2-1 Nap switch & early bedtime

[Aleksandersmom]

I am currently in the middle of the 2-1 nap switch (what a nightmare!) and my son has not yet adjusted to taking longer naps.  Most days I only get an hour out of him if he only takes one nap.  I try to put him to bed earlier because he is so tired at the end of the day, but he ends up waking up at around 10 PM screaming and it takes about 2 1/2 hours to get him back to sleep.  Anyone else have this problem or any ideas on how to fix it?  It seems like he just thinks his early bedtime is another nap and then he is wide awake when I'm ready to go to bed.  This has happened any time I've put him to bed earlier than 7PM.  A friend suggested that I try giving him 2 naps still, but gradually shorten the morning nap while moving the afternoon nap earlier and earlier rather than pushing the AM nap later.  So that's what we're currently trying.  Hope it works.

[*Natasha*]

How old is he? What is your routine?

[Aleksandersmom]

He is almost 16 months and our routine was wake up around 6:30, first nap at 9:30 for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, second nap 3 hours from when he woke up from nap #1 and that nap usually lasted about 1 hour as well.  Bedtime between 7 and 7:30.  The last month or so, he has been fighting the afternoon nap and bedtime has been later because he's taken longer to get down for the afternoon nap.  We've tried a few days with just one nap (after the time changed, he has been waking up between 7:30 and 8:00) but we have the issue I described above when he goes to bed at night.  Today I only let him sleep 45 minutes for the first nap and was able to get an afternoon nap of 1.25 hours and he should still go to bed at a decent time (aiming for 7:15 to 7:45) -- we'll have to see.  He's acting tired but not exhausted so that's a good sign.

[Aleksandersmom]

Victory!  It is 7:20 and he is asleep!  So I guess today's short AM nap and longer PM nap thing worked ok.  He was getting a little wound-up before I put him down so I was nervous, but he went to sleep pretty quickly. 

[*Natasha*]

Looks like you worked it out that is great

[Aleksandersmom]

Well, I guess I celebrated too soon.  I just got out of his room after doing PU/PD until he calmed down, then stayed in his room for awhile until I could see he was starting to self-soothe with his blankie.  He woke up about 45 minutes ago, (roughly 1 1/2 hours after going down for the night) screaming and wanting to nurse.  It amazes me how he will still ask to nurse at any time and anywhere even though I always say no!  He only nurses before his naps, when he wakes up in the AM and before bed, never any other time or any other place.  Anyway, that is a whole 'nother topic.  I really wish I knew what to do about his waking up after being put to bed.

[*Natasha*]

I am going to move this over to the Toddler sleep board as i think they should be able to help you out.

[Layla]

Hi there - what you have described is not uncommon at all. We went through exact same thing. What your friend suggested is something that worked very well for us in the end. I shortened her nap to 45mins (then 30/20 until she refused to sleep in the morning) and had her take the afternoon nap approx 3hrs after nap1 ended. Some let their los take a long morning nap, slowly push it until it comes to midday and try to offer a catnap in the afternoon. Mine always resisted the catnap so that never worked for us.

I really wish I knew what to do about his waking up after being put to bed

I would say what he is doing (waking up at night, etc....) is from overtiredness. Stick to giving him 2 naps for now but limit the morning nap as you have done before. The nightwakings should dimish. To be honest, all I could do when she would wake after going to bed for the night was to do a modified version of wi/wo. I would wi, calm her down, pat her, etc... and then leave. If she started crying again, I would repeat the process. Try your best not to nurse because he might just start expecting that at every awakening. Try to soothe him in his cot. Don't pick him up, just do pd. Any way dh can help you out -he might go down for him a little easier.

We went from 2-1-2-1 naps for a long time (3 months) and it all depended on the time she woke up, how she "acted" in the morning and the kind of night she had. In any case, I always had to wake her up to get an afternoon nap in.

hth
Layla

[Aleksandersmom]

Thanks, everyone.  He finally went to sleep around 10:30 or so.  I know the poor little guy is just exhausted after a night like that and tomorrow isn't going to be much better since we'll be away from home all day, but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do, kwim?  I am going to try the 45 minute AM nap and longer PM nap for awhile, maybe put him down for the PM nap a little earlier tomorrow since he'll be tired from all the relatives.  Hopefully we can get something sorted out.  It seems like we have sleep issues every few months with him.