Support for Dropping That Last Nap, Thread #2

[PeepersMom]

*Warning long rambling post ahead*

Hi everyone!  boy this is a wacky age with sleep.  I just don't get it. 

 Thinking back just 3 months PJ was a solid 45min - 1 hour napper.  About 6w-2 months ago he started napping just about every single nap longer than an hour (with a few skipped and a few 45 min) Night sleep at first wasn't dramatically effected.  I think when I started to post here nights were still for the most part pretty good.  So that was just a few weeks ago...  Now he has a hard time falling asleep before 830 - last night it was 830 and that was after 7  hours of awake time.  He is acting really hyper - which is really not the way he is.  I have done all kinds of tricks and things I have learned on BW through advice here and the books.  Now I just don't know what to do.  Last night it took 1.5 hours before he fell asleep - which has become the norm - and when I went to get him this morning he had pushed his crib away from the wall he was playing so hard last night. I do have to be greatful that it was a decent night for him, he woke at 7 am.  Like I said, he acts super hyper most of the day time now and looks tired to me.  And definitely  more tantrums.

I currently put him down about 1 hour before I think he will fall asleep. This has actually been our practice for about a year b/c he is definitely a kid who takes forever to fall asleep.  Unless it is like 11 at night, he will take at least 45 min to fall asleep.  I plan for it.  But now, with it taking 1.5 hours (one night last week it took 2 hours!) I am starting to wonder if I am doing the right thing?  And maybe it all comes down to the nap.  Again, he is napping longer than ever.  (he is currently on a >1.5 hour sleep) but I just can't bare waking him.  I waited 2.5 years for a good napper!  I worked so hard for the first 18 months of his life to extend those naps (afer that I just gave up!) and now, when it is finally working, I am going to start waking him?  I can't seem to make myself do it!  I was going to wake him at 2 pm.... (an hour nap) and now it is 2:37 pm.... 

I am still waiting it out and seeing if it all shakes out and really I am going to try to have a discussion with DH about it.  He thinks it is nuts that I even care how long PJ plays in his crib. 

Sorry if all my venting is irritating to some of you.  I do look at the boards for my sounding board, for sure.  I am probably taking advantage of you all and this 'free' board, but I find most of you understand my pain.  Even if I do need a virtual valium from time to time. :-)

Thanks for reading if you have gotten this far!

Meg

[debo620]

Stacy, maybe Noah went back to sleep this am? he was happily asleep at 12:25 and woke happy at 1:55---I thought I'd Have to wake him but nope...

[debo620]

Stacy, I feel for you...good thing the WALMART strollers have buckles..

I have not been through that at the store but I am sure some of neighbours think boy "that Noah sure does scream and cry ALOT"

like yesterday, when he did not listen to me about taking his digger to the car, and instead started to run away. I picked him up and his digger fell and I wasn't going back to get it...so yup big temper tantrum! only thing was it was in the car---I couldn't get him in the car seat so he thrashed around the back seat and climbed up and over the back seat to the cargo area---carried on for 20minutes----meanwhile my neighbour drove by and I am sure was really curious!

video monitor--doesn't that mean I need a TV in my room? I can't really go for that!

no diggers in the bed tonight

[debo620]

how can I convince hubby?
I am already working on the electric breast pump LOL

Noah was knocking at his door asking to have his grobag back on--not sure how he got it off but he still wants it in the bed-cant sleep without it!

[PeepersMom]

Ok, now that I have gotten a few vents off my chest I am back and more calm.  Thanks everyone!  tee hee

Stacy = Oh, man.  Hate those days for sure!

Kate =  whoa.  What was today like?  Is you step -D still there?  I hear you on the shining light of an early awake time.  EARLY BED TIME!

Deb = sounds like Noah and PJ are sort of doing the same thing.  Just working things out.  But driving us nuts.  Noah actually sounds like he is doing great.

Karen = these molars are driving us insane, too.  Nothing has really helped for poor PJ getting 3 at once.  I got Calms 4orte and the teething tablets. Not to mention Tylenol and Motrin.  The meds help his mood tremendously but not his sleep.

Well, ashamedly, I snuck PJ into his crib 15 min early to watch Idol Gives Back.  I am so embarrassed! But I heard the "So You Think You Can Dance" dance crew opened the show and I didn't want to miss it.  that is by far my favorite summer show.  Normally on a day like today (waking up at 235 from nap) I would have put him down at 730 and prayed for asleep by 830, but probably get 9.  So, I am thinking I will once agan get 9, but he will have been in the crib an additional 15 min early.  This is the perfect reason to keep him in a crib longer.  hee hee. 


Meg

[rinajack]

LOL Meg!

Things going well here today.  By some miracle, Zara went down for a 12:30 nap even though she didn't wake until 7:30 or a bit later this morning!  Not complaining! To help her wind down, I sat on the bed and fed Hugh while she tossed and turned, then I told her I need to go clean up after lunch etc, and she was out to it just a few minutes later.

