EW problems!

[newmama12]

YAY! I finally got on the website. I haven't been able to get on for a week or so now and I am in desperate need of help!!

We are having EW issues!! Big time!! For the past week, she's been waking up between 5-5:30am! I have NO idea why or what to do about it. Her 'normal' wake time was around 6:30am. This is totally messing everything up. She's ready for a nap by 10am and I keep her up till 11:30/12. Some of those days she napped 2 hours but other days (like today) it's barely 1.5 hours. When she napped 2 hours I was keeping her bedtime to about 7:00 (in bed). Yesterday, I had her in bed at 6:45pm, but she still didn't fall asleep till 7:15. Then she's up at 5:20 today!

HELP!! I don't know what to do. Should I do a very early bedtime, like 6:15 or so? Should I do a later bedtime so that (hopefully) she'll sleep past 5am?

[becky1969]

I'd absolutely do the earlier bedtime.  Usually what happens, when EWs or NWs come out of the blue, is they are experiencing some kind of change like teething or a growth spurt.  This change causes them to be more tired than normal, so makes them have EWs/NWs.  Sounds like you are getting 10 hour nights, which are a CLASSIC sign of being OT.  I think your instincts are spot on to give her a super early bedtime -- like 6:15.  Most likely, the move to 6:45 just wasn't early enough. 

Give the super early bedtime at LEAST 3 days before giving up on it.  Sometimes it just takes their body clock time to adjust.  But I have a feeling a 6:15 bedtime will bring you the results you're looking for!  My son usually uses those early bedtimes to catch up on sleep, so we often get 13 hour nights as a result.  I hope the same happens for you! 

[newmama12]

Thanks! I'm definetly going to do the earlier bedtime tonight. And to top if off...nap today was 50 minutes! I thought she would go back to sleep, but nope.
Wish us luck!! I do think she's getting (or at least feeling) her 2 year molars. She's chewing on her fingers again, way way in the back. Hint hint for me! LOL! But gosh, these 5am wakings are driving me insane. We're all exhausted.   

[newmama12]

Uggh! Did not go so well. I had her in bed at 6:20pm and she laid right down and was really still for about 15 minutes. I was like "wow! she's asleep." But no, she started moving around and didn't really fall asleep till about 6:50pm. Up at 5am this morning!! She never wakes crying though, so I leave her in bed till 6/6:30 unless she does start crying.

Should I try a 2 nap day? This always backfires on me and I'm really nervous about it. When she was transitioning and I'd go back to 2 naps she would never take the 2nd. But I'm desperate! If she sleeps this morning, should I set a time limit? Maybe an hour max? I was thinking of trying to put her down around 9:30 and then again around 3. Or do you think I should not do it and just give her a nap around 11:30 and then early bed again? I'm sooo lost!

[becky1969]

Don't be frustrated that early bedtime didn't work the first time.  She *did* end up falling asleep sooner than normal, but it wasn't soon enough since she still had about a 10 hour night.  It sounds to me that you were right on the cusp of her sleep window.  15 minutes earlier may have done the trick!

Well, if you *do* try 2 naps, you should absolutely limit that AM nap to no more than 15 minutes or it will be your only nap of the day.  I think I'd have her stretch until at least 11 am, if you can.  Then hopefully you'll get a 2 hour nap out of her, and then a 6 pm bedtime. 

This is a tough phase.  A lot of kids go thru an OT cycle at this age because of those stupid eye teeth -- they are super painful and even after they're in they tend to cause pain and exhaustion for a couple of weeks.

If she has a 50 minute nap again, I'd do my best to extend nap.  Sit with her in the rocker and try to soothe her back to sleep.  She may surprise you! And, if you can get even another half hour out of her it will make that early bedtime work a little better.

[newmama12]

Still going thru ew's but we're hanging in there. Yesterday she woke at 5am (again) and I think she went back to sleep till 7. I turned down the monitor a bit and I fell back asleep but I didn't wake at all to her music till 7. So, she must have. Last night she got in bed too late b/c we dropped her off at my parents so dh and I could get some dinner together. She didn't get to bed till 7:30 and asleep about 7:45p and up just before 6am today. So, gonna try for a 11:30 nap and depending on that, probably a 6:30 bedtime. She's gotta catch up on her sleep, eventually!

She's definetly working on the 2 year molars. Eye teeth are both in, but the last one just came thru the skin last week or so. So, she's probably still having a bit of pain with that one along with feeling those last molars. Can't wait till we're done with the teeth!

[newmama12]

Alright mamas! Need advice for today. Let me know what you think:

DD was in bed at 6:30pm last night and was asleep by 6:50 and slept till 5:50 this morning. 11 hours is her typical but her nap was only 1.20 yesterday and she was up super early.
So, for today since she was up at 5:50am, I was thinking nap at 11:30 and bed 6:30. She'll probably only nap till 1:00. Should I do something different?

[becky1969]

I'd probably shoot for in bed by 6 pm.  i sounds like it typically takes her 20-30 minutes to fall asleep (esp. since she's struggling with some OT).  Get her in bed earlier, and let's hope she gets a longer night from it.  The nap time is fine, as any earlier and then you've got a super super early night!  If you still get a 5:30 waking (e.g. 11 hours of sleep) tonight, then I might push her nap a bit later because if she's going to short nap anyway, might as well try for a later waking due to later nap (like try noon).

[newmama12]

Grrr! Things are just going from bad to worse over here. We still have ew's and the past 2 days her nap has been 45 minutes. AHHH!! She is sooo ot. I guess tonight I'm going to have to get her in bed at 6pm b/c she really needs to make up some sleep.