Need to cap nap?

[Littleboyblue]

First post here but have been reading a lot, so just looking for a little help.

Ds, 11 months, independent sleeper at all times, was sleeping from 19.30 to 0800 up to a month ago, started waking then earlier and earlier, was waking at 7/7.30 which is fine but the last 2 mornings its been 6.40am,I'm just wondering do I need to start to cap his naps??

He is a sleeper, and can really only do 3/3.5 hours AT...loves his cot!

Here is our usual easy

I'll do the 7am wake up as that's what it's been the most of lately..

7am WU, will play happily in the cot till I get him
7.30 6oz bottle
9am breakfast porridge/wheetabix
10.30 nap for 1.5 hours (occasionally 2!)
12.30 dinner (meat, veg and potato)
2.30 snack and water
3pm nap for 1.5 hours
5pm tea (eg 2 boiled eggs and a pot of fruit)
6/6.30 6oz bottle
7.30 Bed

I'm just wondering is he getting too much sleep in the day (takes after his mam) and should I try cap the am nap, or should I wait till after the weekend as the clocks are changing here Sunday morning.

I had to put him to bed earlier (10) the last couple of mornings as he was so tired from being up early...when he wakes at 6.40am he actually really doesn't want to be awake!


Any advise appreciated

(I hope I've posted the easy in the right format)

[Littleboyblue]

I should add I capped his pm naps to 40 minutes a couple of times last week, and he was not happy, he was exhausted at tea time bottle and he still woke up early next morning.

[jessmum46]

Have you read this? 10/11 month old sleep gone wonky? Read this first!

Yes I think you probably need to start nap-capping, but going from a full 1.5h nap to only 40 mins was probably a bit much.  Basically the idea is you pick a nap to keep and a nap to cap, then slowly cut back the length of one nap.  If its the am nap, you probably need to bring the pm nap earlier, and if its the pm nap, you may need to bring BT earlier. 

The other option you have is to slightly extend your A times and push BT a bit later, aiming for a 13h day.  So you could do something like WU 7am, nap 10.30-12, nap 3.15-4.45, BT 8pm.  Then if you start getting EWs or silliness at BT start nap-capping at that point.

You've probably got a high sleep needs LO so take it slow, and don't expect to drop to one nap for several months yet

[Littleboyblue]

Thanks Jessmum,
I was thinking that it was a bit of a dramatic cut from 90 minutes to 40 for him alright, you're right he has high sleep needs (thankfully:-))

I don't think trying to push the bedtime would work, as some days he has slept til 5pm and still looked to go to bed at his usual time.

I've read your link, thanks a million, it's just the early wakenings  really that we have, but i know by him that he actually does not want to be awake. He settles himself to sleep within 5 minutes for nap and bed time, and I don't hear a word usually out of him all night, but I don't want our lovely routine to go all pear shaped so need to sort it now.

I think I'll try again with capping the afternoon nap, as I really like the morning nap, and at least he is well refreshed after that.. Should I cap it at about an our, or should I do it in 15 minute sections and hold for a couple of days??

And do you think I should wait until after Sunday when our clocks go forward??

I think this one will be on 2 naps a day for a long long time

[jessmum46]

I'd wait until your clocks change as things will likely go a bit off anyway, then cap at an hour

[Littleboyblue]

Thanks so much, will let ye know how we get on after next week.