Is it *finally* time for him to move to one nap?! (16.5 months)

[MummyToBen]

Hi Ladies,

Please can you help me figure out what to do as I'm not sure.....

Ben has *just* started properly teething...he's cutting his second ( ) tooth now.  So, whereas for many people they are advised to stick to two naps while lo is teething, I will be on two naps for months and months at this rate!!

He is consistently waking at 4.45am, crying out and then going back to sleep until 5.55/6am  .  He is not waking in the night, but our mornings are getting earlier and earlier.  He was sleeping til 7 or even 7.30 a few weeks ago, which was amazing for us.  

His routine is something like:

6am wake
10am-10.20 sleep
1.20 - 3.20 sleep
7pm bed

But there have been *lots* of times recently where he wakes crying during his second nap, or wakes after an hour happy, or it takes him ages to get to sleep (an hour today!).  On days where he does short naps I give him an early night and he normally makes up on some of the sleep and doesn't get too OT.  I medicate when necessary for naps.

We did try a one nap day a while ago - he slept for 1hr10 and woke screaming (OT).  Do I just try again and persevere with it?

Thank you

xx

[*Becky*]

listening in.....what birthday is B? I guess he and H are exactly the same age

[MummyToBen]

3rd November 

I think Henry is a couple of days older than Ben if I remember?

xx

[*Becky*]

yes 29th Oct - was due on the 31st x

[babybarr]

How would you feel about shifting everything slightly - so a later 1st and 2nd nap and later bed?  That way he could stay on his 2 naps for a bit but you're extending his first A time in prep for one nap?  Would that work do you think?

[MummyToBen]

Yes, I could try that.  My main reason for not wanting to do it is that I'm SO tired by the end of the day that *really* am ready for him to go to bed at 7pm!  Will talk to DH about it later on, as it might work for a while.  I suppose a potential downside of giving him a later bedtime now is that the clocks change soon, and that'll mean he is suddenly having an 8.30pm bedtime, which will be more difficult to change back from.  Hmm, I will have a think!

We did do 15 mins am nap for a while but I think he ended up getting OT (but he was only 13 months then).  Do you think that would be as useful as the later bedtime for transitioning him? 

x

 

[*Liz*]

I always get EWs from teething itself as well Clare - he wakes after 10.5hrs sleep and doesn't feel inclined to finish off if his teeth are aching.

I can sometimes eliminate them by dream meds at 3am ish when he is still fully asleep (easier for a pregant lady though as I am bound to wake to go to the toilet at some point  ).

But if that didn't work I probably would try one nap again - especially if you have done the 20 min am nap fpr longer than a few weeks or so.

[MummyToBen]

But if that didn't work I probably would try one nap again - especially if you have done the 20 min am nap fpr longer than a few weeks or so.

Thanks.  We've been doing a 20 min nap for months!! 

I always get EWs from teething itself as well Clare - he wakes after 10.5hrs sleep and doesn't feel inclined to finish off if his teeth are aching.

Yes, I think a big part of it must be this - he has obviously been v. uncomfortable the last few days - crying with hands in his mouth  .  He was tired this morning - I may try and do the 3am meds tonight - definately worth a try. 

xx

[*Becky*]

I reckon you should try the one nap as Ben is a good napper. If you find it still does not seem to be working i.e. he is getting OT then maybe do a 15 min am and a longer pm until this bout of teething is over. x

[MummyToBen]

Yes I suppose I do need to do it. 

I reckon you should try the one nap as Ben is a good napper. If you find it still does not seem to be working i.e. he is getting OT then maybe do a 15 min am and a longer pm until this bout of teething is over. x

It's funny because he has had a few months of napping pretty well in the afternoon - but the last month he has done as many 1hr10/1hr20 as he has 2hrs, so it feels very unpredictable.   But I know this switch to one nap is just something we have to do, and I have to just get on with it and go with the flow  . 

Thanks for the words ladies - often I know what I need to do but it just helps to bounce thoughts off you all 

[*Liz*]

I must admit Claire - the more you say the more I think it sounds like time  .

I think if you hang on to that 20 min am nap for too long you start getting a lot of short nights due to being UT at bedtime, then the OT builds up as a result and just makes it so much harder to switch to one nap.

So I would try and get to one nap - easiest way seems to be to take advantage of a later than average wake up and then just go for 1 nap 5hrs after awake time and hope for the best  . Then 4.5ish hrs to bed and again hope  .

I did switch J in the middle of short nights and EWs, and did manage to get there after 'riding it out' for 2 weeks or so, and then the wally started on his molars in the middle of it  , but I found he still did better on 1 nap than 2 at that point.

[babybarr]

I'm SO tired by the end of the day that *really* am ready for him to go to bed at 7pm!

I know exactly how you feel, this is why we like early bedtimes too!  Plus I have a bad napper anyway! 

If you doesn't work on one nap - you can always throw in some 2 nap days, or some catnaps

[MummyToBen]

Ok, so we're in agreement  , it needs to be done!!  My Mum's got him on Wednesday so I think I'll start on Thursday as she gets stressed enough about his naps as it is! 

If you doesn't work on one nap - you can always throw in some 2 nap days, or some catnaps

Thanks for the reminder - I need to remember that it's not final, and that I can change his routine if he gets OT!  I think it's because we've been pretty much been doing the same thing for so long I've become a creature of habit

xx

[MummyToBen]

Well ladies, change of plan - we're starting today  !

Ben had terrible naps yesterday so he had a 6pm bedtime - and woke at 6.30/6.45am this morning.....we're not going to get a much better night/morning than that to try for one nap!  So I'm going to put him down at 11.30 and hope for the best. 

Will no doubt be on here later asking for bedtime advice 

xx

[*Liz*]

Go for it - a great day to try!

Fingers crossed for you.