Author Topic: Any help to stop this EW cycle  (Read 4482 times)

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Offline *Liz*

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #15 on: March 23, 2010, 07:48:38 am »
Sigh.

Sunday really wasn't too bad
Awake 6am ish
Nap 12.10-2.40
Asleep 7.20

Monday
Awake 6am (but 2 short random NWs that I doubt are routine related, stirred at 4.20 but went back to sleep easily)
Nap 12-2.30 (Was at my Mums and she actually woke him at 2.30 - who knows how long he thought he should sleep for?!!)
Asleep 7.20ish (Asked to go to bed and fell straight asleep)

BUT stirred at 4.30am today and babbled on and off until 5.40am when he woke for the day  >:( >:(.

So basically only 10 hrs sleep but I just can't see that it is OT related. Plus he is not crying he is just babbling, calls for attention, but I just put him bacl and he babbles again etc etc.

But how do I cut the nap from such an early start  ???.

Offline Mashi

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #16 on: March 23, 2010, 08:01:16 am »
Liz I really do wonder if that long nap is affecting his night.  2.5h seems a very long time to me for a lower sleep needs toddler.  Can you start by just cutting it down to 2h15 minutes for a week, and then the second week drop it to 2h and see if that starts impacting his nights a bit?  I think the timing of it is right, at 6h A time in the morning, and so if his nights end up starting earlier and morning wake is the same time (ie/ he tacks the extra night sleep on to the evening rather than the morning iykwim) the time chane next weekend could help with a bit of that part, and the rest of it you can do by shifting him wee bits at a time once he's down to a 2h nap. 

FWIW I limit DS to 2h and have done since about 16/17 months or we get VERY short nights...the extra 30 minutes at nap time will  rob much more than 30 minutes from his night, which is strange to me, but that's how he is. And I wonder if J is the same and taking 30 minutes from his nap will tack an hour on to his night?

Offline *Liz*

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #17 on: March 23, 2010, 08:10:26 am »
Yeah, I'm sure you are right it is just HOW to cut him and not get him OT with too long of an A time until bedtime. He has ALWAYS been prone to robbing night sleep for naps (well, ever since I got him napping at 6mths  ;D).

I've just been on the phone to my Mum and was saying that we are actually expecting more total sleep now that when he was 11mths old which is obviously not reasonable.

The odd thing is that he was definately not UT at bedtime - he finished his milk, pushed his books away, signed sleep and climbed off the bed to call Dada to put him to sleep. And pointed to his room to go in and down. And fell asleep in minutes.

This is the bit that confuses me - but I guess this is a total sleep issue/ body clock issue rather than an A time issue?

Offline Mashi

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #18 on: March 23, 2010, 08:14:39 am »
Yes....that is what I am wondering. I would cut his nap and bring his bedtime earlier to make up for it. I know that it is not doing anything towards the EWs and I know that the fear would be he would wake 10.5h later and you'd have an even earlier morning but it is worth a try for the sake of 15 minutes...no? At least if he woke at the same time, it would be a 15 minute longer sleep...and so then if you can get him to an 11h night and 2h nap, at least it is a GOOD long night and then you can have the time change next week to push that forward and hour?

MummyToBen

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #19 on: March 23, 2010, 08:21:26 am »
Sounds like good advice  :)....just listening in, as I know we'll be here in a few months  ;)

Offline *Liz*

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #20 on: March 23, 2010, 08:25:17 am »
Sounds quite sensible. I'm not against early bedtimes within reason - I often put him down at 6.30-7pm after a bust nap.

Your plan is very similar to mine - but it gives me confidence that someone else who is aware of our history thinks the same sort of thing.

I think I'm getting a bit too hung up on A times/ BW EASY routines and not thinking about the bigger picture.

Thanks  :-* :-*

Offline Mashi

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #21 on: March 23, 2010, 08:28:03 am »
I think I'm getting a bit too hung up on A times/ BW EASY routines and not thinking about the bigger picture.

I do think there are some toddlers where the A time scenario goes out the window as they are older.  I've got one here! It was perfect when he was a baby and he was very A time dependent but lately there are many more factors at play xx

MummyToBen

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #22 on: March 23, 2010, 08:31:04 am »
I think I'm getting a bit too hung up on A times/ BW EASY routines and not thinking about the bigger picture.


I was thinking about this just yesterday!  They aren't 'babies' anymore, and I wonder if the principles of BW and EASY are still helpful (of course!), but that we have to keep looking at the bigger picture rather than just A times.  xx

Offline babybarr

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #23 on: March 23, 2010, 12:32:34 pm »
I agree with everything!! I do think the long nap isn't helping your nights Liz.  I think 15mins is the way to go, just shave it off nap and do bed a bit earlier and see.  Good luck. 
LAURA xx




Offline *Liz*

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #24 on: March 23, 2010, 12:38:31 pm »
I guess it is more a case of just finding a good time and length for a lunchtime nap really  :). Easier said than done, of course.

I decided to put him down at 6hrs A regardless and he sang, squealed and messed about in his cot for 30 mins. So I'm going to get a 1h 20 OT nap I think - especially since the flipping bin men are late so expecting them to come and make a lot of noise any minute soon  :(.

scucci1979

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #25 on: March 23, 2010, 17:57:53 pm »
I hope he sleeps for you Liz! Let us know how it goes.   :-*

Offline *Liz*

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #26 on: March 24, 2010, 06:19:15 am »
Ugh.

Nap wasn't too bad- slept 12.15- 2.05 so 1h 50 total. Put him to bed at 6.50 at 4.75 A and again he basically ran to bed waving goodnight.

Slept very soundly for about 3 hrs, then very restless through the night. I resettled quickly at 11pm and 2am, stirred at 4.30am and woke singing at 5.30am.

I know not to judge on one night after an OT nap but am feeling very frustrated as I have been awake since 4.30am again.

Offline babybarr

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #27 on: March 24, 2010, 09:10:47 am »
Sorry to hear that Liz.  Hope you get a better nap today, I guess you are just going to have to try different things with the nap and see what works.

What is the plan for today?
LAURA xx




Offline *Liz*

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #28 on: March 24, 2010, 13:25:45 pm »
Plan is for nap at usual time ie 12pm for no more than 2 hrs but then I think I am going to push for the full 5hrs after the nap.

Mum has him today though - but he usually sleeps fine for her.

I just hope hope hope that it isn't the birds waking him and I am not going to have this ALL summer  :'(

Offline babybarr

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Re: Any help to stop this EW cycle
« Reply #29 on: March 24, 2010, 13:28:54 pm »
I just hope hope hope that it isn't the birds waking him and I am not going to have this ALL summer
I hope it's not either. 

I keep getting nagged by DH to take of the blackout lining I have stuck to the windows, as it's got damp, but it's light at some silly o'clock already. ::)
LAURA xx