anyone want to chat about the 2-1 nap switch , thread#3

[NiknLily]

I think its a case that they will take as much A time as they want.  If they want an extra 15-30Min's when you put them down for a nap, then thats what they'll take by talking/playing until they are ready to go to sleep.  Or, on the other side of the coin if they just fall right off to sleep but sleep for a lot less time than you expected (and you know its not because of OT) there is a good chance they needed to be up longer.

IMO I'd say try 6.30 bedtime asleep by no later than 7pm.

[LauraRose]

Thanks newmum.  We really appreciate your experience and input!

[amy123]

ditto that newmum!  you are certainly appreciated!! 

[NiknLily]

 

[amy123]

I think its a case that they will take as much A time as they want.  If they want an extra 15-30Min's when you put them down for a nap, then thats what they'll take by talking/playing until they are ready to go to sleep.

This sent up a red flag in my mind, b/c my dd almost NEVER does this!  Once or twice, maybe.  Part of it may be that she does have a paci, so maybe she's awake and I just not talking.  But we keep the room pitch dark, so I'm not sure what else would entertain her. 

Typically we do bath, bf, book, lights out, quick lullaby/rock, then right into crib.  And for the last few months, 95% of the time she's drowsy enough that she just rolls right on her side and is likely asleep before I close the door, or soon thereafter.  If she didn't go right to sleep, she'd start to fuss/whine and after a minute or two I'd go back in, repeat the quick lullaby/rock and right into crib, and she'd go to sleep.  But since starting the 2-1 change-up, it's more like 30% of the time that she goes down w/o fussing/fighting.  The a.m. nap is usually easiest.  For p.m. nap, she fights and squirms during lullaby/rock, and when I put her down in the crib, she often gets up.  Today I did 4 rounds of lullaby/into crib over & over before she was finally down.  Needing more A time or OT adrenaline... not sure.    At bedtime, she doesn't try to get up but whines and calls out and sometimes it's 1/2 hr or 45 min. after put into crib before she's asleep (w/ me going in every 5-10 min. to put a hand on her and say "night night.")  She stops fussing as soon as I go in.  Sometimes starts the second I go out, and sometimes doesn't start for a few minutes after I go out.  Is this AP?  SA?  OT?  (love all the abbreviations, eh?) 

Just thought the idea of her playing on her own in the crib sounded divine and wondered how you get there.

amy 

 

     

 

[LauraRose]

Amy- My ds usually takes 15 to 30 min to get to sleep.  Sometimes longer.  I can tell the difference between a "hey come get me--I want you to come see me" cry (stops and starts, tends to be babbling or mantra, more fussy than crying) and a "I'm really upset and it's not winding down" cry. 

As soon as I recognize the second type I go in and do PU/PD.  But, no talking or entertaining (except maybe, "it's bedtime"). For the first type of fussing, I just let him go through his little routine--some mantra, some babbling, winding down. He does this every time he goes to sleep. It was definitely something he learned, though.  In the beginning (when he was very little), it was a lot of going in to reassure him and shh/pat, etc. 

My dd (3 yrs now) is a thumb-sucker and a great sleeper and we usually never heard her go to sleep as a baby. I wonder if it would help for you to do the lullaby only one time and then just PU/PD.  Perhaps that would give her less incentive to keep calling you back in. I think the being awake alone in her crib is a learned skill, though (as in, one you have to teach her). No idea if any of that helps, but--hope it does!

[christinew]

Hi there!

I'm new here.  Someone from another board I belong to pointed me in this direction, so here I am!

My almost 13 month old daughter used to be an excellent sleeper (7:30p-6:30a).  However, for the past couple of months, she's been waking between 5 and 6....it's consistently closer to 5am now.  Her nap times are pretty consistent.  She's still on a 2 nap a day schedule.  Take a look at our schedule and give me any suggestions you may have for getting her to sleep later.  5am is becoming a real bore!

Wakes 5:30a, 8oz bottle
cereal/fruit at 8a
naps at 9-10a
lunch at 12p
naps usually from 1 to 3p
dinner at 5p
bedtime bottle at 6:30p (she actually skipped this bottle tonight)
Bed at 7:30p

Any thoughts?  Thanks in advance!

[butterflybaby]

Hello lovely Mamas

I'm just going to say hey and hope that I don't need to be on here for quite a few weeks yet! We've hit a bit of a change up with our 10.5 month old so I'm getting a sneak preview of what's ahead by taking a read through here and wow you guys are a mine of valuable information!

I LOVED what you said here Sorayas mom -  "The biggest thing I've learned from this experience is to be much more flexible.  I've been used to her taking her naps like clockwork.  Now I just have to work a bit harder to read her needs.  It is difficult though as she shows no tired signs!  She would go and go all day if I let her...she would just then meltdown at bed    So of course we are avoiding that!"

That's the philosophy I'm trying to take at the moment and really you hit the nail on the head for me with that comment - (sorry new poster so not sure how to do the quote thang!)

Our fairy has ALWAYS LOVED LOVED LOVED her sleep and I thought we'd easily get to 12-18 months without too much of a change up - but you never know I may be here long before I expect it.

no doubt I'll be back in the near future - in the meantime - EASY transition vibes to all!

