14 month old from great sleeper to BAD!

[jakeybaby]

Hello.  My little guy has been a great sleeper since he was very small.  His awake times kept increasing from 10 - 12 months that we made the switch to one nap about 6 weeks ago.  Things were awesome. 
He woke at 7:15/7:30
Nap from 1:00 - 3:15/3:30
Bed at 7:45/8:00

Suddenly, about 2 weeks ago, things changed.  He started to cry when I put him down and then after falling asleep, cry about 1 hour into the nap, sometimes I'd get him back to sleep, sometimes not.  So, suddenly, awake times were earlier in the morning and naptime would be earlier and we'd have the same result.  Now, he is just so OT because he only sleeps about 10.5 hours at night and getting 1.5 hours at the most for his nap.  Lately it has been more like this
6 awake
11:30 - 1:00 Nap
7:30 asleep  (I have tried putting him down earlier and he will talk, not cry until 7:30, no matter what time he goes into the crib).

How do I get him caught up on his sleep and eventually stop these early wakings!! 
Today is going to be bad.  It is my husband's birthday and we had lunch plans for 11:30.  He woke for the day at 5:45 a.m. and did not go down for his nap until 12:30!!  It is now 1:40 and he is sleeping. 
Oh and with this early morning wakings, he is always jumping around, happy to get out of the crib and wide eyed!  Never wakes in the morning crabby. 

[jakeybaby]

Yesterday awake was 5:45 and nap was not until 1 (my fault, we had plans).  He woke at 2, and went right back to sleep until 3.
I put him into bed at 7:15 and he was asleep at about 7:40.
Woke this morning at 5:40.  And the thing is, he is so happy and goofy when he wakes up!  Shouldn't he be tired?!!

What do I do here?  Nap at 11??  If he sleeps until 1, do I try for a catnap or just bed at like 6:30??  I'm just so confused.  I don't know where to begin to try to get away from the early wakings.  All I am asking for is that he sleep until 7.  I'm not expecting to sleep really late.

[deckchariot]

Since you just made the switch to 1 nap 6 weeks ago, it could be that he's not entirely ready - you could go back to your previous 2 nap routine just for a day or 2 to help him get caught up on sleep.  Is he by any chance teething?

[jakeybaby]

I think he may be teething, he is showing some of the signs.  He occaisonally over the past few weeks has had nightwakings, but not every night... maybe 1 - 2 times a week.
I did try the previous 2 nap schedule on Monday when he was up early.
He had woken up at 6, so I put him down at 10:30.  He fell asleep at 11 and slept until 12:15.
He absolutely refused the afternoon nap, tried at 4:45.  He talked and sang in his crib for close to an hour.  At that point he started to get mad and crying so I got him out.  Should I try again? 
Today he slept from 11 until 1:00.  He was up before 6 this morning.  Bed at 6:30???

[deckchariot]

sorry the 2 nap option didn't work for you - have you tried it again or are you just sticking to 1 nap?  How's that going?  I would try a 6:30 bedtime if he's up before 6 and you can't get a pm catnap in.

[jakeybaby]

2 naps just does not work.  He refuses the 2nd nap.  Actually, one day last week, he did fall asleep.  I let him sleep for 30 minutes (4:30 - 5) and he talked (never crying) in his crib from 7:30 until almost 9!!  And then was up at 6:45.  So, I'm just sticking with one, lay down 5 hours awake time.
Yesterday, he actually slept in until 6:50.  So, nap was 12:00 - 1:45.  He was asleep in his crib at about 7:15.  Then up this morning at 5:45!!  This is a baby who has always been on right on with average amounts of sleep, if not more sleep than average... never a low sleep needs baby.  So, I worry that he is only getting 12ish hours in a 24 hour period most days. 

So, today he was up at 5:50.
Nap was lay down at 11:30 (I was out and did not get him down until then!)  But, he slept from 11:45 - 2:15.

So, what time should he go down to sleep tonight??  He was up at 5:50 this morning but had a really good nap.  I don't want to try for bed too early... or too late for that matter!

