Support Thread for 2-1 Nap Transition cont'd pt 3

[*Ali*]

Spodnic - We have that problem with DS falling asleep in the car or buggy after a short A when I don't want him to. I either avoid going out at those times or try to be really active and entertaining when we're in the car so he can't fall asleep. Could you give her a drink in a sippy in the car or put on some loud, upbeat children's music perhaps? Or give her a toy or book to play with? Or if someone else is in the car with you could they play with her, e.g. peek-a-boo or similar? Or even just keep talking to her in an animated voice might help.
Is she in the forward or backward facing carseat? I think DS is more alert now he is upright and forward facing so you might find it helps when you make the switch if you haven't done so already.
We actually did 2 naps yesterday but the 2nd was at 17.55 in the car so I think he really wanted to just go to bed. The first had also been in the car so was only 40mins. He was up 2hrs after the 2nd nap but the last 40mins of that was in the cot and he finally settled at 21.10! STTN to 7.40 this morning and now I am about to wake him after a 2hr50 nap or he won't want to sleep tonight either.

[lulunut]

It's been quiet here!

Spodic- how are things going now that you have everyone better?  8weeks is a long time to be sick.  Mine have been for 2 weeks and that is enough to stop me from having a 3rd child!!

cc-how are things for you?

Everyone is getting better.  Still some runny noses but I am going to get back on trac tomorrow.  He has been somewhat on the same schedule for the last 2-3 days so I think he is ready to get back to sleep training.  The weather has gotten much better here so I think going outside will help the situation a bit!  I can only hope!

[ccaawc]

lulu- yes, it's been so quiet here. Things are ok for us, nites are good but short, 8.5-9hrs, naps are long 2hrs+ so I thing dd has shift some nite sleep to the day. sometimes one nap but very sleepy dinner time, sometimes 2 and late late BT. good luck for yr sleep training.

[~Karen~]

I was going to post today that we're doing really well on two nap days but of course he threw a spanner in the works today with a pm nap refusal 

[lulunut]

cc-yes, looks like some time shifting is needed!  Hugs!
Karen-LOL!  I don't mean that badly!  It's just what those LO's do isn't it!?  Little rascles!

Today was 5am wake.  He is getting bigger and harder to AP so I have to change things.  He did 4.5A.  I cut him off at 30 min hoping for a short A time and a longer pm nap....NOPE!  4.75A now napping.  Now I will have to cut him off at 1 hour in order to get him to bed for 7:30! 

I went for 2 naps because since we have been sick he has done 1-3NW with EW everyday.  I hope to get him back on schedule and then push his days to get back to 1 nap.  That is my hope!!!

[ccaawc]

lulu- I have the same experience too, dd can have a long A even after short nap unless I AP one into her. How do u AP yr lo to sleep? hold and rock? I bf mine as I don't have the stamina to hold and rock her for more than 5mins.

Last nite was good, STTN 10.5hrs from 8:30 to 7. I was thrilled as this must be the only time dd slept till 7 with no NW. Today her nap is much shorter, 1hr20 after 5hrs A. So her total sleep is just under 12hrs as usual.

[lulunut]

cc- I PU and hold and sit in the "Lazy Boy" chair.  The feet kick up and it goes back so he is happy just snuggled into me.  No rocking.  He has to have one hand in my armpit or touching my skin though.  He is too big to hold and rock!
Yay on the 10.5 STTN!  My DD didn't get over the 12 hour total until about 18mts.  It started when DH had to get up with her instead of me because of DS.  Maybe we should both delegate our DH's to do the NW and EW!!!

Two nights ago was first STTN in about 1.5 weeks with 2 40 min naps after 4.5 A time.  BT at 7:30.

Last night was NW at 3, 4, 4:30, 5:40 here is when I was so tired and did AP again even though I said I wouldn't!!  Wake time at 7:15.  Nap now at 12:20. After 5A time.  This nap was hard to get him down. But he went eventually!  Now some Y time for me which includes a nap!!!  Let's hope he does a long nap!!!

[spodnic]

Hi all,

Cadie's mum - believe it or not I have a toy trumpet in the car plus snacks and toys galore and a helpful 4 year old to try and keep her awake in the car.

