18 month--please help with naps & routine

[RACHPEM]

We are still going round in circles here, if I give Maya meds before bed she sleeps soundly if I dont she is waking 1-2 times for upto 3 hrs, she does have her canines coming through but I feel like I am druggin her.  The ew are still as bad, I put her down 30 mins earlier last nt and she woke 30 mins early this morning so 4.50 instead of 5.18, she has gone to bed at 6.15pm tonight as she was so fussy after only 1.20 nap and was actually ready at 5pm but I am so worried about what tommorow mornings wake will be.  I keep thinking maybe she only needs 10-10.5 at night but she is not nice to be around most of the time and fusses like crazy so prob is tiredness that is making her like that.  I just dont know what to do or where to go from here if anyone can shed some light that would be great, I know you all have your own crosses to bear.
Rachael x

[JSavage]

Hi I feel I'm doing the same with Robert, he has had meds at least once during the day for a week or more and I worry that I shouldn't be doing it, but if he is in pain then he does need it.
The same scenario as Maya seems to happen with his sleeps, so I will hang around for the answer too, if you don't mind?!
Though I do have a plan - I have put Robert to bed 3/4 hour early at 6:45pm (since he woke at 2pm from his nap) and if he wakes early to try a catnap, like the others have suggested. I have also heard it can take about three days to have any effect on their cycle?
I can still hear him kicking about in his cot now (7:20pm), I feel like why did I bother for an early bedtime, its so annoying!!! At least I have got everyones support and understanding on here, I appreciate it

[skatty]

I just want to say don't feel bad about giving medicine if it helps, that means they need it! I also worry when L is teething and I feel like she is having too much medicine but as soon as the teeth have broken through she doesn't need it anymore and it can be months before she needs them again, even my doc told me that if it helps LO sleep then it is fine 

[becky1969]

My doc also said that you shouldn't worry about once a day.  They can have up to 4-6 does EACH of Tylenol and Motrin in one day, so 1 dose of 1 med isn't a big deal.  obviously, it's not a permanent solution! But I know from my son that if he's not in pain, Tylenol/Motrin don't do anything for his sleep! If it's working, they need it. And let me tell you, eye teeth were almost worse than the molars over here! So it doesn't surprise me that LO needs some help with the pain.

[JSavage]

Thanks for the reassuring words of advice. Your both right - in the grand scheme of things I'm only giving him a little bit and it is helping his sleep, so he does need it! I feel so much happier now.
Well we put Robert down early last night, and though he didn't go off as quickly as I would have liked he was still asleep by 7:30 which is earlier than he has been AND he slept through until 6:30am this morning!!! We have had a really good day today and I have been watching his cues so closely. He was getting tired around 11:00 so I gave him an early lunch and he was in bed by 11:30 and 'went out like a light' and slept until 2:00pm which fitted well with a 7am bedtime. So will see if this continues tomorrow. Fingers crossed. x Having said that I did need to put bonjela on his gums (both sides for the first time) and there is a lump on each side - does that mean a tooth might break through soon? Heres hoping!!!
I'm a little concern that we are going away on Friday in the midst of all this (just when I feel we might be getting somewhere), would you guys just suggest to keep as close to his 'new' routine as is possible in a car journey and whilst away??

[skatty]

Yes I would definitely try sticking closely with the routine but try not to let it get you stressed while you are away! It does sound like teething may be your problem, we are also having issues with the back molars and they bump up and go down like a yoyo, one is very bumpy now and I am hoping it will break through this time  Those EWs you are having sound like typical teething wakes as any medicine before bed has worn off by then, have you ever tried to mix some medicine with a bit of milk and give it in the early hours like a dream feed? Leorah will often start moaning while asleep bfeore waking fully when teething and we have done this with great success  Have a great trip 

[Sima]

Oh my....I am still struggling with my lo!!  She seems to be taking 1.15 min naps regardless of awake time!  I tried 5.5 hours and still wakes up 1.15 min.  My problem is that she wakes up at 6 and I put her down at 12 and sometimes earlier!  Then her nap ends at 1-1.15!  Giving her catnap in morning not work...she will not nap later.  The evening catnap I have done but to be honest, I rather put her down w/o having to do another catnap. 
Current:
wake up 6
nap 11:30-12 to 1-1.15
BT  6.30

Once in a while will take 2 hours naps regardless of awake time. 

The early bedtime means early wake up. Does anyone know how to move nap later during the day so bedtime is also later when nap is 1.15 min??

Please help!!

[skatty]

I think all you can do is slowly push the whole day on by about 10 mins every few days, that includes meals and snacks if you have set times so that her body clock adjusts. I actually accept a 1hr15 nap, it is at least 2 full sleep cycles, some people find their Lo's nap extends after a few months on one nap, sorry to say this never happened for us  I know you don't want to do the evening catnap but that is the only other way I can think of for a later wake up if the LO will only do a certain amount of hours in the night 

[Sima]

Thanks Skatty!!  You are right, maybe 1.15 is all she might need and accept it.  How is your lo doing with ear infection and molars?  Hope feeling better
You mean to move nap time 10 min everyday to move the day forward?? 

[skatty]

Yes  have never done this before myself but that is what is usually recommended. We are having a crap time with naps too  Leorah's ears dried up but the last few days she has had the same symptoms again so I think they may have liquid again due to the teething  At the moment I am happy to get a nap as we have had some no nap days which have affected her night sleep and caused EW, the longest nap we get at the mo' is an hour as she is pretty OT now but I am hoping things are getting back on track again, I'd love our 1hr15 mins back!!

[lesorl]

Siria- I think you need to move everything forward 10 mins every few days- mealtimes, nap time, and bedtime.  So if you normally feed breakfast at 7am, feed at 7:10am for 3-4 days.  Same with nap time and bedtime.

Good luck!

[JSavage]

Hi everyone, back from my hols!
We had a fantastic 4 mornings of Robert waking up at 7am whilst away and even one morning had to wake him at 8am! I was delighted and considered we had cracked it - only for us to relapse to waking at 5:45 whinging and whining again!! Its so frustrating, and even more so for him.
I just dont know what to think now. Since he has had a break and has slept fine I am inclined to think it must be teeth. His gums are like you described (Skatty) so I might just try the 'dream feed' of meds and see if that has any effect.