I could just go crazy!

[newmama12]

Coopersmommy, we're going thru a very similar thing as you guys are. I feel for ya. It's so frustrating. DD is 18 months, as well and is getting (or at least feeling) her 2 year molars. During the day she's chewing on her fingers, way in the back, so I'm pretty sure they're bothering her. Plus, they're her last teeth to get. Anyhoo, for the past 2 weeks she's been waking between 5:30-6am and most of the time it's closer to 5:30am and we've even had a 5:15  . She doesn't go back to sleep. She is completely awake and happy and wants to play. She doesn't cry and just plays in her crib which works out pretty well. Most days I can leave her for a good 45 minutes before getting her up for the day. But, it's starting to really wear on all of us. Not to mention, her naps have been short as well. The first week of ew's she did normal naps 1.5-2 hours, but this past week her naps have been 45 minutes to an hour 15. She's way ot! I'm trying so hard to catch her up. Today she was up at 5:30, napped too late and only slept 45 minutes, so she was in bed at 6:30 (i tried for 6:15, but hubby was playing w/her and I couldn't get him to bring her up to bath quick enough). She was asleep by 6:45pm, so we'll see what time she wakes tomorrow.
The problem with her waking so early is that by 10:30am she's ready for a nap! That's really tough b/c she's never been a long napper (usually 1.5 hours), so that would mean she'd be up by 12 and then, what, bed at 6 probably. That's tough. I've been keeping her up till 11:30/12 and she's way ot by then and taking a long time to fall asleep and then not napping longs. So, we're a mess here. I'm hoping she gets a good 11.5-12 hours tonight and we can start catching up.

Hang in there and know you're not alone!! We're exhausted and frustrated too!

[coopers_mommy]

Thanks for the comments!  I think we've met before in these threads!  

I have to say, the best way I've found to keep Cooper up if it's been an early morning is to be out of the house!  Then if he crashes on the way home, I can transport him to his crib and pray HARD for a 2 hr nap!  My neighbor commented on the fact that we are always gone (she's a SAHM with a 10 month old who doesn't sleep well at all), and I told her that I'd go crazy if I was stuck in a house with a cranky toddler. 

I think Cooper has started to sleep less (the 18month thing) also.  Instead of our wonderful 12 hour nights, I think we're getting about 11-11.5 on a good night.  Which is fine, as long as he doesn't wake before 7!   

We are TTC and the thought of being pregnant with a cranky toddler who's teething doesn't sound like fun. 

I love this site, if not for anything else, the support!

[coopers_mommy]

We were faced with another 5:45 wake up this morning....granted he had NO NWs but still....too early in my book especially with falling asleep last night at 7:35.  So, i was curious, with our time change coming up, I wanted to become familiar with W2S.  How does it work, have you had success with it?  I would be happy if he'd sleep till 6:30 right now. 

Oh to MDO....I know it'll be a bad nap day, so we'll be having an early bedtime!

[newmama12]

We had a, sort of, early morning. I heard her wake and turn on her music thing at 4:30! Yes 4:30am! I was like NOOOOO! LOL! Luckily, she did fall back asleep and I woke up again at 6:50 and she was awake, so not really sure when she woke up again. Although, now she is refusing nap and I'm not sure if it's b/c she's ot or ut. I actually just went and got her up b/c she's been in there 40 minutes and not napping. GRR! She's not looking or acting tired, so I'm going to give it about 20 minutes and try again.

I, too, think she is starting to sleep less total hours too. She is barely doing 10.5 at night and then 1-1.5 for nap, lately. Some nights she's doing 11, but rarely more.

Hope you had a good MDO!

[deckchariot]

{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}} ladies!!!  Teething, really, it's a nightmare for them!  (and for us by extension!).  I too find the best way to extend Abby is to get her out of the house!!!  She's distracted, and the extra activity really tuckers her out to sleep (and in a good way, not just in an OT way if that makes any sense).  We too get EWs from teething on occasion - I still try to keep to her regular routine (even though that means a longer A time in the am).

time change - I've been extending her bedtime/naptime by 15 min a day this week, so Sat night I'll put her to bed 1 hr later in the hopes that she'll still sleep her 11.5 hrs and be up at her "regular" time.  Today, went down for a nap 15 min later and so far is doing fine.....

w2s - I've not used it on Abby since she was little, but yes, it does work, it got Abby over the 45 min nap hump.  It is designed to deal with habitual waking, so I'm not sure it's what you're looking for here - it won't help if he's waking early because of pain, and I'm not sure it will help with the time change - once he's slept his 11/11.5 hrs, he's done.  That's why most moms do the gradual extension of bedtime or just bite the bullet and have a crazy EW on Sunday and just get them back on their regular routine after that.   It's not too late to extend a bit - you've got 3 nights - if you push him 15 - 20 min each day, you should be fine.

