Going with set nap/bedtimes for 18 mo old - what are my expectations?

[aimeeL]

Ugh - was trying to get on earlier to get your thoughts on 2 naps vs 1 based on her 7:15-6:20 night... but BW was down. =(  I think I'm going to do 2 naps..  She seems a bit fragile this am still... plus, her last A time has still needed to be so short, I'm worried about what I'll do if she short naps the 1 nap, ykwim?  Plus - we do church tomorrow and she'll HAVE to do 1 nap, so might as well give her one more day... I think.. =)

[*Becky*]

I think your plan sounds good.....x

[katie80]

Yep, I agree!  You could shorten the first nap again if you feel she's better, but just not all the way ready for 1 yet.  And then, tomorrow you'll get a feel for how she does with 1 and can go from there.  Good luck!

[babybarr]

I agree too!    Let us know how it all goes.

[aimeeL]

Well - decided to take an impromptu trip to visit my parents who just came back from a trip to Italy.. They live 1.5 hrs away, and we literally decided as we were giving L a bath for the night.  So threw everything into the car quick, and left RIGHT when she should've been going to sleep.  Why, oh, why is it that my child will fall asleep in less than 5 min when it's time for her one nap, but takes almost an entire 1.5 hrs to fall asleep at bedtime?!?  She literally was awake till about 5 minutes from their home.  So late bedtime, but she transferred easily to the crib and had a decent 10.5 night.  Could've been much worse. 

Decided to skip church today and go hiking instead, so she took a late am CN - 10:40-11 a.m... and is now tossing and turning in her cirb (2:15).  Grr.  The CN was late not because she was "refusing" necessarily, but because we were in the car again (going up to the mtns)... so I'm still not convinced that she's ready to be done with 2 naps quite yet.  Not sure what we'll do tomorrow - but I guess it depends on her night. 

Will be heading home here after her nap - NOT trying for bedtime again - so we'll see...

[aimeeL]

Ok - I think we can finally get back to the original question of the post...   Although, actually, I think I've swung from set bedtimes to "what do you think of alternating 2 naps?" 

I think L is done being sick.  Any residual tired-ness is more from the habit of the last 2 wks anyways.  SO.  Yesterday - she did 2 naps, 20 min am and 1.5 hr pm - both of which were a bit of a struggle.  Sttn beautifully from 7:45 (4.25 hrs A time) - 7:15 a.m.!  Was VERY pleased and felt confident about doing 1 nap based on the late wakeup.

Nap was 12:20-2:20 p.m.  Not *bad*, I know... but am unsure where to go now.  I'll probably have to put her down by 6:30 p.m... but I seriously doubt we'll get a 12+ hr night.. which puts us back in the same place we were before she got sick - that is, with the likelihood that she'll get OT again because her naps won't be long enough, which will make her nights short.

I'm convinced now that 10.5 hr nights means OT over here..

So what should I do?  Proceed?  Alternate every day with a 2 nap day?  what do you think?

[katie80]

If it were me, I'd probably alternate at least until you're done with school and can be a bit more flexible with that nap time in case of an earlier wake (you know, being able to put her down at 12 pm if needed).  You may start by doing it every other day and then every third or something like that.  However, if the 2 naps become a struggle, you might want to try that set time and give it a good couple weeks and she might stretch the nap out.  I think I've just given you two pieces of advice; I guess because both options have worked for me.  I really liked the set nap time (give or take 15 min) and my LO started to do well on it, but then started teething and got OT pretty easy, so I threw in a 2 nap day here and there to help her get through the day and it really made a difference. 

[aimeeL]

Her canines don't seem to bugging her much anymore; the top two have cut through and the bottom two are just beneath the surface... but with L, she usually seems to be bothered right at the beginning - then gets used to the pain/annoyance, I think...  So I think - as of today - we are ON TRACK.  Maybe I'll try one nap tomorrow - gulp - and see what happens.. and if that produces a bad day/night, then the next day I'll do 2 naps?  And just play it day by day?  That doesn't really suit the anal-ness in me, but such is life, I guess... 

[aimeeL]

Grrr - FRUSTRATED!  So today was:

7:45-7:15 a.m. - wakeup
12:20-2:20 p.m. - nap
6:40 - put in bed...

Still awake at 7:30!!  Laying very quietly, though.. I actually thought she'd drifted off by 7 p.m but just happened to look at the monitor just now, and nope - there she is, eyes wide open.  Where did I go wrong??  Her last A time has been soooo short these last few days - I was thinking that that was where I had gone wrong.. that the last A time was causing the OT/short nights.. so I went with 4 hrs after a 2hr nap.. where as before her being ill, we were doing more like 5 - even 5.5 sometimes if her nap was short.

Grrr....

[momtonb&ab]

i think she probably could have done a 7:30 bedtime (or 7:15) after such a good night and such a great nap. 

[katie80]

That doesn't really suit the anal-ness in me, but such is life, I guess... 

Aimee, just have to laugh at this because it's exactly how I am.  Day to day is hard for me!  But when my LO wakes before 6, I just don't feel like I can push her that long only to end up with a short nap and a really cranky toddler.  That's where the 2 naps help, but I only do them once a week or so, and am hoping to stick to one now that we've got bedtime back to normal. 

So, maybe you want to go with the set time and maybe a set bedtime will help so you don't feel like you have to guess.  How did last night and today end up?

[aimeeL]

ARGH - dumb BW - just erased my whole post!

Anyways - in a nutshell, I'm going with one nap today.. 7:35-ish p.m.-6:20 a.m. so about 10.75 hr night?  Not terrible, but not great...

Will have her asleep by probably 12:15 in the car.. and will hope for the best..

Thanks for sticking with me!

[aimeeL]

So today:

7:35 p.m. - 6:20 a.m. - wakeup
12:10-1:50 p.m. - Nap

Thoughts for bedtime???

[babybarr]

7pm...

ARGH - dumb BW - just erased my whole post!

You can use the back button in your internet browser and then you should still have your post.  Then just try to post it again, if it doesn't work try going back again and post again.... this is what I'm doing anyway!!  You can also quickly copy your post before posting in case it disappears.  The powers that be are trying to solve it at the mo.

[aimeeL]

Thanks for the tip! - the back button usually works, but this time it returned me to the page with an empty box where I'd posted... =(  Will have to remember to copy before I hit post, though...

So I think we're starting to do okay... (knock on wood)

Last night was a little before 7 p.m. (yay, babybarr!! - 6:20 p.m. - so almost 11.5 hrs!
12:20-2:20 p.m. - nap
7:30 p.m. - bedtime

Will post if I have any major problems in the next wk or so - but I *think* we may be a bit more even-keeled now... THANK YOU!