17 mo takes a long time to fall asleep

[becky1969]

I think that's a great strategy -- stick with the early bedtimes for 3 more days just to see what happens.  Sometimes those nights get progressively longer as they defeat the OT monster.  Sometimes you're just left with 11 hour nights, which is still good!

And I agree with the chatting thing.  V. v. normal for toddlers.  My kid is a boy, so he's not so into chatting, but as a toddler he does need more time to wind himself down, which he does by looking at books.  As long as you plan for that wind down time in your routine, you're golden! 

[~*Nicole*~]

Well today went crazy anyway. DH had her up for a nap around 12:20 (she was with my mom again prior and my mom got her home at 12:15--a tad late). 12:30 she was quiet. 12:50 made some noise. 1:00 more noise, babbling on and off. 1:50 she started crying. DH was going to go in. She got quiet and fell asleep around 2:00 and he didn't go in. Then she woke up a little before 3:00....and had poop so DH figures that's why she was so on and off during the nap. He was too scared to go in before she cried hoping she would fall asleep so he didn't know until she woke up.

So I went to visit a friend in the hospital who had her baby yesterday and got home late. Had DD in bed at 7:20 and it's 7:25 right now and we haven't heard a peep. I'm still waiting for some babbling but maybe she'll go right off to sleep.

becky-I don't mind 11 hour nights. She wakes up happy and rested...but I'd prefer an 8pm to 7am 11 hour night rather than a 7pm to 6am 11 hour night.

[~*Nicole*~]

Def. asleep by 7:25. It was PERFECT timing as she didn't babble at all and just went right off. Of course on a day when we have NO idea how long she actually slept for during her nap LOL

[~*Nicole*~]

7:25 to 6:30. Similar as the night before, except with the instantaneous falling asleep.

[becky1969]

great!

I totally get what you're trying to do -- move bedtime later so you get wake up that you like more.  I think that's possible, but I def. think it makes sense to stay where things are for a few days just to figure out timing of everything.  Once you know what works for her, then you can try to push that nap a bit later so that bedtime gets pushed.

[~*Nicole*~]

I think you're right. I think last night she fell asleep right away b/c she was tired enough but not too tired, you know? And considering I don't know exactly how long she napped for I can't base it solely on A time before bed (which was a tad before 3:00pm to 7:20--so 4 hr. 20 or 4 hr. 30) I'll try for about the same A time after today's nap (which will hopefully be a good solid/uninterrupted nap of 2 hours or more) and see what happens. Then I should know if she needs that much or more after her nap.

[~*Nicole*~]

Yesterdays nap was 12:30-about 2:30 at my mom's.

In bed at 7:00 last night....babbled until almost 7:30......awake about 6:30.......so that seems to be the standard night length.

So do we think she was babbling so long before bed last night b/c of OT or UT?

[~*Nicole*~]

I put her down for 12pm nap today. She cried and tried to stand up...then stopped when I left and has been chatting since. Even heard her say " Tiger.." and then ROARRRRRR! She is entertaining herself.....all classic UT signs here. I am thinking I need to be laying her down later for her nap.

[clazzat]

It would seem that 12.30 is a good time to aim for - this week anyway!

[~*Nicole*~]

lol

she finally fell asleep at 12:30 and then woke at 1:30! I didn't realize til I got her downstairs that she had pooped. ugh.

[becky1969]

That poop may have been what all the chatting was about! It may have been making her too uncomfortable to relax properly to sleep.


Unfortunately with toddlers chatting happens when UT *and* when OT! LOL! So, it's a timing question.  If she's donig better with less A before bed, there's your answer! 

[~*Nicole*~]

Yes, although I did hold her out until just before 7 (6:50) tonight just to not have SUCH an early bedtime and wake up....but she went right to sleep so that was good.

I think she pooped mid-nap b/c she was JUST changed/cleaned before I lied her down. But after lunch she pooped again and it was runny so I guarantee that's why the nap was shortened. I don't think she'd have gone to sleep at all if she had pooped before falling asleep.

So I *think* based on this week she can use a bit more A before naps but less before bed than I was doing. So I'll just have to see what nap time works best to get us to the best bedtime.

[yellow rose]

Nicole, do you mind if I jump in on your thread?  My lo is 18 months old and has been giving me the same types of sleep troubles, except his naps have been shorter than your lo's.  Maybe you could offer some advice based on your current experiences.  Some of my lo's naps are only 45 minutes or an hour and then he wakes screaming!  He's also chatting a lot at night all of a sudden and taking anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to fall asleep.

Here is what yesterday looked like:

woke 6:30
nap 12:45 - 2:15 (that was a good one!)
bed 7:15 babbled until probably 7:45

today:
woke just before 6:00 screaming!
nap 12:45 (we were out and I couldn't put him down earlier) - 2:00 woke crying, but then got quiet again, however he just laid in his crib awake and never returned to sleep

In a post that I had going before, someone suggested he may be getting too much sleep at night and that I should put him to bed later, but when I did that, he would wake earlier and earlier each morning.  Then, I went back to his typical 7:00 bedtime and things were good for a week or so and then as of two days ago, his naps got shorter and he started waking early again.  Any thoughts on what to do?  Do you think I am doing wrong by putting him to bed later and that I should be trying an earlier bedtime?  He does not do well without at least 2 hours of a nap and his naps used to be closer to 2.5 hours.

[~*Nicole*~]

yellow rose (sorry I forget your first name)--we had some success with an earlier bedtime and nap...but she still babbled before each. It just made it so she was falling asleep closer to when would be more appropriate. When I had her going to bed later she took so long she was going to bed TOO late and cutting her night short and slowly getting OT.

We're actually all a mess right now b/c the last two days she has refused to nap and I APed her yesterday and she napped on her floor!!!!! And today she babbled for 45 mins. and then took an OT 35 min. short nap and wouldn't take another!

Even if you can't get the nap earlier I'd try the earlier bedtime so he's hopefully falling asleep earlier than he is. But an early nap might help as well. I also think my DD does better when she's more worn out physically before sleeps as well. On a 6am wake up, I'd try for a 12:00 nap but I would have to put her up a bit earlier to hopefully have her asleep by 12 or 12:15 if I'm lucky.

We're a big ol' mess the past two days though not really sure what is going on with her. Ick.

[yellow rose]

Sorry to hear things aren't improving for you right now.  Some days, I stop and think about how wonderful it will be when my lo doesn't need a nap at all!  I'll sure miss that bit of quiet, but I won't miss the guessing game that we play everyday.  I do think my lo's teeth may be one reason why this crazy sleep, or lack there of, began.  He has cut all 4 canines in a matter of two weeks...ouch!

Fortunately, I did give an earlier nap a try today and had success!     He slept about 2.5 hours and then I woke him for fear that he would be up at 5:00 tomorrow morning!  I'll let you know how he does tonight.  Thanks for the advice and hugs to you!