24 months old suddenly regressed

[creations]

You said previously that he was waking at 7.15am but now you are waking him at 8.30am. So the thing is he is making up for his lost sleep by sleeping later in the morning.  This means the later BT does not do anything to reduce the amount of sleep he is getting so that he is more tired for a solid night.  It sounds more like he is UT and kicking up a fuss rather than SA to me - although SA is very real and can go on a while.  Some LOs drop their nap at 24 months or there is a substantial change in routine towards the nap drop even if it is not totally dropped.  Your options may only to be to wake him consistently in the morning to keep his night short with that long 2hr nap continuing or to cap the nap.  Capping the nap works wonderfully for some, so instead of 2hrs you give him 1hr 45 and BT and night sleep ought to improve.  It may need capping earlier of course but usually it is done in relatively small increments to see the effects.  Effects don't generally show in one or two days by this age but rather over a week or two.

[Jess_C]

Yea he is waking later these days even I have to wake him at 8.30 am.
I will definitely try waking him earlier next week with school reopening next week. Say 8 am and with naps I already capping at 2 hours as if I let him be I think he can nap longer.

What do u think if I wake him by 8 am and wake him up from nap by 3 and put to bed at 8.30pm.


Last night his routine was wake up 8.30 to 8.45 ( I can't really recall), nap 1 to 3pm. Wind down 8.30 and lights out at 8.45 pm but only slept at 9.15am  ( with me at the door). Last night woke once at 1am but I had to go in and sh in his room and touch gently cause he was so hysterical . When he calmed I just did sh sh on the floor . Was afraid any movements he ll wake up . by 2 am he slept back  and I woke him up at 8.45 am.

I probably should wAke him earlier but am just too tired.

[creations]

What do u think if I wake him by 8 am and wake him up from nap by 3 and put to bed at 8.30pm.

Honestly it doesn't sound different enough to what you are already doing.  It's just my opinion. You are the one with him of course.
This routine still expects 11.5 hrs over night sleep with a 2 hr nap.  He could well continue to wake in the night for long periods.
It's also expecting more sleep than he was doing a few posts back when he was waking at 7.15am napping 1-3 and going to bed at 9.30pm.

I'd more likely go for 7am WU, nap 1-2 and 8pm BT which gives 11hrs over night.  After a couple of days I'd consider capping the nap.
Mine didn't do well with a capped nap at all, he needed the 2hrs, but I accepted a much shorter night from 8pm - 6am, so only 10hrs.  Every LO is different of course.

[Martini~]

I would also avoid capping the nap and waking him in the morning. For a short period of time to regulate its fine, for a longer spell kids sleep needs fluctuate and it's good to have time when they can sleep in if they need it (growth spurt, some OT or OS etc). So I would firstly as Creations said think of how many hours of sleep you can expect, decide what is a priority for you - longer nap or longer night and if your LO prefers any. Then introduce a solid routine for 2/3 weeks with some tweaks if needed.

[Jess_C]

He does seem under tired now that you all mentioned. Yesterday, we were out for dinner and bub only went to bed at 10.30 pm after waking up from his 2 hrs nap at 3 pm. He sttn till 7.45 this morning. Not sure if is a fluke. But is the first time he sttn in a long while.


After much consideration, I think I would keep the 2 hr nap as that's really important for us. So much gets done in that 2 hrs. My question is how much sleep should they be getting at this age in total? So if 2 hrs nap means his night should only be 10 hrs.

[Jess_C]

I must admit I haven't been quite consistent with so much going on in our household. So am a little confused with his routine. Thanks so much for all the pointers. When school reopens next week, thing should stablished and I will be forced to wake him early.

So I ll try wake 7.30 am nap from 1 to 3 pm and bedtime at 9pm/9.30? I think that would work for us. And in the meantime when he wakes I ll keep going with wi/wo and shsh beside cot? My wi/wo always end up with me shushes by the cot if he is too hysterical.

What do u all think ? Thanks again. I really appreciate your time in helping me.

[creations]

Sounds like a good plan.
it's hard to guess what the total sleep needs is, it could be 12hrs. As marta says LOs can more easily regulate when there is one place where they can sleep longer if needed (ie if you wake him in the morning but he can nap longer if he wants to). I would also add though that if on a set routine you are regularly having to wake him in the morning I'd shift BT earlier to allow for a longer night and then he can wake naturally at the correct time.
With my DS he habitually woke at a set time morning and after 2hrs nap - he did not extend either his night sleep nor his nap when he needed additional sleep even though he logically had the opportunity to do so.  I had to move BT to make sure he got as much sleep as he could over night.  it was extremely rare for min to sleep past his body-clock WU time in the morning or to extend a nap - generally it would only be with illness.

[Jess_C]

So I have had success 3 days in a row. Day one he woke at 7.30 am nap from 1 to 3pm in bed at 10 pm. I did shsh at door but he got so unsettled pick him up and put him down standing and spoke to him. I told him night night time and point at cot no more crying. I did in a firm voice not shouting but firm enough. He immediately went To bed and sttn. I do feel bad is like I am doing a time out and disciplining him before bed. So he went to bed not crying while I just sat in his room in the dark.

Day 2 his routine was similar and I did the same thing and he went back to sleep after I did a time out again explaining to him in a firm voice and he went back to his cot quiet, and I sat there since he was quiet. He sttn that night.

Day 3 he woke at 8 am and nap for 2 hrs till 3 and I gave him an earlier bedtime 9 pm since am having always to wake him up in morning and naps. At bedtime , I put him down and he didn't cry when I left the room. I didn't hv to use time out and he sttn till 8.30 when I woke him up.


Not sure what will happen tonight. Have I done it right ? I don really like using time out to tell him but it seemed to work or maybe is just a fluke. Thankfully in day 3 he didn't need time out and for the first time I could leave the room. Any thoughts ?

[creations]

Personally I have no problem with speaking in a firm voice and telling LOs it's time for bed - they need their sleep.  You haven't shouted at him or belittled him or left him alone feeling abandoned, you have simply stated in a co-grey-area manner that it is night time so go to sleep.  I have done that plenty.

I agree if you are always needing to wake him in the morning and after nap he needs a longer night. Perhaps now that he is settling more readily (or now that you are confident to use a firm but fair tone to get him to bed) you can bring his Bt earlier.  I would keep morning WU consistent for a while so that he doesn't catch up then but rather put to bed earlier.

[Jess_C]

Thanks. He has been pretty good . I have been able to walk out the room without any tears or time out for a couple of days now. He did woke once last  night at 3 am, no idea why. I did a shsh and gentle pat and he went back to sleep.

Apart from last night he sttn four nights in a row , woke once in day 5. Is definitely a lot of better now than where we were last month. Praying we will get there soon and I really hope by 2 is the end of regression.

[creations]

It sounds like you are getting a much better night and overall routine.
What does your EASY look  like now?