Support and Chat thread for moms of early waking toddlers

[debo620]

I think I must be cursed!

last night, in bed for 6:45, asleep by 7:30
woke at 11:30 screaming but back to sleep within about 30min after pain meds
I heard him at 6ish I think, but I think back to sleep til 6:30 (was totallly quiet)
I wasn't sure, so I had him in bed for 11:50 after play group
well he didn't protest and just sort of talked and settled to sleep by about 12:15
woke coughing at 1:15!

what the hell??? its not like hes banked a whole bunch of sleep up and just doesn't need to sleep for then 1hour. I don't get it, I thought we were having a pretty good day!

[debo620]

well we had another awful night,
in bed for 6:15
asleep at 7
and woke crying at 1:30
awake til 3
woke this morning just before 7

I layed him down 12
and he talked a few minutes, asleep at 12:10,
just woke at 1:10

he is SICK, has a cold and a very congested cough,
wondering if this is making the nap even worse.

I'm not sure, can I squeeze in a catnap at 5
early to bed isn't working because he won't fall asleep!
and we really don't need another long NW tonight.

[debo620]

well this sickness sucks!  hope Kaleb is feeling better soon!

I don't even know if he slept 1hr, I actually heard him coughing at 40minutes and then quiet again for 20min.

after yesrdays 1hr nap, I think he was pretty tired come 5pm. so I'm hopeing he'll sleep in car at 5pm for 10min or something.
either that or I am really hopeing he'll go to sleep early tonight.

[Aly Mac]

You know Deb, if he's sick a little catnap won't hurt him. You kind of have to do what you have to do so he doesn't get worse.

Yesterday we had trouble with the afternoon nap - seems to take more than half an hour to get to sleep - starts off quitely in the cot then starts to cry and gets worse.  Not sure whether to bring the second nap forward or later? always tricky with us.  might try earlier, as this worked the other week.  she did sleep for over an hour and a half, so bed was later, but she woke a little earlier - just before six.  I might actually cut the first nap back to half an hour and do next nap 3hrs later, so it's a little earlier. She might sleep a little longer. what do you all think?  i'm only baseing this on gut instinct here.  wish me luck!!  So the plan is

6 awake
9.15-9.45 nap
1-2.30 nap
6.30 bed and hopefully wake up then around 6/6.30.

[debo620]

Aleesa, I think shoot for 30min at 9:30, and then in bed for 12:45

trust me, there is a big difference bwtn 30 and 40min nap, and you really have to CUT that A time in between.

[Aly Mac]

thanks DEb - i was going to still go for 3hrs, so will change that.makes sense really!!  Not sure if she will last til 9.30 but will try, if not will just do half hour and 2.75 later..

hopeyou have a good day!

[debo620]

well I'm feeling super anxious tonight, so I needed to come post.....

Noah has been doing ok,
some days he has only slept 1hr but then has slept solid 11-11.5 at night.
now he has also been sick so I think probably sleeping a bit more..

after a 1hr nap yesterday ( I think not tired enough)
he slept 6:20-6:40am this morning
and then napped today 12:20 for 1hr 45min
plan was for bed at 7:15/7:30

BUT of course we were late home from a family dinner and he wasn't asleep til 8:15--totally late for him and I am sure we will have an EW becuase of it!

I find it so hard to enjoy Christmas and family get togethers when I know they'll reak havoc on Noah's touchy sleep! and I am sure I won't sleep tonight thinking about it!
 

[rinajack]

Hugs Deb.  You never know, he may suprise you.  Zara does on occasion.

She is now 100% cosleeping, and is sleeping better and longer as a result, no wakeups prior to 6am.  In the usual tagteaming way, Hugh has gone back to night feeds so still a tired mummy LOL.

[Layla]

Deb, try not to be anxious. We are also going to have some disturbed sleep & the other day Isabella (who is no longer napping) went to bed at 7pm instead of 6pm.. she still woke at 6am but she was fine all day (I made sure she was super distracted) & I made sure she was in bed by 6pm the next day.

