12/13hr nights now 10-10.5 - gone forever?

[murphy76]

Hi,

We have been truly blessed with DS2, was always a good napper and sleeper at nights, would sleep 7-7 when we woke him for playgroup and up to 8 if we let him at weekends.

He is 31 mths, and 2-3 weeks ago learned to climb out of his cot. Ever since then 520-540 am each day that's him, out and ready to party!

He still sleeps for 45-1hr during the day at playgroup and we give him 30-45mims in the car at the weekend for a nap too.

DH is convinced we need to drop the nap as that will make him Sleep longer in the mornings but this goes against everything I have thought and I'm really reluctant to drop the nap as he's always loved his sleep. His form has been bad enough since these EWs and I think with less sleep it'll just get worse!

What are my options here? Do I just have to accept that 12hr+ sleep at night is over with DS2, has this 'habit' now been established?

if so I guess trying a later bedtime to stretch the night is an option, I'm
Just not ready to accept defeat on losing his 12hr nights and wondering is there smth else I'm missing?

He is due to move into a big boys bed about now, especially as he is climbing out (tho doing it safely)but being in a bed is unlikely to keep him in for any longer in the mornings!

Amy thoughts/shared experiences welcome, we need to do smth quick as with two other DS in the house this morning behaviour is having an effect on everyone!

Thanks

[Haribo2012]

Hi there

Our sleep went a bit downhill when DS was this age too so your not alone. It is the age when they start the transition from 1-0 naps so it can be a little of day robbing from night. But also I found that there was lots of developmental stuff going on, like speech and imagination went through the roof. I have an 11/11.5 hour night guy so if we have any nap nowadays we get a short night.

Id be wary of making BT later if your getting rid of the nap as this might cause EW from OT, often Lo's need a much shorter day when nap dropping, but it does depend on each LO.

It may be time to drop the nap but what time is WU and what time is BT?

Moving to the big bed might not make a difference as some just stay there, but have you tried a gro clock or lights on timer to reinsforce WU time?

x

[murphy76]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply!

Funny, i did think of a gro clock, this morning was 5.10am and he wasn't staying in his cot for love nor money...(i tried both)

He always did seem to let out a little cry between 5-530am in the past but was straight over to sleep afterwards, its just now he knows he can get out, that's his automatic reaction!

BT is 7pm without fail and he goes straight over, and WU is now 5-530am. He is out like a light at naps too (especially when he has been up after 5am lol)

The reason i was wary of dropping the nap is he has always been such a  good sleeper at nights and during the day, and it always seemed he needed it as nomatter what he slept during the day during his first two years you always got a solid 12 hours at night...

I have seen on this forum that on average naps are dropped aged 3-4? He has always been textbook, my eldest DS was not and at this stage we were dropping the nap for the same problem, its just they both seemed to have such different sleep needs/patterns, that's why i was not sure it was the way forward here.

There are definitely loads of developmental things going on at the minute, his speech is really coming along and i would say the imagination too.

I know there is no right answer, its just what to try first!

If it means dropping the nap then no problem, we will try that, as i said i just thought he still needed it due to going straight down at night and sleeping big (45-1hr15) during the day, which i thought was normal for his age.

Plus the fact that this has only happened since he discovered he could get out of the cot, its not like he was lying there awake for an hour before he discovered it.

So should i try dropping the nap first? If this doesnt mean a later WU time (if overtiredness started to play a part and bring on EWs, can you re-introduce the nap?)

Should we introduce the big boys bed and see if it has any effect and then drop the nap, or do you reckon this is too much to handle at this age?

By the way he is 33mths, i think the brain wasnt working when i said 31!

Thanks for all the help, its is much needed and appreciated!

[Haribo2012]

I've just been reading over my threads when DS was 33 months and we had pretty much dropped naps as whatever nap I gave resulted in EW.

It was a sudden thing for us as DS had napped well and gone to bed no probs but just started religiously waking at 5-5.30am.

Nap dropping is a long process for some so you might find its worth trying a NND and early BT. I found to start with with we limited naps to 45 mins then after making no difference 30 mins but he used to wake up grumpy so 20 mins was the magic amount seemed to wake happy and refreshed. You might find he does 2 days no nap fine then needs a little nap but still EBT. We did 12 hour days for ages but some go as short as 10.5/11 hour days but pull 13 hour nights. There is no set rules unfortunately it's a bit of winging it lol.


I'd go for the bed to be honest if your getting EW anyway you might as well try it out as can't hurt. The gro clock for us only worked alongside a star chart as my DS is super stubborn and once awake he's raring to go but at 38 months he's now pretty much got it and stays in bed till 6.20am major lay in for us. Sometimes he shouts me at 6 so I just go in say still sleep time Mr Suns not up and he will lay there chilling. Comes to get me the second the suns up lol.

Have you looked at joining the 1-0 nap transition thread as loads are going through this so you can bounce ideas around?x

[Jodes112]

I was also going to suggest a gro clock! My DS is almost 5 & got his when he was almost 3 & my DD is 29 months and we have just introduced one for her! She doesnt get out of bed but sometimes she wakes at 5.30/6am and shouts to get up. So ive told her no shouting before the sun comes on. I set it for 7am and if im up before then & can hear her mumbling shes awake, and i go in, she tells me to go out that shes waiting for her sun to come on. Its really made a difference & worked for both of mine!

As for naps, dd has always been LSN and currenlty has 1hr at about 1.30-2.30 what times is your LO nap? Could it be that it just needs a tweak? If he is not really LSN, or hasnt been then it could just be it needs tweaking, or could be like you said that he is stirring & because he knows he can get out of the cot he does.

DD is in a BGB we transitioned at around 18 months. I dont know why my kids have never got out of bed but they just never have. Instead they shout that they are awake. He might enjoy the transition to BBB and feel more independant, if you did it along side the gro clock too.

You could try and have a few NND and see how he reacts. If he gets OT id assume its just that hes awake and wants to get up.
Xx
HTH sorry, waffling a bit!

Ps, ds is textbook/angel and didnt drop his nap until 3.5! He has always loved his sleep! 12hr nights and a 2hr nap was the norm for a long time.

[murphy76]

Guys,

sorry for the delay in replaying but we had a  good day and i didn't want to jinx it! alas that is now well and truely over....

After sleeping to 610am yday (let out a yell at 5am but went over, like he used to before he could climb out!) last night he woke with maybe a nightmare or something at midnight and was up until 3am, just kept climbing out after we got him calmed down after 30mins, then every half an hour so DH would lie on the floor, he would drift off and then 20mins after  was in bed in he would come again....

I have no doubt this is all part of the developmental changes he is going through at the minute as well, imagination kicking in could lead to

So we will move him to a bed sooner rather than later, i was happy to persevere as he wasnt climbing out at night but now he is, there is no point not moving him to a bed.

We already have the gro clock, and i think given the evidence we will have to consider dropping the nap. He currently naps 12-1.15pm in creche, so we'll just have to have a word with them.

So i think my plan is:

1) move him to a BBB

2) give the gro clock a whirl and see if this has any effect

3) start dropping the nap.

I will look on the 1-0 transition board too for more tips.

Thanks for both your help, i may be back if things or going horribly or, lets be optimistic, with some success stories!

[Haribo2012]

Sounds like a plan. Keep us posted x

[Jodes112]

Good luck!