Lulu - yep, DS brings home all the colds from nursery so we had 8 weeks of it, now 2 weeks without a cold, and now ANOTHER cold, they both have it. The next few nights are going to be so much fun :~

I am going to move DD to one nap over the Easter break, so only a few weeks to go. I think I will set a time, stick to it but move it every 3 days, 20 mins at a time. Or should I be more adventurous? I just need to get to 12.45pm for nap start, cos of school run.

[Mama2C]

So coming on here in search of some advice!!

DS turned one in early March. We are going through the 2-1 transition. I tried short AM naps, lone PM naps but it was leading to BT at 7 and waking at 5:30- too early for me! So we tried longer A times and a longer AM nap and short PM nap. This has led to either a later BT (8ish to 6am) or no afternoon nap (but a quiet time in bed) and a 7pm nap with a longer nigh sleep (11hrs instead of 10).

So I am finding that longer As (4-4.5hrs versus 3.5hrs) and less day sleep (total of 2 -2.5hrs instead of 3) is leading to better nights...

But I am finding it a bit tricky. If I let DS sleep as long as he wants in the AM nap, it would be from 10:30-1 or 1:30 even. Then there would be NO pm nap and a 7pm Bt...but if I do that, I am worried he will eventually get OT...so I wake him after 1.5-2hrs and try for a PM nap (hit or miss lately...). SIGH!

[lulunut]

Spodnic-I can't believe you have a trumpet!  That is funny!  Does it work?  I find if they are really tired they will sleep through anything!!  Sorry about all the colds.  My DD is in pre-school so she brings us home great ones!  I hope nights are better for you now.

Mama2c-wecome!  I am certainly no expert on naps or sleep.  My LO is all over the place! Probably because I am!!  My suggestion, try to cap the am nap at 1hr in order to get more pm sleep.  Finding that perfect A time is hard.  Do whatever gets you better nights.  But keep in mind I am certainly no expert!!

I think I have solved the 5am issue!  Many people have suggested to feed him.  I tried a few times and he just trew the bottle at me.  So I assumed he wasn't hungry.  Lately he has been waking at 4am instead of 5am.  I just can't get him back down.  I tried the bottle again but I PU and settled him first then fed him the bottle once he stopped screaming.  He drank the whole thing (7oz) and went back to sleep.  I was able to put him back in his crib and he didn't get up until 6:30am!! Perfect!!!!  This allows me to do his nap at 11:30 and now we can work on making it longer so that he sticks to one nap per day!  I think this is the solution!!  Let's hope!!!

[Mama2C]

Thanks for the welcome Lulu! My DD transitioned herself seemlessly at 13 months from 2-1 so I'm not quite familiar with how to "manage" the transition. She did need some BWing help with dropping her one nap so I guess I am a bit familiar with the need for cutting naps/early BT etc..

I could try an even shorter AM nap but I can't have him sleeping between 3:30-4 so I'd either have to get him up from a PM nap at 3:30 (which I used to do and this led to an earlier BT and earlier WU) or I could put him down for a quick nap at 4...that is what I did today so we'll see. AM nap was 10:30-12 and pm nap was 4:30-5. He really has jumped with A times lately...

Interesting that your LO was hungry and went back to bed! Nice!

[lulunut]

Sounds good Mama2c.  Hopefully it works for you.

Today I tried the same routine, he went back down for 20 minutes!!!!  Then up, chatting and calling my name!  Urgh!

[Mama2C]

Lulu - really???! Oh no!!!! What time was he up? Not 4 I hope!

[Mama2C]

Ok - feeling a bit nervous. Kean woke up at 6:40 and he usually does a 4.5hr morning A time no problem so I pushed it today and watched him. He started to show signs of being tired at 11:30 as he was finishing an early lunch and so I started a slow wind-down routine and put him for his nap at 11:55. He has done 1 nap days before but not intentionally - either we were out and he didn't want to sleep in the car or stroller or he had his usual long AM nap and refused a second nap.

Hoping it works out! Fingers crossed please!!

[lulunut]

Fingers crossed for you Mam2c!!!

He was up at 4:45 am!  Totally awake at 5:15!!  3.0A time 1/2 hr am nap ( I woke him up hoping for longer pm nap) 5.0A time before 1 hour pm nap ( he woke up!)  He was tired when he woke but I had to get him up because DD was up.  Early BT tonight.