Nightly play sessions

[JNate]

Hello

We haven't posted in awhile....we were having issues because Nate wasn't sleeping long enough at night even though we'd moved his bed time earlier, etc. we were also having wakings due to wet diaper, etc.

After a recent bout with a cold and then the flu and then teething, one of our problems was solved. Nate now sleeps till at least 8am most days - yahoo! We moved his bed time a little later as a result because he just wasn't ready to go to bed at 6:45 anymore and would be playing for an hour or two anyways. So that seems to help him be ready for bed by 7-7:15 after our normal bath and book routine.

But he's waking up 1-3 times a night now consistently since he was sick (1.5 weeks ago). Sometimes its with a cry because he is still teething, but other times its to play. Last night he was playing or at least awake for over 2 hours. We try ignoring him when he's playing and doesn't call for us, we try going in and telling him to go back to sleep, I even go in and rock him when its been going on for too long and that seems to help.

It used to be that folks here suggested these nighttime play sessions occurred because he was short on sleep, and at that time it was likely true. But now he's getting MORE sleep and is back doing it again.

Any ideas? I have to get up shortly after 5:30am for work and this is going to kill me if it continues for too long. My hubby and I share nighttime duties but even if its him that goes to Nate I usually wake up....

[mari]

Could you post your current routine.  It does sound like it's due to overtiredness.  That's not necesarily lack of sleep, but too long activity time in between the sleeps. 

[JNate]

Hi there

well the last few days he is waking up at around 8:45, but thats because his dad has to wake him up because dad has to work. Not sure how long he'd sleep otherwise. Prior to that for about a week he'd sleep till 8am.

he goes to his dayhome and since this new wake up schedule he's having a nap after lunch for approx 1.5 hours. he comes home at 5pm and has dinner around 5:15pm and then plays until bath time. It used to be that we'd go up at 6:15pm, bath, bottle, books and bed. Now we go up about 6:45 or so. Sometimes he goes to sleep by shortly after 7pm, othertimes he'll be up and playing until 8.

Prior to getting sick, if he slept all night he'd be awake by 5:40 or 6 at the latest with a very wet diaper and unable to go back to sleep. If he woke up once he'd sleep till 7. 

This playing at night has happened off and on for months.

[mari]

Well. Do you need to go to him at night?  Is he crying?  If not and he is happy to play then I would turn the monitor off and go to sleep.  If he is really crying, you hear him.  If he is crying and wants you, go to him, but I would do WIWO until he settles.
Is he having enough food in the later part of the day? Perhaps a light supper might help.

[JNate]

The last few nights this is what has happened:

dinner - sometimes a big one, sometimes a little one
bed around 7 or 7:15
wakeup crying at 10ish, needs soother and then goes back to sleep
wakeup again around 2:15am, sometimes crying sometimes just playing, awake for up to 2 hours. we only go to him if he cries for us.

last night he didn't eat dinner so we gave him a snack at bathtime and I put him to bed around 7:15. He was awake until 9pm, playing at first and then really crying. he woke up once at 10 for his soother and then slept straight, but woke up for good at 6:30am. we had errands to run this morning, on the way home he fell asleep around 11:30 and is still sleeping 1 hour later.

Just when there is a trend, it gets wacked. I just don't understand. we only respond to him when he acts like he needs us but I think spending time with him at night when he was sick has maybe created more of a dependancy??? But how the heck do you get around that when they are sick and miserable?

[JNate]

Over this past weekend, some new 'trends'.

He naps longer on the weekend, this time 3 hours each day.
Still having up to 2 hour long play sessions starting around 2:15am
Reduction in the number of other wakeups
Wakeup time earlier, around 7am.....

[mari]

When he is playing, I would leave him, go to him only when he cries. It doesn't seem like SA so if he cries, then you could do WIWO.
When you put him to bed, do you just leave the room as soon as you put him there? And is it the same for naps?

[JNate]

Hi Mari

We've been leaving him alone when he's playing unless he cries or like last night after 2 hours, I went in, told him to go to sleep and left. He actually did calm down and go quiet within a fairly short while.

Yes, when we put him in his crib we give him his blanket and stuffed animal and say goodnight and leave. There's never been a problem with naps, and little SA since we figured out the pu/pd thing at 7 months.