12 month old with 30-45 min naps

[Layla]

It was actually a relatively easy transition with DD1 but with Jasmine it was pretty bad . There were some horrific days where I would have to leave her in the cot (sometimes crying) so that I could take a minute to regain myself & not hurt her . The only thing that kept me sane was going for walks. We went for walks about 3 times a day. She was much more pleasant when we were outside.

[lesorl]

Could you guys just reassure me that this is the right thing to do?  She woke last night 45 mins after going to bed, which I expected, and then didn't get back to sleep for another hour.  This morning she woke at 5:30am. 

It just feels like I'm doing more harm than good.  Lots of fussing, frustration, and ear tugging yesterday afternoon.  And her little eyes are sooo bloodshot, I feel terrible.

[NiknLily]

It can be really really rough going, it was for Lily.  45min into bedtime nw where standard procedure for months, sometimes it would take ages to resettle other times not.  I think as well it can be confusing for them coming from 2 - 1 nap, they may wake after bedtime thinking it was a nap. 

Its totally your call but I would stick it out for at least a week, 2 naps weren't working so I don't think you have much to loose.

[skatty]

I really, really think you should keep going, as you know I had similar troubles on 2 naps. She will get to a point where she will have to catch up on the sleep, it will probably be hell until then but her body clock will adjust to the 1 nap. We missed Leorah's window last night and had 45 mins of crying and WI/WO but when she finally slept it was like she passed out.

Maybe you should just accept for now that your day starts at 5.30 adjust your own bedtime and meals etc, the mornings will get later or you can push the day forward slowly like New Mum did. To avoid OT with Leorah I had to have her in bed by 4hrs30 regardless what the time was and we avoided OT big time which was a first in our house. I think the A time before bed is the one that can cause chronic OT because it's the end of the day and if the nap has been short it has been a long time since there was a rejuvenating rest.

I know it's not the done thing but I would stay with her if she wakes up after 45 min at bedtime if it will help her get back to sleep again, do whatever you can to get over this OT slump. Would she fall asleep again if you bought her to your bed when she wakes early in the morning? I have found AP that is done when L is OT is very easy to fix once she has caught up.

We are all here behind you 

[lesorl]

Thank you new mum and skatty for encouraging me to stick with the 1 nap- you are both right:  2 naps wasn't working!!!

Today she woke at 5:30am, and slept 65 minutes 10:50am-11:55am.  She woke up crying, but she was not going back to sleep.

I wouldn't mind the day starting so early if M was taking a decent nap- but it just kills me she's so tired.  Katt- did you really put Leorah to bed after 4.5 hours A time after the nap?  Today that would've been 4:25pm for M, and I just can't seem to get her in earlier than 4:50pm.

In the morning when she wakes, I rock her until 6am (hoping and praying she'll get another 30 mins) but that doesn't work lately.  At 6am, I bring her into our bed, but she likes to jump around.  She's always been extremely independent, so she has never slept with us (though not for lack of trying on my part).

Thanks again for all the support-
Leslie

[skatty]

Hi Leslie, yes I always put her down after 4hrs20 with her being asleep by 4hrs30, we had a few days when she was fast asleep by 4.30pm but mostly 5pm. An hour and 5 minute naps is great!! It has improved already then! Leorah's naps were often 1hr 5 to begin with and now after months average 1hr30 though she gets periods of taking 2hrs plus it never lasts!

Not sure of the time difference but I would have her in her cot by 4.30pm tonight, even if she doesn't sleep she will hopefully be rested especially if you can sit there with her. If she is asleep by 4.30/5pm tonight and wakes at 5.30 tomorrow at least she will have 12+ over night which will help the OT.

I just looked at when you posted and it was yesterday, you are probably just beginning your day now! I hope you have had a good night, let us know how it's going. I think yesterday's nap is a real step in the right direction, I hope she slept later this morning.

Please persevere, you deserve to get this sorted now after months and months of nap problems! The great thing is that as L has never been a good napper if she now naps 1hr15 and takes a long night I am happy, whereas other mums I know are mortified that she only sleeps that long but are envious of my easy evenings 

[lesorl]

Great news today- M slept from 4:50pm-5:56am with no NWs!!!!  Hooray!  (I'm here doing my dance of joy)

Katt and new mum- your support and advice has been invaluable.  I could never thank you enough.

Katt- she falls asleep at her last bottle, and she's usually fast asleep for her nap by the time wind down is over.  She's that tired!  I guess I'll have to fix that in the future.

I hope this new trend continues.

Leslie

[skatty]

Wahoo! Great news!! I think those small things will fix themselves 

[NiknLily]

Leslie thats fantastic, that good nap & early night certainly served her well.  I'm dancing too for you.

