition pretty well & be able to handle the additional A-time.

[ccg01]

Thanks -- will figure out a plan for the milk and stick w/it. Have heard some give water instead, but not sure if that will be yet another issue later...

He's been on 4.5 hrs and sometimes 5 for A time for a few weeks now. Trick has been when his waking is super-early, and then that nap is shortish. Then we wind up with 6 or 7 hrs til bedtime. Is that usual? Our ODS was on two naps much longer, and was a far better night sleeper by now, so it's hard to figure! Thanks again.

[sianie]

You can try giving water instead but TBH I think it carries on the problem rather than getting the problem sorted!

To help with the transition you could try setting a nap time & then sticking with it whilst he transition e.g. nap at 11am & stick with this time regardless of WU, over a few days his body clock should adjust to the longer A-time & also start to get used to napping longer.

[ccg01]

Thanks -- will have to get ready for a lot of nighttime crying, I fear... but do not want yet another issue, either. DH is out at the grocery store trying to find some new solids to try. LO is also a fussy eater, esp. when teething.

Was just wondering about a set naptime. I know we moved his older brother to those at some point. Maybe that will be the ticket! Then just do an earlier BT if it is short?

[sianie]

Was just wondering about a set naptime. I know we moved his older brother to those at some point. Maybe that will be the ticket! Then just do an earlier BT if it is short?

Yes, if he short naps then early BT. I've done set nap times with both my LO's & it's worked really well for us & I've found that it generally gives us more consistent/predictable days!

[ccg01]

Well, I am afraid we are entering serious OT territory. Thoughts on how to catch it up so we can work on the overnight issues?

Yesterday, after a 5:53 am wakeup, he napped from 10:46-12:56, so a nice long nap. DH tried to put him down earlier, but LO chatted til that time.

I tried to get him down for night at 6:30, but he wanted more milk and then it was 6:50 before he slept (on his own).

Up at 10:20, crying. Gave a bit of milk (have several interviews today and could not face an entirely sleepless night) and he was out by 10:35.
Up at 11:35, crying. Only gave 3 oz and said that was all we had. Had to hold him to get him to sleep. Even that took til 12:55.
Up at 5:06 for day.

DH is going to try to put him down at 10:06. We are a mess.

[Roseii]

((hugs)) With serious OT territory I would honestly do a catch up CN. Whether it's an AM cn and proper PM long nap or your usual nap and a later CN (although I think you do run the risk of bedtime resistance with that one)

So, for eg.
A 6am
S 9.30-10
S 1.30-3
S 7pm

How does that sound? I know it sounds like regression as you're on 2 naps but hopefully it's only til you get back on track...

[ccg01]

Thanks, Charli! That sounds like a good plan. My big concern (besides how we manage on so leetle sleep... lol) is him getting so OT. I'm wondering if that may be part of why we are getting some of the wakings we are getting.

He napped from 10-11:30 today, so will try for a CN at 2:30 or so. Wish us luck!

[ccg01]

I am going mad.
Yesterday was this
Awake 5:06
Nap 10:00-11:30 (woke on his own, BM may have been culprit)
S 2:56-3:26 (we woke him, he clearly wanted to keep sleeping)
Bedtime, tried to get him to sleep by 6:30, but he asked for more milk, then chatted, etc. Slept at 6:49
Awake at 11:17. Was slightly wet through, not sure if that was the cause or not. Changed him, he was crying for milk, gave 5 oz. (Have been cutting this back the last two nights, was doing more milk than that overnight.)
Took til 1:38 (yes, more than 2 hrs) to get him back to sleep. He started by asking for his crib, then cried as soon as he went in it. Wanted to be held. When he'd get sleepy, I'd put him in crib, lots of tears and begging for pickup. I tried many things, including sitting around the corner and shhing. He stood and cried for 25 minutes that time. Finally fell asleep soundly, on me, at about 1:38. Woke at 5:25 and was up for day.

I am beside myself. We have had nightwakings with him before but never these long ones. He used to take a quick bottle and be back asleep (on his own in the crib) in a few minutes. Four of the last five nights he has been up an hr fifteen or more. Three of those four, more than 2 hrs. Help!!! DH feels we are being too inconsisent with moving around A times and then sometimes catnapping, but I have no idea what to do.