[jakeybaby]

Okay, so yesterday was awake at 5:50.
Nap was 11:45 - 2:15 (I know he should have gone down earlier, that was my fault.  But, it was a 2.5 hour nap)
Fell right to sleep at 7:15

Up today at 5:40    I am just at a total loss.  Right now, he is just talking, I've not taken him out yet (it is 6:10).  I wait until I hear the crying start.  But, he never, never goes back to sleep.  He is wide awake and so excited to see me when I go get him.   I don't know how to fix this.  When it first started it was more in the 6/6:15 range.  Now, it seems to always be before 6.  Any guidence is appreciated.  What time for his nap?  And then do I put him down for the night at a set time (like 6/6:30) or a certain amount of time from when he gets up from his nap?  Because yesterday was 5 hours from waking from nap and he still woke at 5:40!  The latest trend seems to be a 10.5 hour night, no matter how the day goes.

[deckchariot]

{{{{{hugs}}}}}}  I'm so sorry those EWs seem to be getting earlier.  It looks like his nap is good - so I'd keep the A time that you've been using on that (in terms of when to put him down for his nap).  I might try an earlier bedtime - I would aim for 12.5 after wake up  - so if he's waking around 6, I'd try to have him in bed around 6:30 - have you tried that before?  I'm hoping that he's OT and will catch up on sleep that way - not just wake even earlier.  You could also try w2s at 5 - I know that's not much fun, but I know mums for whom it's worked.  Hang in there!!

[jakeybaby]

You know, one day last week he slept until 6:50.   And that was a night that he had a short nightwaking at about 4:45.  So maybe wake to sleep would work.  Today was
wake at 5:40
Nap 11 - 1:15
in crib at 6:15, asleep at 6:45 (talking all that time, a little crying right at the end)   I may just see how it goes tomorrow.  If he wakes before 6:30, I may try wake to sleep the next day. 

Thank you for all of your advice!!

[deckchariot]

well done on getting him to bed earlier - how did that work out?  If not, here's to hoping w2s will

[jakeybaby]

He actually woke at 10:15 (gave him some meds as I suspect teeth might be an issue), then woke again at 4:30.  Only for 5 minutes each time.  So, he did sleep until 6:40.

Nap 11:45 - 2:30!!  I figure let him sleep as much as he wants since he is still catching up on sleep.

What do you think???  Put in crib at 7:15 tonight???  THanks!!

[jakeybaby]

Okay, so bed was 7:15 last night, fell right to sleep.  Woke at 3:00, screaming.  I went in, he was standing up screaming.  I gave hime a hug (not getting him out of crib), layed him back down and he fell right back to sleep.  Then at 4:50, the same thing happened.  Going straight back to sleep both times.  He the woke super happy at 6:45.  Teething, maybe???  He is 15 months old now.  But, I gave him no meds and he is happy right now.  Our naps have been super.  I think we are working toward him catching up on sleep.  I just really think that the nightwakings are what is making him sleep later (the 4:50 waking kind of worked as a wake to sleep).

[deckchariot]

it totally sounds like teething to me!  That will definitely mess up sleeping - but well done on quick NWs - getting him right back to sleep (no picking up) is AWESOME!!!  And it does sound like that 4ish waking is working like w2s for you - so that's good too - maybe once the teething is better and the napping helps him catch up on sleep, the "w2s" will have settled that 5ish waking for you!

[jakeybaby]

Okay,so nightwakings have completely stopped.  Naps are really great.  But, waking is 6:00, exactly!!  It is like there is a little alarm clock inside of him and he wakes at 6, no matter what!   I know that the thing to do is put him to bed early and he does still sleep until 6 but, how do I get him back to a schedule of waking at 7???  Where do I start??  His new schedule is really good.  I'd just like to push it off a bit,  kwim?  It has been this way for about a week.  Naps vary from 2 hours to 2.75 hours.  2.75 is rare but has happens.

6:00 awake
11:15 - 1:15/1:30
6:45 Asleep

My goal and closer to where we used to be is

7/7:30 awake
12:15/12:30 - 2:15/2:30
7:30/7:45 Asleep

Is there hope for that to happen?!

[deckchariot]

Glad to hear naps and NWs are sorted out.  Bummer that your day starts so early.  I know that some mums have had success shifting their bub's day forward.  So, when he wakes at 6, you'd leave him in his crib til 6:15 (unless he's screaming, then get him).  Then put him down for a nap at 11:30 and bed at 7.  Keep that routine until he's waking at 6:15 on his own.  Then shift again, so it's 6:30, 11:45, 7:15 etc.  Does that make sense?  I've never done it, but I know some mums have.  Or you could do w2s at 5:30 to see if you can get him to sleep in a bit, then shift his nap later, and then bedtime will be later too.

hth
michelle