I think we may need tweaking, suggestions please!

[jrmommyx2]

I think you may have been right about being OT. He has actually gone to sleep quite nicely since then! Yes, we only have about 4-4.5 hrs of A time in the am. Yet, after nap- they can do 5 hrs no problem! I find it funny because you would think that after a long nights sleep, they should be well rested in the am! Maybe they do really get up earlier then I think! Now that our schedule is working again, I think we'll just stick with it. I'm just wondering though, how will I know when they need more A time in the morning. Will it be similar to the past (In terms of either their nap getting shorted or them not going down as well etc?)

[becky1969]

Yup, that's exactly what will happen.  But trust me, by the time they're ready for more A you'll have totally forgotten what the signs/symptoms are and you'll be back saying "why don't my twins want to nap???"    The great thing about being on 1 nap is that you get to have the same routine for months on end.  The bad thing is that you're on the same routine for months on end and you forget that it's possible to change it!    At least, that's how it happened to me, and I know we get lots of posts from moms of kids in the 25-28 month range with that exact same problem! 

[jrmommyx2]

Thanks again for all the help! As you mentioned... I'm sure I'll be back!

[becky1969]

 

[jrmommyx2]

Well that didn't take long! I think DS is in need of a change already! Taking a little too long to go down for a nap... bummer! So, what do  you suggest? Ideally I would like to keep bedtime around that 7-7:30pm time. And come to think of it, I wonder if it is more teeth too That last round was just the top two 1 yr molars... So I know we have more coming...

[jrmommyx2]

Went for 12:30 nap today- It's 12:45 now and it seems quiet- Maybe a 1/2 will do the trick for now. But I'm still interested in a "realistic" schedule for us. I've been looking but haven't seen anything that talks about A time for this age.

[jrmommyx2]

So now I'm not sure what to do. It seems like whether they go down at 12 or closer to 12:30, they (well- more DS) are waking at the same time- between 1:30-2:00. A 2 hour nap I'll take- but the 1.5 is tough! I miss those 3 hour nap days!!!! DS has really been fighting me on going to bed too. Not so much once he is is bed- but the idea of going.... I think he is just having too much fun playing! I've noticed though that if he has done a 5+ A time, then he has a harder time going to sleep. Not that he is screaming, but playing. I think it is classic OT that looks more like UT!

My thought process is to do a 12:30-2:30 nap Then bedtime about 7:15ish. So our schedule would look like this:

7:30ish- wake (I don't get them out of bed until 8, they may actually be up closer to 7- i'm not sure!)
8:30- breakfast
11:30ish-lunch
12:30-2:30 nap
3:30-snack
5:30-dinner
7:15- bed

**Does this seem realistic?

This is my problem- if we are home I can stretch them to 12:30  (usually) no problem- If we are out however, even if we are on our way home around 11-11:30ish, they will fall asleep in the car... and then not nap once we get home! So, what do you do? I guess the easy answer is be home before 11... but what 's the point of leaving then?!?!

[becky1969]

You have the sleepiest kids EVER! LOL! And so that probably *does* mean you're going to be a bit more housebound than most.  If it were me? I'd make sure they were home for the right nap time 3-4 days/week, and then consciously decide to be out and let them take a shorter than normal nap the other 3-4 days/week.  That way you get OUT but you also are letting them get the sleep they need most of the time.

I also have a sleepy devil and he's slowly shortened his A before bed until now (he'll be 4 at the end of Dec) he can only do about 4-4.5 hours or else he gets OT and has a short night/fights bedtime.  So that could very well be what's going on with your guys.  I've decided that as he's gotten older and more active (intellectually as well as physically) he just gets tuckered otu by the end of the day.  As long as I honor that PM A time, we're golden! But if I try to stretch him to 5 hours I get a 10 hour night.

[jrmommyx2]

alright... so this is crazy... we had music group today and ran one errand. DS started to try and doze in the car at 11, but I wouldn't let him. (We were in the car for literally 5 min) so we got home, had lunch, and I put them down at 12:10- It is 1 and he is still up! I just went in, he pooped, so I changed him and left again. Hopefully he'll go to sleep. Believe me- I am usually home. I thought it was hard to get out with two little ones... but I think it is actually almost harder now! so, i usually do adhere to a "strict" schedule! I just feel like I can't find that magic time anymore. I think they have shortened their night a tad- use to be 12-13 hrs, now it is definitely 12 or a tad less. still going down around 7 and i think now they actually are waking closer to 7. very rarely to i hear them before 7:30, but they usually stay in their cribs until 7:45- or 8 now (use to be 8:30!)

so the fact that you lo sleep needs seem a lot like mine, it makes me think/ hope they'll be napping for a while!   How long did your lo nap for at this age (19 months)? Do you think I should stick with the noon nap or 12:30- I just can't seem to hit it right!

