EWs and shorter naps - where to tweak??

[UlrikaandOlle]

DS is almost 15 months and used to wake up 7am and nap between 10-12 and then 30 mins in the afternoon. Since a month or so I have put him down later for his long nap, and skipped the afternoon nap, so we are more looking at a 11.15-1pm nap, which is fine and he seems to be fine without the catnap in the afternoon (he falls asleep in 2 mins at 7pm). The problem here now is that he wakes up earlier and earlier (5.50am this morning, but normally 6.15am) and the looong midday nap is now more down to 1h - 1h15 mins. Any ideas on how to make him sleep a bit longer in the morning and how to make him take a 2h nap again, which he def needs to make him through to bedtime.

Thanks / Ulrika

[blessedmamma]

Hi Ulrika

Hugs to you, I know it's a tough time with these sleeps isn't it !!!
I would suggest trying a 6.30pm bedtime for a few days (at least 3) and see if this helps. I know it goes against the grain putting to bed earlier when they are waking so early in the morning but believe me, early nights usually seem to equal later mornings. I know doesn't make sense but it's worth a try. Let me know how you get on.

[UlrikaandOlle]

Thanks for your reply. An earlier bedtime used to work when he was somewhat smaller, but I have tried it now for three nights - and even done W2S  at 5am - but he still wakes up at 6am, a bit grumpy and rubbing his eyes, so I think he is still tired. Could anyone please suggest any other changes for me to try. The days now look like:

6am wake up, milk
8am porridge
10.45am lunch
11-12.30 nap
2pm snack
5.30pm dinner
6.30/7pm sleep (bottle before that)

THANKS!!

[*Amy*]

Hi Ulrika, I have a similar problem with my LO but he is now napping for too long in the day!
He is also having EW's but they have been going on for a few months now.
His day is like this
5.30am wake
6.30am - up out of cot (if I am lucky sometimes I have to pick him up at 6/6.15am)
11.30am - Nap
2.30pm - Wake from nap(i am now having to wake him up!)
7/7.30pm - bed
So not sure where I am going wrong - but I have posted so I will post back here if I get any good suggestions!
Amyx

[skatty]

Hi Ulrika, I would give the earlier bedtimes more time to fix the EWs, if he has been having 6hr+ A times after the nap then he has built up overtiredness. If you put him to bed an hour earlier and he is still waking at 6am he is at least getting an extra hours sleep and once he has caught up his nap will hopefully lengthen and he can go to bed later again. My dd is 2yrs + 8 months and she still only has 5hrs A time post nap and the average I believe is about 5½. I don't think things will get better until you shorten his afternoon A time.

BTW are you in Scandanavia?

[UlrikaandOlle]

Thanks Skatty, I will try the earlier bedtime as the 6am is pretty standard these days. Should I try to move his nap closer to noon, or keep it as it is (11am-1pm - he is def ready for his nap by 11am, if not earlier)?? He doesn't seem to be OT in the nights though, when I put him down at 7pm, he never fusses, falls asleep in one minute though. 

Yes, I am Swedish - but live in the UK.

[skatty]

I wouldn't mess with the morning A time, it could make him more OT. As for the evening OT, every kid responds to OT differently and it looks like your DS gets EWs, hopefull if he goes to bed early he will catch up and you will get back on track.

I thought you may be swedish, have you "met" Vicku she is in Sweden? I am from the Uk but live in Denmark 

[UlrikaandOlle]

Put him down at 6pm today, but it took him a good 20-30 mins of talking to himself before he finally drifted off to sleep (he is usually dead in 2 mins). Let's see how the EWs will be, if I keep to this early bedtime for a while.

No I haven't met Vicku here, is she a moderator?

[Jann]

Hey bartlamy, I could have written your post, my routine is identical but my lo wakes at 6ish.  What have you tried to get a later wake up?  He has been really active lately, playdates lots of visitors, and me leaving him for a day with his nanna.  I will try to put him to bed earlier tonight see what happens.

Jann

[skatty]

Yes Vicku is on the PPD board but used to moderate here too  I hope you start getting better wake ups.

[UlrikaandOlle]

Yes, the wake ups are more human now, as we moved to Sweden for the summer and got that one hour time difference so the 6am is now 7am (well, we are down to 6.30am the last couple of mornings...)
 

[*Amy*]

Hi Jann the EWs are progressively getting worse. It has been 5.15 the last few mornings - so I don't think an early bedtime is helping us
He went to bed last night at 5.15pm and slept until 5.15am - so he still does 12 hours.
today though I am letting him nap for 20mins at 10, then back in bed at 12.20pm until 2pm - this gives 2 hours of naps during the day then I will put him into bed at 7/7.30pm depending on how he is.
What have you been doing to try and fix it.
I am thinking though I could probably hold him off until 11 let him sleep just 2 hours until 1pm and then back in bed at 6.30am but I am afraid he will still wake at 5.30am!!

[Jann]

Today he was up at 5:50.  He went to bed last night at 7 didn't fall asleep till 7:30.  I am trying to get him to nap earlier.  I was putting him down at 12 now I am putting him down at 11:15 but he still only falls asleep at 12 and I have to wake him at 2:30 to get him to bed at 7ish.  Most mornings he is up at 6:15 so not too bad.  I am being really consistant with the nap times and bedtimes.  I am sticking to a 7 bedtime I just need to make him nap earlier I think.  I am not going back to 2 naps that is for sure.  But I could probably make him nap at 10:30 but haven't tried that yet.  I am not too worried because he is doing really well and he is really happy most days.  He does sleep 13 hrs a day on average. 

any other ideas