[marensmama]

OH WHY WON'T SHE GIVE IN!!!  Sorry for yelling, but my gosh, my DD2 is sick with a cold, is obviously OT (has been for weeks), and she will now only nap once a week (the one day a week she's in daycare, for like 3 hours and NEVER at home).  This has been coming for a long time, I know the nap is on the way out, but she's sick and tantruming and clumsy.  She sits in her room after the wind-down and talks or sings, escalating until I have to go get her so she doesn't wake up her sister in the next room.  She won't nap in my room, won't sit still long enough for some quiet time even if I'm right beside her... and she's at the million questions stage so there's no peace and quiet.  Even with a quiet activity like playdoh or coloring she needs me there participating, and I spend all the rest of the day engaging her and need a break.

Mostly I just get annoyed by the whole thing because it seems to me that she does need the nap.  Even when I put her to bed an hour early to make up for it she won't fall asleep until the usual time.  She gets up in her window seat and sings out the window until she collapses with exhaustion.  If I didn't have to deal with the aftermath it would be darn cute!

Thanks for listening to the rant.

[rinajack]

Hugs Nicole!

Things going OK here.  Fairly smoothly, but probably not the way most people wouild handle it.  DH put Zara to bed last night, and since he isn't much of a reader like me, he put his earphones in (MP3) and listened to music til she finally fell asleep LOL. And that was after just a 1 hr nap, it really doesn't take much to keep her up at night.

[marensmama]

OK is there a sheepish-looking smiley?!  I meant DD1 in my pp, and she did end up napping for 1.5 hrs - sang herself to sleep I guess!  (DD2 pulled a short-nap for some reason, so we're 1 for 2 anyways!!)

[aidenmc]

Its been awhile since I've been on. Perhaps was feeling overconfident about the sleeping . Nicole, I totally understand the not sleeping at home. Aiden has not in months. Luckily he is at preschool during the week (although he doesn't always nap there either but at least they get to deal with it. THe only way for Aiden to nap now is in the car. Ever since he moved to a bed I couldn't bear the fight. Plus he is very good at staying up through being tired, then becoming overtired. I just don't need the fight and am hoping that he wilL essentially be done napping at 3. I guess you can't tale that route with your other lo (and of course it's a terrible prop, but luckily night time is different).

Stacy - I totally know that feeling of the screaming kid. I am so sensitive to screaming and whining (it just drives me nuts!). Luckily Aiden isn't too bad in stores. He loves to be out of the cart and walk so I put him in at first then after he begs to get out finally let him but say he has to stay with me. If he starts running in he goes again. Works pretty well - when he is not overtired of course . Then all bets are off. He tends to alternate between mania and screaming and tears. Fun stuff!

Well after Aiden's 3rd or 4th illness one on top of the other I hope we are done for a while. He had a regular cold then a terrible cough (with croup and asthma) then a stomach flu for a week during which time he caught another cold which had him for a couple of weeks. He was so whiny this week and I started wondering how badly I was spoiling him, but now he seems to be back to himself. Of course he is sliding down that OT slide which has got my nerves. He is waking at 5:30 now and taking short naps (45 minutes). Today after waking at 5:30 he would not nap. Although he was yawning and yawning he just would not crash and then started crying and crying to go home (Napping in the car is great when he goes off quickly. It is murder when he doesn't). Anyway today I brought him home at 2 and said he would have to sleep on the couch but of course it did not work. Funnily he was pretty good for the rest of the day. He did have a couple of time-outs but they weren't even too bad. I just hate those early mornings, though.

Hope everyone has a good night!

[Mom to M&M]

Hey everyone and big hugs to all those with napping babes,  non-napping babes, babes with tantrums, sick ones, partying ones, etc! We had a super busy week and weekend. DD napped in her crib Monday, refused naps the day before, Tuesday and Wednesday, napped in car Thursday, refused Friday and napped in car Sat and Sun (we have been super busy with house errands and yesterday went to Jersey for my dad's bday). Teeth are definitely a factor since sometimes she'll tell me they hurt but must be developmental too. Sadly, after not falling asleep last night until like 9:40 (she didn't sleep on the car ride home) she woke at 6:40 today so definitely going to be overtired and hopefully will nap today. Luckily we have Gymboree class this morning - guess I'll try for a nap around 12:15-12:30!

[rinajack]

9:40! Well. tonight was 10pm, after being put to bed at 8:30.  I am sure getting through alot of reading

[Mom to M&M]

Thankfully after her 9 hour night and a few minor bumps and bruises yesterday morning (clutzy on stairs and at gym class) DD fell asleep within minutes for her nap by 12:45. Woke her a little after 2:15 and had a pretty nice afternoon and tried for bedtime just after 8. She refused at first and was fussing but then was asleep by 8:40 I think. Thought I heard her babbling for a second at 6:30 this morning but not sure if it was really her (I was half asleep) but when I fully woke at little after 7 she was out cold and I think she woke at about 7:35/7:40. Will try a nap at about 1 today and see what happens...

[rinajack]

After a few late nights (not falling asleep til about 10ish - but sleeping in til about 8am) Zara refused to nap yesterday, was asleep by 8pm, and is still asleep now at 7am.  I think I like this better, not napping, but will just keep going with the flow since she has daycare today and there is a good chance she will nap there....

[Mom to M&M]

Same here Stacy - days are all different and we just roll with them best we can. DD napped today from about 12:50-2:20 (I woke her) - she was actually asking for lunch and nap earlier than I was planning LOL. Will get her in bed by 8:15 and see what happens.