16 Months-having lots of issues

[ahollifield]

My 16 month old is having lots of issues lately. I think seperation anxiety is a big one but the one that is buggin me the most is her sleep. We are expecting another baby in the middle of August. (10 weeks from now) I started having her nap in a toddler bed about 3 weeks ago and 50% of the time we get a decent nap. Before she almost always took a good 2 hour nap. But since doing this her sleep is all over the place. I have to sit beside her bed and help her lay still. When she was in her crib she would roll around or play for a few minutes but could always get to sleep by herself. Now if I leave the room she gets out of her bed repeatedly. I'll go back and tell her to get back in the bed and retuck her in. It's almost like she thinks it's a game. I usually end up facing her away from me and holding my hand on her side or leg to keep her still. She will fall asleep. I never know whether she's going to sleep 1 hour or 2. She needs at least 1 1/2 hours to make it to bed time. Lately she has not been getting a good nap. Like tonight. She took a 1 hr nap today and I tried to put her to bed a little early. She fought bedtime and I had to keep going back in her room. (SHe's still sleeping in her crib at night) Not ready to tackle that yet! I eventually (an hour later) got her to sleep. I don't know if this is partly the seperation anxiety or if she was just OT but it seems to be happening alot lately. I have thought about putting her back in her crib for naps but it's getting so close to the arrival of the new baby and I hate to take a step backwards. Some days she does really great, but others not so much.  She does about 5-5 1/2 hour A time before nap..and about 5-5 1/2 after nap.  She also will not stay away from me except with my mom ( I stay at home with her). I can't even leave her in the nursery at church. Help please!

[ahollifield]

anyone? I'm losing my mind!

[deckchariot]

It could definitely be a bit of SA.  Have you checked out this link:  http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=80822.0 

Also, the transition to the bgb is a rough one.  It sounds like you're trying to do some gradual withdrawal - but you'll need to make a plan to keep intervening less and less.  You could also try wi/wo to help her re-learn how to go back to sleep.  Here's a couple links that may help:  http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=113115.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=80750.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=81192.0

hth and {{{{{hugs}}}}
michelle

[ahollifield]

Yep, I've read those. For the last 2 nights she has started waking aroud 11-midnight and cries out for us. We go in and lay her back down but as soon as we start out of the room she sits up and cries. So I have to stay with her until she's back asleep. SA?

[deckchariot]

does she exhibit that same behavior at other times or only bedtime?  If it's only bedtime, it may not be SA.  I'd say to trust your mummy instinct on that one.  For us, when dd cries for us at nighttime, I can tell the difference between the cry that says something is wrong and the cry that says "I just don't want to go to sleep"  If it's the first cry, I comfort first, then do wi/wo.  If it's the 2nd, I just do wi/wo.

[ahollifield]

It's definetly an I want mommy cry.  We'll see how tonight goes. Also her naps have gotten extremely short. I can't get more than an hour and 15 minutes out of her. She got up at 7:15 and went down for her nap today at 12:50. Went to sleep no problem...why is sleeping so much less??

[clazzat]

If the problem is that she keeps getting out of bed, have you heard of the Grobag First Duvet set?  It is a fitted bottom sheet with an integral pillowcase with a duvet that zips to it - the idea is that the covers don't fall off in the middle of the night, but it also helps to make it a bit more difficult for them to get out of bed so it might help her settle a bit.  We used it with dd1 and had no problems with her getting out of bed.

[ahollifield]

I've never heard of that, but I'll check it out. So yesterday she had a 1 hour and 10 minute nap. I tried to put her to bed about 5 hours later since she had a short nap and it took me over an hour to get get to sleep. WHenever I would walk out she would cry. So I sat by her crib and she would raise her head up and smile. I'll tell her to lay down and go to sleep and she rolls over and it's like she wants to play! My husband suggested that maybe she wasn't ready for bed..isn't 5 hours a long time for a 16 month old? Especially after a short nap?

[deckchariot]

5 hrs is about right for a 16 mos old - but is your ticker correct?  Because if it is, she's 20 mos old, and sleep needs around 18 mos drop - the average at 18 mos is 11 - 11.5 at night and 1.5 - 2 in the day.  so her nap may be shortening because he sleep needs are less.  Also, 5.5 hrs of  A time on either side of the nap is about average.  It also could just be adjustment to the toddler bed - that can really throw off their sleep.

[ahollifield]

no the ticker isn't correct. I don't know what happend there...  she's napping now. Took 30 minutes to get to sleep but has been napping for an hour and 10 minutes..we'll see how it goes. Thanks so much!

[deckchariot]

how's it going?