... ok, so after finally falling asleep at 1, he was up at 2.... now what does that mean?

[becky1969]

If he's falling asleep int he car at 11, then I think 12 is as late as I'd go.  My guess is that he was really pooped by the time you put him to bed.  Plus if he had a poopy on the way, that probably made it hard to sleep.  Sounds like poop has interrupted yoru nap more than once? You might think about meal timing and see if you can change his pooping schedule a bit.  It's hard to do, but it's worth a try.

[jrmommyx2]

Ahhhh yes.... pooping does interrupt his naps quite a bit! I'm not sure how to change the timing though. They eat breakfast between 8:30 and 9:00 and lunch at 11:30, should I try and do lunch at 11? I feel like that is so close to breakfast! They couldn't possible be hungry for lunch (they are big eaters)- If they don't eat a good lunch, then wouldn't they wake up from their nap early because they are hungry?!??

I  keep thinking that noon should be good because of the falling asleep in the car stuff, but it seems like sometimes it takes him forever to go down- so I think he is UT. Maybe I am confusing OT for UT?!?!

I'm hoping that waking closer to 7 makes a noon time nap a tad better. But yesterday, I put them down at 12:15- he slept for about 45 min. (or maybe he was just quiet for 45 min) woke up had a poop- I put him back in his crib after I changed him and he slept for another hour. Maybe the poop thing really is part of the problem. What do you suggest?

Today we had lunch a little after 11- Put them down at noon, but in that time he hadn't pooped yet  I'll be willing to bet he'll wake with one today too...

[becky1969]

You might give them a largish snack WITHOUT fruit before nap, and then a more filling snack after nap.  We had to do that for awhile with Owen b/c of his nap and poop timing.  In my experience,the fruit thing is the prime mover (ahem).  So, I might give fruit at breakfast but no more until after nap.  You might also look at the foods they're eating.  Perhaps cheese at lunch will slow things down?

I def. think the poop is the thing, esp. if he went BACK to sleep after the poo.  My son would NEVER do that! No matter how sleepy!! that is def. not UT -- an UT kid would not go back to sleep, no matter how short the nap.

[jrmommyx2]

Just laughing to myself that my sleep issues are really poop issues! Is there a thread for that somewhere? As far the going back after a poop- sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. It really depends on how long he was asleep for! They definitely eat a lot of cheese around lunch time so that is good. And usually no fruit at lunch, so I don't know what is doing it!

Today, he did not wake with a poop- he only slept from 12-1:45, which is good.... but not compared to what he was doing! And my sweet DD... she is still holding her own, God love her!

I'll try the the snack thing. But it makes me a little nervous. I don't think he'll be happy with a smaller amount of food. My kids have always been stellar eaters. DS especially. To the point that he will continue to ask for "ma ma ma" (more, not mom!) even when I know he has had more than enough to eat. For fear of them eating too much-  We tend to do 3 meals (pretty big) and one little snack in the afternoon. Since he always asks for more after a big meal, I don't see him being happy with a small one... But it's worth a try!

[jrmommyx2]

Ugh... I'm sure I sound like a broken record and you are probably sick of hearing from me... But I feel like I need a new plan. I just can't figure out what to do. The poop thing is one thing! But I think we'll get through that one! I know I need to change something, but I can't figure out what. His naps are getting shorter and shorter... And he is waking unhappy. He perks up after that though and is rearing to go! I've tried naps a little earlier, a little later, but nothing is working to find that "sweet spot" and his nap just gets shorter!  He's doing about a 5 hr A time pre nap and a 5+ hr A time post nap, and a 11.5-12 hr night.  He seems way more tired in the am (and remember we have that sleep in the car problem). I realize that my high sleep needs kid maybe cutting back, but it seems like too much too fast. When I read about other toddler schedules I feel like if he was doing what he did before, he would fit right in!

Today he was up a little after 7.... practically asleep on the floor around 11- So I did lunch and put him in at 12. He woke crying at 1- I gave him meds thinking maybe teeth woke him- and left him in there thinking the meds would kick in and he would nod back off- he kind of mantra cried on and off (I can tell he is still tired)- but it is now 2:20 and he did not fall back asleep The problem is, if he wakes this early in the day he definitely needs and early bedtime- he'll make up for it and sleep a good long night, but then it is like too much sleep for the next day... and we have a similar probelm. What can I do to help him get back on track???

[becky1969]

If he's practically asleep on the floor, naptime should be 11 or 11:30.  He may just be ULTRA tired, and even a 12 pm nap is toooooo late.  I'd aim for an 11 am nap tomorrow and see what happens.  He may surprise you and sleep 3 hours.

Sounds like something's going on -- teeth? fighting illness? -- That's making him super tired and therefore more easily OT.