Fixing APOP that you do when they are chronically OT is relatively easy to fix when they are caught up on sleep.  A lot of mums do heaps of APOP during this transition.

Fingers crossed it will continue to improve   don't let it through you if she suddenly has a bad day or night again, it can & does happen.  Just stick with what you are doing and it will right itself quite quickly.

 

[lesorl]

 

After a great night, she napped 35 minutes, woke up unhappy and would not go back to sleep (I tried for 45 mins).  So she's in bed at 4:37pm, 5 hours and 20 mins after she woke from that "naplet".  I'm prepared for NWs and an EW.

Are boys easier than girls?  Or is it easier if you don't stay home with them?

[anyamom]

Or is it easier if you don't stay home with them?

i am laughing at this !!!! 

was just telling dh the other day that i wish i could put dd into a day care, where miraculously all kids have great naps!!!!

anyways, have brought up your thread to read for my dd's crazy naps

[Sungrl]

Leslie,

Sorry I am jumping in here a bit late but I wanted to tell you I can really relate to your DD's sleeping issues.

Zoey started taking 40 minute naps at 2 months and continued on with this her whole life.  I was SO frustrated for SO long and tried everything under the sun to extend her naps, etc.  It became really consuming and I really felt frustrated, and even resorted to holding her during naps to ensure she slept well.  Of course, I had no life because of this and was miserable!!!  Eventually, I just accepted the fact that my daughter did not need a lot of daytime sleep and life became much less stressful.  At 12 months Zoey was taking two 40 minute naps per day and sleeping around 11-12 hours at night.  At that point, she started daycare and by 13 months the DCP had her taking only one nap.  At daycare, this nap is normally at least 1.5 hours.  She usually sleeps 12 hours exactly at night.

At home on the weekends she often will only have one 40 minute nap, but mostly it is about 1 hour.  Often with me she wakes up VERY grumpy from her nap because she's not slept enough.  On those days I put Zoey down 20-30 minutes early for bed.  If she seems super tired early in the day, I sometimes just give her two naps, knowing they will both be short.  A few times over the holidays I put her down for what I thought was a morning nap and she slept for 2.5 hours (we had a few late nights over the holidays and she was OT)!  She seems to be able to let me know when she is more tired by her moods and I just try to go with it.

Zoey is 15 months now and her day is something like this.... 
She wakes around 7:15-7:30, has lunch at 11am and is in bed for her nap by 12.  At daycare she sleeps until 1:30.  We have dinner at 6:30pm or so and she is in bed asleep by 7:30pm.  On weekends, if she has a short nap I often put her to bed by 7-7:15pm and this seems to nip any early wakings or bad night sleeps in the bud.

I always make sure Zoey has a full tummy before nap and bedtime, has had a poop (she poops a lot), has had plenty to drink, and is not too hot/cold.  That way, I am ruling out any of these things from being the cause of her waking too early.  If I suspect she is teething, I give her some infant Tylenol about 30 minutes before her nap.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know you are not alone with having a short napper and I hope you are able to get into some sort of routine with her.

[lesorl]

Anyamom - seriously, don't kids in daycare nap well?  See Sungrl's post below yours- her lo naps well at daycare, but not at home.

Sungrl- thanks for sharing your experience.  My lo has been having short naps since about 5 weeks old- it's the pitts.  Right now we're having trouble with 5 hours A time, so I don't know if she could handle your schedule.

Katt and new mum- I thought I was in for a really rough night, but I heard her at 4am and 4:45am, but she didn't call for me until 6am.  Then I brought her into our bed until 6:30pm, and she fell asleep for another 30 mins.  Unheard of in this house. 

She woke from the half hour nap at 6:53pm, so do I put her down at the same time today, 10:45am, as I've been doing?  Or do I make it a little later?

Leslie

[lesorl]

What is going on?  She napped a grand total of 35 mins again today.  Was 4  hours, 10 mins A time not enough?  Did the nap in our bed screw her up?  Is she getting too much sleep at night?

I'm so foggy from trying to figure this out.

[skatty]

Leslie hang in there, sounds like she is starting to sort her night sleep out, this happened first with us too  When M wakes in the morning is she crying or just calling out for you? If L was awake early I used to leave her in her cot unless she was upset, she has gone back to sleep after up to nearly an hour before and sleep for another 1-2 hours and then I would put her down 4½ hours after this. Count wake up from the last part of night sleep she woke up from, that "nap" in your bed was actually a continuation of night sleep. Hopefully soon she wont have that waking and will resettle herself. It does sound if she is like L, she can wake early from a nap and act wide awake and soon after she will be yawning and still tired but it is almost impossible to extend her naps 

Keep us posted