2-year old, short naps and waking up crying, what to try? Please help!

[ccg01]

Ok, here's our update. We have not taken him out of school yet... may still wind up doing that but he seems to just love being there and learning so much... sigh! For a boy, he has wonderful language skills -- we think teaching him sign language before he could talk may have helped -- speaks in full sentences, sings full songs, makes up jokes, etc.. But that's a mommy tangent! :-)

he had a great night's sleep last night - went to sleep right around 7, didn't cry at all during the night (I'd had to go settle him and find his lovey the prior night) and we woke him up at the normal time, vs. him getting up earlier on his own.

he fell asleep at nap time in only 15 minutes today, which is a definite improvement. but he woke at 50 minutes and has been very clingy, hard to handle, per DH. While 50 is waaay better than 20, we're wondering if we're on the right track or not and whether to expect them to lengthen at all... this is only day 2 of the really early naps during the school week. thanks for all the help!

[becky1969]

You're on the right track.  The better nights *will* lead to better naps.  Continue with the earlier nap time.  The fact that it took only 15 minutes today tells me that he's on an improvement cycle, so it will just take some more time for the naps to lengthen as well.  Expect to see major improvement this time next week.  If not, then we'll try another strategy.  But remember, it takes time for sleep to change.

Definitely follow your child's cues on school! If he loves it, then taking out will be last resort.  But definitely don't feel bad either if you have to pull out and try again in 6-9 months.  Whatever works for all of you! I truly think that in 1-2 week you'll see those naps return to normal.  I have to wonder if the stimulation from school coupled with a little SA from a new situation aren't contributing factors.  Time will take care of that as well.  School is a big step! So it can affect all aspects of a LOs life. But it is also a fabulous way to expand their horizons, so we sometimes just have to weather the storm.

Keep me posted!

[ccg01]

I am nervous even posting this, but after all your support, I have to share this -- a 1 hr, 20 min nap today with a happy wakeup! Wow! He had another good night's sleep last night, too. We'll keep the routine going and see how it goes!!!

[becky1969]

YAY!!! He's catching up! You might still get a few ups and downs, but I think you're on the right road!

[ccg01]

Thanks for all the support and advice! Here's the latest update... hope, I hope, for anyone struggling with something similar at this age.

Kept up with the early naps (about 11:45 most days, which is still perhaps a bit late, but hard to do much better w/school).

Yesterday, he woke at 35 min... but dh was able to get him back to sleep in about five minutes and then he slept for another hour. He was up a bit early (6) this morning, all chatty. Napped for two hrs today! (not a school day... so of course we are trying like mad to sort out whether the longer nap is from the weekend/no school or if we're just smoothing this all out finally). At any rate, big improvement!

[ccg01]

 
Guess we hit another down today. After two-hr naps both Sat. and Sunday, DS wouldn't fall asleep for his nap today after school. Was crying and babbling alternately for nearly an hr, per DH... and then either climbed or fell out of his crib (for the first time). Arrgh.

[becky1969]

Aw, poor baby! Sounds like school days are the culprit.  I don't think school is the problem per se, it's just he needs to go down for nap earlier on school days and is unable to for whatever reasons.  Would it be possible to have him leave school a little early to get him down for a nap earlier? I'm thinking even 15-20 minutes might give you the extra time you need for an earlier nap?

[zfabnic]

hi there:
i just saw this post and i am struggling with a similar situation with my dd who is 2 in two weeks.  we used to have 2 -3 hour naps and after a bout of the flu she has been having 25 -45 minute naps.  it is the pits!!!
she slept for 25 mintue today so i put her down about 45 minutes earlier tonight as i am certain that she is OT as well.  i am inspired byt he pist and will try for an earlier nap time, even though she is pretty early already.  she has also been waking up at 5:30 so i am going to try a wake to sleep to see if that will help her sleep a little bit later.
i'll let you know how it goes and i hope you have better luck with your ds tomorrow!

[ccg01]

Nikki,

Good luck! I hope the earlier naps fix your problem soon!

We're going to try to get DS in his room earlier today... wish us luck. The climbing out thing is scary -- just what we needed, something else to deal with on naps!

He fell asleep by 6:45 last night, woke on his own at 6. Seemed cheerful, etc. He told us last night at dinner that he was ready for his path. Poor little guy must have been exhausted by then!

[ccg01]

Well, we've transitioned to a Big Boy Bed (mattress and boxsprings, took the frame out from underneath the bed that was already in his room, it's full size so he has plenty of room and it's pretty low to the ground) for naps only for three days now. Have also started his naps from 5-10 minutes earlier, depending on how things go w/the trip home, poops (seems to wait til he gets home), etc...

He's been falling asleep by 7:15 at the latest (as early as 6:45 a few nights, it just really depends on how he is doing, if he's exhausted/difficult, we're starting things earlier).

We've woke him at 6:35 or so the last few mornings
Yesterday he had a 55 minute nap in the bed (my DH is staying in there with him until he falls asleep, we know this is going to end up in GW... he's trying to move further from the bed). Today was 50 minutes, then DH went up there into the room and DS slept another 40. So maybe we're making progress??? Hope so! DS really is thrilled w/the "teensy tiny bed" as he calls it. He tries to tell me he's sleeping in it at night but I've been telling him the crib is cozier for nighttime sleep. So far, that's working...

[becky1969]

Sounds like progress to me!

He may surprise you by doing well in the BBB at night. YOu never know!

[ccg01]

Becky.,

It worked out! Thank you so very much. He's settled into the new routine, school and all. We've had a few rocky naps or nights (knock wood, not many), mostly seem to be due to the colds that have caught him... although really, he powers right through most of them during the day, the coughs have woken him early some days or naps. He's doing well in the BBB for naps (although he does get up and come out when he wakes, instead of calling for Daddy, DH hears the bedroom door close and finds DS standing outside his room waiting to be picked up. Still in crib at night.

Day now looks like this, most days (posting in case it helps others).
6:45 wake him up if not already up
7:00 breakfast
7:30 off to preschool
9:00 snack at school
11:15 lunch/snacks on way home
11:45-1:00 or on a good day, later than that, nap (sometimes as long as 2 hrs, though that's maybe one or two times/week)
after nap, some snacks if hungry, if not, those are mid-afternoon
5:30 - dinner
6:15 - bath, bottle/stories, bed start
7:00 - normally asleep

I think the early naps and early bedtime have been key to helping him get over the OTs and get the sleep he needs. We wouldn't have seen that combo without your help, Becky!

It would be lovely to shift bedtime later but not going to risk it now! lol

[becky1969]

I'm thrilled you've had so much progress!!!! And don't worry -- that bedtime will shift later gradually, as he stretches his wings a bit with A time and gets used to school.  Soon you'll be like me and wishing the little guy would need to go to bed EARLIER! (we're pushing 8:30 now for bedtime  ). 

Congrats and well done!