Wow chanashleigh, your scenario is so similar to mine, as far as sleep goes. Naps are so hit or miss for me too. Are you able to get your dd back to sleep if she wakes early? It's SO a no-go for me. She's an awful screamer if i try. And after making her scream on so many attempts, i'm deciding she's just not going to do it.
Well, Layla, you asked what my dd's past few days have looked like. I haven't been writing it down, but i'll try to remember. I'll start w/ yesterday and go backwards: (for the E, i'll list 2 times, nursing at the first, solids at the 2nd). Also, I've been starting the bedtime routine about 35 mins b/f i want her to be sleeping. I usually only get about 5-10 mins for wind-down in her room. Wish it could be more, but i've got a 2.5 year old too! She usually takes b/t 20-30 mins to fall asleep.
Wed:
woke: 6:45
E: 6:45, 7:45
S: 8:45-10:20
E: 10:30, 11:40
S: 12:25-1:20
E: 2:20, 4:30 (solids), 5:20 bedtime nurse
S: 6:15
And then this morning she didn't wake until 6:20. So a full 12 hours. I know that was a super huge wake time after her short 2nd nap, but I've been trying to wait until 6 for bedtime. I've tried putting her down earlier, and although she goes to sleep fine, it almost always results in a middle of the night wake, or an earlier wake time (in the 5:00 hour). What do you make of that? She didn't seem too overtired last night, and went to sleep really easy.
Tues:
woke: 6:10 (but had been awake from 3-4 in the night)
E: 6:30 (i'm not going to list solids today - just know they are usually an hour after nursing)
S: Didn't fall asleep for morning nap at all
E: 10:15
S: 11-1
E: 2, etc
S: 5:45
That night she woke at 5, and fell back asleep around 6:15 until 6:45
I can't see any pattern with good naps meaning a good night (a few days ago she had two 1.5 hour naps, and i thought that might be the end of waking early - she'd been in a 5 am wake up patten and falling asleep for another 45 mins around 6 - but no. it didn't seem to help). And I don't see any connection with bad naps for sure meaning a bad night. actually, this week, seems like her worst nap days, she slept through the night those nights.
LIke I said, i've been able to stick w/ the E times pretty well. And I do feel like we're generally on a 6 to 6 routine. Although I'd love it to be 7 to 7, i'll live w/ 6 to 6 for now. Would just love some more predictability and more restful sleep for her.
SO....back to this morning....She slept a great 12 hours last night. So i thought it would be a good chance to start trying to extend that first A time. At 1.5 hours, she was showing signs of being tired. this is when i have been laying her down, so that's not a surprise. i spent about 7 mins reading books to her while she squirreled abound in my lap and acted annoyed. then i walked around and sang for another 5 or so. she was calm during this. i laid her down and didn't hear much from her...she fell asleep w/in 10 mins (a lot faster than normal)...so although i extended her wake time by 15 mins, since she fell asleep so fast, she was still asleep by 2 hrs. Woke up 40 mins later (8:15-8:55). ARG!!! Don't know if anyone will read this in time, but what time would you suggest i lay her down for afternoon nap? We've been doing 3 hrs wake time b/f this 2nd nap. And quite often, regardless of how long her nap is, she seems on the verge of overtired at that time. so that would put her at 12 for nap (lay down at 11:30). I think i'll go a little earlier, but not much.
So, in order to benefit us all on this thread....going back to trying to extend A time, for sure b/f the morning nap....is it probable that it will get worse b/f getting better? Several days of short overtired naps b/f she can do it? And if that's the case, why go the slow route? If she's going to have a short nap anyway, why not have a short nap later in the morning? You know what i'm getting at? Then it might help stretch out the day? Or should I just stick to doing it at small increments? I thought the point of small increments was to avoid overtired and hopefully they'll give you a good nap....but i don't think this is going to happen in our case. She seems SO set on the 2 hours awake b/f that morning nap right now. what do you think about that? I'd probably try laying her down at 2 1/4 hrs rather than 1 1/2 and see what happens....so 45 mins later, rather that a slower 10-15 mins...?