[NiknLily]

Hi Christine, I would say it may be a couple of things.  Firstly if she is waking at 5.30am then she should be going to bed by 6.30 at the latest.  Currently she is doing a 14hr day and 10hr night.  If this has always been normal for her then ignore me, but thats my first thought.  The next thing I would maybe try is to reduce her pm nap.  She is getting a good 3hrs sleep a day which she may no longer need, hence her nights will become shorter as a consequence as at this age you want to judge total amount of day & night sleep and strike the right balance between the 2.

[lesorl]

Can I join you girls?

I think my lo (almost 10 mos) is moving in the 2 to 1 direction, but I would love some advice...

First, a little background- we've battled short (37 min) naps since about 5 weeks.  Looking back, I think she was only tired enough for one sleep cycle.  The past few weeks her naps have gotten longer, we had 4-5 days of textbook 1.5 hour naps.  Then it all went haywire- she began increasing her A time, so much so that I could barely get a 2nd catnap in, and then bedtime was getting pushed back, and the last 2 weeks we've had 2-3 night wakings each night.  I thought maybe separation anxiety and/or her paci were creating problems, but last night she slept 5:30pm-6:36am with one waking at about 6:54pm from OT (she had been up since 12:30pm).

Today, she was acting tired after only 2 hours A time, and fell asleep after 3 hours A time, as opposed to the last few days of 3.5 hours A time.

My main question is are the nw's due to the naps?  And if so, how can I adjust her routine?

Thanks in advance for any and all advice.

[christinew]

Thanks Newmum!

She did go to bed a little earlier last night (7p) and slept in a little later this morning (5:45!)! So, I will try even a little earlier tonight and see how we do!

Thanks again, so much!

[pmitchell]

Hello,
I haven't posted in a while but thought I'd ask for some suggestions as I think my DS is ready for the 2-1 switch.  He is 16 mos, 3 weeks old.  He was clearly in a 2 nap routine (10 AM and 3 PM for approx. 1 1/2 hours per nap) for a while, but a couple of weeks ago, he started becoming very upset when I put him down for naps (he usually wouldn't cry), his naps were shorter, and he took longer to settle down. 

He wakes up between 6:15 and 7 AM.  I am unable to see the tired cues anymore (he used to rub his eyes, yawn, etc) so I am just trying to figure out what works.  For example, two days ago, he woke at 7 AM, I put him down at 1 PM, he slept almost 2 hours, and then went to bed at 6:45 PM. That was great!

However, yesterday, I tried to put him down at 1 PM, he slept 45 minutes, and that was it.  Around 5 PM-6:30 PM he was very cranky and went to bed around 7 PM. 

Today I put him down at 10 AM and he fell asleep for a good nap so I guess he will take a second nap today...

My question is, should I start the 1 nap schedule or wait? Also, if I am doing 1 nap, would 11 AM or 1 PM be a better time? I apologize if this has been asked before and look forward to any suggestions.

[amy123]

My ds usually takes 15 to 30 min to get to sleep.  Sometimes longer.  I can tell the difference between a "hey come get me--I want you to come see me" cry (stops and starts, tends to be babbling or mantra, more fussy than crying) and a "I'm really upset and it's not winding down" cry. 

Laura - good to hear your experience here.  I had been thinking other lo's just lie happily in their cribs and babble cheerfully as they drift off to sleep every day!  (i'm sure some do sometimes, but this sounds more realistic).  Funny that I posted this yesterday and today she went down for two naps w/o even a peep!  Murphy's Law, eh? 

i do agree that this transition is about being incredibly flexible and not getting caught up in how much lo "should" be sleeping (whilst still working toward more sleep as needed).  For perfectionists or semi-perfectionists (anybody else? )  it's a good exercise in letting go a bit and going with the flow.

Would like to reply to some of the new posts, but dd is waking now from her nap!  Will have to wait til after bedtime!
-amy

[sorayas mom]

Thanks butterflybaby!  I figured there were other semi-perfectionists out there that would benefit from hearing that!  I had to remind myself why I started using BW in the first place...it was to meet her needs and understand her...not for my convenience of knowing exactly when she would nap everyday    And I never thought she would start to transition at 11 months either!! 

Things have been all over the place for dd the past two days she has not fallen asleep for her nap until noon (yesterday she was played in crib from 11:30-12 today we were at church and couldn't get her down any earlier) and took only 40 minutes naps.  But to my surprise she has taken a second catnap at 4 both days!  So even though naps are all over the place we are at least avoiding OT and not having NW or EW!  So I will continue to go with the flow.  I've learned on nights where she gets a solid 12 hours she is not ready for her nap until 11:30 or 12 but she still isn't napping too long.  Sometimes over an hour though, and when that happens we can get her to bed at 5:45 and avoid OT.  I just hate putting her to bed any earlier than that! 

Well I hope all is getting better with everyone else!

[LauraRose]

Our naps crashed and burned today too.  Maybe it was just the extra-busyness of church, I put Jack down at the normal times. But he slept for only 30 minutes or so for both 9:45 and 1:45 naps.  Early bedtime tonight!