Try & not stress about it but rather enjoy the time with family. Noah will be fine!!!

I hope you don't lose sleep over Noah's sleep

[debo620]

thanks guys, not so good as I expected.

now I don't want to limit his nap, kwim?

[debo620]

Hey Stacy, Merry Christmas!---hope its good for you, sounds as though you have family around.

yup I've noticed the 12-12.5hrs total---looks like that it!
he seems happer now on a longer night and slightly shorter nap---because its not as long of a day, kwim?

today--I didn't wake him but he slept 1hr 50min--so sort of half way in the middle. was tired and ready for bed at 7, so we'll see...

[debo620]

I'm back for just a bit more complaining, humour me...

I am finding this a very tough balance btwn tired enough and OT.

the last few nights have really not been very solid, I'd say getting about 10.5hrs max, naps have been about 1hr30-1hr45min.

yestrday he woke early 5:40 or so
nap 11:40-1:30 woke on his own.
bed 6:40, asleep easily by 7

woke at 4:30 am coughing and stayed awake til 5:30
back to sleep til 6:30/6:40 or so.

layed him down today at 11:50 or so, and he kicked about 10min and then only slept til 1:20.
was fine all afternoon
until 5pm when the crying easily, eye rubbing started.

so what the heck time should he go to bed when normal bedtime is 7pm??
In bed for 6:20, but he is crying and crying now and having a hard time---so probably OT.

why I can't I be blessed with a good sleeper who needs 13hrs of sleep?
I know you guys said that really an early bedtime may just confuse at this age, but I honeslty feel that he gets OT so easily. aargh!

on a positive note, his thrid molar has finally poked through, and I am thinking that maybe the 4th is coming.

[debo620]

hmm, I do think Noah will compensate for a shorter nap if needed (which today IT WAS NEEDED)

ok, so thats good guidelines, the asleep by 30-45min earlier on the the shorter nap.
most nights he is asleep by 7/7:15 on a good nap etc. thanks for that, I am going to go by that.

so probably asleep by 6:30 would of been fine. he was in bed for 6:20, only problen is that when he hasn't napped well he also doesn't fall asleep very easily, and was probably not asleep til 7pm after alot of complaining.

so probably another rough nights sleep here.

its so crazy, the difference btwn 1hr30 and 1hr15

[mikeenan]

I need some help ladies - please!  My 22 mo. old has been sleeping in his big boy bed for 7 days now.  Prior to the big boy bed, he was a wonderful sleeper, going down at 8 pm after bedtime routine and waking around 7:30 - 8:00 am (after playing in his crib for some time).

The first two nights in the big boy bed were amazing.  He went to sleep right away and slept until 8 am.  Subsequent 3 nights involved crying in the middle of the night where I had to go in and get him positioned back under the covers and left after only a minute or two.

The last two nights putting him to bed and the last two mornings during wake up have been unpleasant to say the least.  We put him to bed at 8 pm with the same routine, but he doesn't seem ready to go and as soon as I walk out of his room, he's out of the bed and playing with some toy or waiting in the hallway.  After putting him back in bed for 25 min. straight, he stayed and went to sleep.

In the morning for the last two- we've had another challenge.  At 6:45 am yesterday and 6:15 am today, he made his way into our bedroom wide awake and ready to wake up Mom and Dad.  While this time is not horrible, his normal is to be in his room for another hour to hour and a half.

We currently do not have a gate.  What do I need to do to get my little one to go to sleep (i.e. stay in his bed) when we put him down and how can I get him to stay in his room in the morning even if he is awake?

Your specific direction is much appreciated!  I have a new baby coming in two months and really want to get Gavin back into his great sleep routine before the new baby arrives.

[debo620]

LOL mikeenan, I can't be of much help.

Noah is not in a big boy bed yet ----mostly because the last few months of sleep have been awful and I really don't want him in my room at 5:30 in the morning.

I am sure there are posts about transitioning to a big boy bed though...