Re: sleeping less and less - 16 mo off track

[Mashi]

Can you go in and shhh pat him, calm him down and help him resettle?

[mmom]

Mashi, I didn't see your post yesterday.  I didn't try to help him resettle.  After a few minutes of tossing and turning, he stood up and started yelling for me.  I probably should have at least tried to settle him.

I thought last night was going to be worse, because it took my LO a long time to settle before bed.  He ended up having a 6 hour A.  I am 99.9% sure his teeth are bothering him, because yesterday around 4, he started crying over everything.  If I could have, I would have put him down for bed then.  But we put teething gel on him and gave him teething liquid.  They seemed to help a little.  Then last night about 12:30 he was moaning, crying, tossing and turning for about 15 minutes.  Finally, since I couldn't sleep and I thought he was awake, I asked DH to help me give more pain meds.  Well, he wasn't sleeping and he woke/startled him.  So it took about 1/2 hour for him to get back to sleep.  It wasn't too bad.  He woke at 6 this morning (6:30 bed).  So we got another 11 hour night.

What should I do today?  Should I try for early?  Like I said, I know he is really teething and I don't know if I should shorten the A's.  I don't know how I would AP a nap out of him later though, if he didn't a 2nd nap and refused it.  Normally, I take him for a stroller ride, but it is supposed to rain.

[babybarr]

If you think teeth are bothering him do meds before nap - we've had to today for that very reason.

I think you have to decide what's best in terms of naps.  I know 2 naps ALWAYS messes things up for us but that's just us!!

Xx

[mmom]

Laura, the frustrating part is that I don't even know what is best for my LO anymore.  Yes, 2 naps are normally a disaster in our house.  But shorter A times are normally a disaster too and we got some good naps last week on that.  That is why I am tempted to try 2 naps only because my LO looks so tired.  I may regret that and who knows, he may not even go down for a nap early.  But then i would know that we definitely can't do that.  I don't know....I am rambling.

[Mashi]

My rule of thumb -- if he's tired, he goes to bed! You may regret it, but reaaaaaaaally if he is so tired that he needs two naps, then I can't see him not taking a second nap, kwim?  Perhaps he just needs that 2nd nap earlier.

Did you try the longer morning nap and squeezing a catnap in at dinner time?

[mmom]

He wouldn't go down until after 11 anyway. Maybe I tried too early.  He looked tired all morning, so I put him down at 10, which was a 4 hour A.  He acted like he was going to go to sleep, but at 10:30 he was calling for us.  So DH got him and we fed him and put him back down at 11.  He fell asleep at 11:15.  It is 12:50 and he is still sleeping.

[Mashi]

He fell asleep at 11:15.  It is 12:50 and he is still sleeping.

That's great!!!

[babybarr]

brilliant, I guess you just have to try!!  I know that feeling though of them looking so tired and then still not going down - frustrating isn't it!  But well done for the great nap.  What time did he wake in the end?

[mmom]

He ended up sleeping 1 hour and 50 minutes.  Definitely a decent nap for him.  We are going to see how he is doing tonight and if he can't handle it, go for a 5.5 hour A before bed.  That would make a 6:30 bedtime.  I need to creep bed back somehow.

[babybarr]

We get a funny pattern of a few good nap days and nights and then back to old ways.  I find with DS he catches up and then is UT, just such a vicious circle!  I'm always surprised at how quickly he catches up and how quickly he swings the other way!

Let me know how you get on tonight.  Fingers crossed. 

[mmom]

Great night!! My LO slept 6:35 - 5:45.  I would love 6, but I am not complaining about an 11 hour night.  Last night he was moaning and whining in his sleep again.  But I learned my lesson from the night before and didn't go in and give him more meds.  He still slept through.  The interesting thing is that he starts doing that right at the time the meds would wear off.

[LucySol]

Kara-i have been reading along with this thread so figured it would be easier to post so it comes up in my unread threads..dont know why i didnt do this earlier!

we are having 11 hr nights too.i know this is good but you cant help wanting more hey? we got a 5.45 wake up this morning..i envy these people so much who get a 7am wake up...i only get those if we have a long NW  

what will you do for naps today?

[mmom]

Lucy, I have been following yours too!   I don't know what 7 am looks like for a wake up.  Never seen it here.

Yesterday we got a good nap on a 5 hour 15 minute A.  We had also had a NW the night prior.  I am going to play it be ear today, but if my LO looks ok, I am going for a 5.5 hour A.  But I am going to watch him and see.  If he needs to go down early, I will put him down early.  I would really love to push everything back, so we could get later wake ups.  But I know it is going to take time.  We seem to get stuck in bad naps/ early bedtimes.

[babybarr]

We seem to get stuck in bad naps/ early bedtimes.

Us too...

If we could get the good nap... but hey I guess there are some bubs who just aren't designed to nap well, I have to say I hate napping in the day I always feel worse after it and it always takes ages to go to sleep!!

[LucySol]

the thing is i do a later bedtime i still get the same wake up! i guess it has to be done slowly! but i have no patience