Question on Nap time for 17 month old

[Pitkin2]

Hi

I've not had to post for a while as LO has settled in to 1 nap a day for 2 hours.  However, I just wanted to get some advice on Nap time.   He's routine is roughly this;

6-6.30 am wake
7 Breakfast
11-11.30 nap for 2 hours
1 pm lunch
6 pm bath
6.45 bed

For the last week and a his wake up time has been all over the place ranging from 5 am to 7.30 am.   I think I may have noticed a bit of a pattern.  When he wakes after 6 am I put him down at 11.30 but of course when he wakes before 6 am he is a sleep in bed by 11 am yesterday he fell asleep at 10.30 as he was awake talking at the top of his voice at 5 am.

Do you think that before 11 am is too early for his nap and this is effecting his wake-up as he is a bit overtired when going to bed?   Should I push nap slowly back to 11.30 -12.00 again would this help?  I try earlier bedtimes when he wakes early but the earliest he will go off to sleep is 6.30 pm.

I'm not really stressed about it - I just wonder if I have to tweak something now that he is getting a bit older - he'll be 18 months on 18th October.
Any advice would be appreciated

Emma

[Pitkin2]

By the way forgot to add that it's not teething as that's normally a 5.30 am wakeup and crying.

This is a 5 am wake-up shouting Dad, then Mum then DOG!!!!!!!! ( he has a fluffly one in bed with him) it's quite funny but not at 5 am!!!!!

[Layla]

Hey Emma

Yes, I do think that any earlier than 11am is too early for a nap... he is then awake for too long before bedtime, gets overtired & wakes up earlier. I would try to push the nap to 11.30 (earliest)-12pm. When we transitioned we were on 11am for ages until I noticed her waking up at 5am ready to start the day so I had to bite the bullet & put her down later. Just be careful that he doesn't get overtired from the long stretch in the morning.

This is a 5 am wake-up shouting Dad, then Mum then DOG!!!!!!!! ( he has a fluffly one in bed with him) it's quite funny but not at 5 am!!!!!

Very cute!

hth
Layla

[Pitkin2]

Hi Layla

Thank for this - yes I thought this may be the case.
Today he went at 11.30 as we've been to a little music and dancing kids class so he kept going - I'll see what happens tomorrow morning.

Emma

[Layla]

Let me know

[Pitkin2]

Hi again

Well he slept until 6 am a couple of mornings but now he's back to 5.30 am since Friday.

I've been putting him down at 11.50 am or 12 for sleep - sometimes he is whinging but he does go off.

He is dribbling a lot but he's not waking up crying in pain.

Is a midday nap about right for him - or do i have to tweak it more ?

[Layla]

I probably wouldnt push it any more .

Is the nap still 2 hrs & what time does he go to sleep at night?

Sometimes Bella wakes earlier than 6am for no apparent reason.... I just leave her there until 6am to start the day

[Pitkin2]

Hi again

He goes to sleep about 6.45 sometimes 10 mins later sometimes earlier.

I think it may be the teeth actually as he is really dribbling and a bit whingy so I will see how it goes and let you know.   As long as I know I'm about right with the nap time then I'll see what happens.

Thanks for your help again
Emma

[Layla]

Its probably just teeth ... it will pass.

Good luck

[Pitkin2]

Hi Layla

Me again , well we're back to 5 am wakings - wide awake shouting and laughing etc etc.

Nap time is roughly 11.40 ish give or take 5 mins - do you think I should push back slightly and eventually aim for midday??   I mean obviously it's harder when he wakes up so early but to be honest with a good breakfast and a early snack/lunch at 11 ish he really does have a lot of energy now compared to how he was a couple of months ago.

Bed time is still bath around 6pm then normally a sleep by 6.45 pm.

I think the teeth had something to do with the last lot of wakings but we've just been through all that again.  Unless he's just got in to a habit of waking up early again. 

Also, with regards to the amount of sleep he has at nap time, yesterday he had 2.5 hours as he was up at 5 am so I let him catch up in his nap - is 2 hours roughly the norm?  If he sleeps for 1 hour then wakes up he is really misrable and he then goes back for another hour and then wakes up happy and fine.

 

Thanks
Emma

[Layla]

So ever since he's been waking again at 5am is he having a 2.5hr nap? The av is about a 2hr nap with 11hrs at night.

[Pitkin2]

well not always but since he's been up early he is catching up then I think?

Today, I was going to put him down at 11.45 and wake up after 2 hours and see what happens in the morning?

What do you think?

[Layla]

I think you should try waking him at 2hrs...i agree 1hr may not be enough but try not to let him "catch up".

[Pitkin2]

Hi

Well I think we've got everything going on here.   I think he's had a bug and teeth and just everything has gone haywire.

Wake-ups have still been 5 am except Sat which was 6.20 am.  Today here in UK clocks went back so 5 am was now 4 am! 

Anyway for when I get back on track - would you just advise if my routine looks ok and average times between wake-up and nap and nap and bedtime. 

I have noticed on the post with schedules that a lot of toddlers are having a nap 12-12.30 but I think this is too long for him as he has been waking at 5am so I think I'm stuck somewhere and I don't know how to fix it.

Thanks
Emma

[Layla]

Emma... with time changes we delayed nap time about 20mins for a couple of days as well as bedtime & in about 3-4 days she was waking up at 6am again

I do think that your routine looks ok... we are doing nap at 11.30 from 6am wake up time & bedtime about 5hrs after nap ends...