[jess, lukeys_mom]

I also used w2s successfully with naps, but not at this age.  Does cooper sleep with a dummy? I have heard that either removing and then replacing it, or if it's fallen out then nudging and replacing it in his mouth is usually enough to get them to stir enough to switch sleep cycles. I would try this again perhaps to extend a nap but not so sure if it would be worth doing it for night sleep - if I remember correctly you have to do it 2-3 hours before, so that would mean a VERY early wake up for you (or dh  )

Good luck ladies with the time change! We had it last weekend but by some miracle managed to have a 3.5 hour nap on Sat  So bedtime was late and he is still waking at 7.30   I am flabbergasted!

[newmama12]

How's it going Coopersmommy?

Yesterday J did NOT nap! I kid you not. Not a single minute the entire day. Needless to say, she was in bed and asleep by 6:30pm. However, she only slept till 6 this morning. Hmm...11.5 hours after a no nap day...not long enough! We'll see how today goes. She's in bed now but just playing around still - it's been 10 minutes so far. Grrr! I'm thinking of pushing her bedtime back (later). Mainly b/c of the time change. And I know some of you swear by early bedtimes and that use to work for us, but it's not working so well anymore. I'm thinking of aiming for a 7:30 (in bed) bedtime tonight. Normally, it's 7 that she's in bed and earlier if it's a bad nap day. But she's still getting up so darn early and it's really been throwing nap off and nothing is working anymore. So, I figure, why not just try a later bedtime. Worse case, she still gets up at the same time (6am) and then we'll just figure on an early nap then early bedtime that day. I don't know anymore!

[coopers_mommy]

Thanks for the W2S ideas.  Cooper doesn't sleep with a paci, never has!  Which is fine with me...one less thing to wean from!   I don't think we'll be trying W2S anytime soon.  We're faced with another illness right now. 

Cooper got bronchitis from all of the drainage that he had from teething, which has now worsened!  After a HORRIBLE and I mean the worst night ever, last night, we were standing at the Dr's office early this morning ready for some good meds.  Yesterdays nap was 45 mins....then last night he had such a rough time sleeping (he was interrupted with coughing about every 30 minutes!).  Today again, the nap stunk....again because of the coughing.  So, he is now super drugged up....mucinex, benadryl, antibiotic, teething tablets!  I'm going to try again around 3 or 3:30 for a nap (at least 30 min would help him at this point) so that we can keep a later bedtime.  Although I'm so tired right now that I almost want to put him down at 5 for the night    so that I can sleep!

[jess, lukeys_mom]

Poor boy    I hope he's better soon!! Luke was sick recently to worst-night-ever-proportions as well, it is a terrible feeling to see your lo so sick
Hugs to you both, I really hope you get some rest 

[deckchariot]

oh dear....sick bubs are no fun for anyone.  Hang in there and try to grab sleep when you can!!

[coopers_mommy]

Well, we made it through the time change pretty well I'd say!  We kept Cooper out later than usual last night and then put him down around 8:15.  He was a little restless at first with waking every 45 minutes, but after about 2 hours of that, he was out.  He woke up for medicine once and then slept till 7:30 (well really 6:30, but you know)!  I was impressed.  He took his nap around 12 (the new time), so was up for a good amount of time before crashing....slept 2 hours and had a great afternoon! 

The cough is still around and such, but the meds are def working (YIPPEE!!!)  I really think the illness worked in our favor this time around. 

Oh and today DH was fishing some cat food out of Cooper's mouth (nasty right!) and felt two molars that are through...the top ones which is surpising!  Now for the bottom ones to appear... 

How did ya'll weather the time change?

[jess, lukeys_mom]

Great news about sleeping through and having a great day this weekend!  Such good news. Our time change was a week before yours but has gone very well, he has been sleeping till 7.30/8 every day since. HUH

Oh and today DH was fishing some cat food out of Cooper's mouth (nasty right!) and felt two molars that are through...the top ones which is surpising!  Now for the bottom ones to appear... 

Ah - that explains some of the poor guy's suffering. Luke still doesn't have his bottom ones though the drool is heavily flowing and hands have been in his mouth constantly.
When I first read this by the way - actually I had to read it a few times - I read "today DH was FINISHING some cat food out of Cooper's mouth"   

[deckchariot]

YAY for navigating the time change well.  We did not, but now that it's over, she's back to her usual patterns and I'm back to sleeping in   (ok, not really, I'm up at 5:30 to work out, but at least she's not up then too!)

and YAY for molars coming in!!!  Abby finally got her last one!!  Still 2 eye teeth to go and the dreaded 2 yr molars.

[coopers_mommy]

Ugh....it never ends (teething!)   If only I could become good at going to bed early enough to get up at 5:30 to wake up!  I think we cherish our mornings that we can sleep in too much to wake up that early right now! 

And Jess,  I laughed so hard when I read what you thought I had written about the cat food.  I'll have to tell DH about that one! 

Today Cooper fought his nap....I'm not sure if it's because we were in the car a lot this morning and not really "playing" or if he's ready to move his nap back. He was up at 6:30 this morning though, so I figured 12:30 was right.  He didn't go down though till 1....would 6.5 hours of A time be too much in the morning? 

[deckchariot]

Abby usually does 5.5 - 6, so if Cooper's often on the long side of A time, then he might be fine with 6.5.  I'd say the length of his nap and the rest of his day will tell you