Just me... again...

[babybarr]

So I'm back - mainly just to see what you girls think

DS is now taking up to an hour to go to sleep at night and waking at 5.20am - that is in addition to the usual long NWs.

Our "routine" mainly involves a nap at 11.30am for a max of 1.5hrs (more like 1hr15mins) and then  bedtime between 6.30 and 7pm. 

We used to have asleep within 10mins and wake when our alarm went off around 6.15am (aside from NWs I mean)

So what do I do... I'm guessing it's OT and maybe a little anxiety due to the move but the first few nights in the new house he was asleep within 5mins.

I just need some ideas and hugs really girls - again, if that's ok

(we still haven't heard from the sleep clinic with the results of his "tag")

[Tweakster]

Hi there, hugs Laura.  I'm betting it's from the new house, all the change in routine.  Any chance of getting a longer nap from him though?  If not how early are you willing to do bedtime?  Probably the first few nights he may have thought it was just a fun new place, like being on vacation...now he realizes this is his new house and he's not going back to what he knew before - it may mess with things for a bit.

More hugs my dear!

[babybarr]

Any chance of getting a longer nap from him though?

Nope he just won't take a long nap.  The only way we *sometimes* get a longer nap is if it's not until much later but then bed has to be much later as he won't settle and then that doesn't help!

I prob can't get him down much before 6.20pm which is what I'm aiming for tonight.  I'm just a bit fed up now with this.

[Tweakster]

I hear you for sure.  I hope the sleep clinic contacts you soon with some kind of result, anything to help. 

Ok another tack, what about a shorter nap and then would he give you an earlier bedtime?  Maybe he's ready for a shorter nap now, I remember you tried this before but then he wasn't ready for it.  So maybe a ever so slightly later, shorter nap (1 hr?) and then earlier bedtime. 

I wish Tracy covered this in her books :-(

[deckchariot]

I'm guessing it's the move too.  My dd is a great sleeper, but when we moved, it took her almost 2 mos to really settle in (I'm sure some of my APing didn't help matters).  I'd suspect OT as well, so if you can do earlier bedtime, that may help.

[momtonb&ab]

i agree with Michelle and others that it sure sounds like a combination of OT and all the changes.   the 5:20 am sure sounds like OT waking when it follows a long settling time.   i know you must be so busy getting settled and sorted, can you try spending more time on the wind down for a few days while he gets more secure in his new space?   

these are such crazy times when you move.  the very best piece of advice i can offer you is to stop before you go in (yet again) to settle him and take a deep breath and leave as much of your exhaustion/stress at the door.  it is so so so hard to be doing all this and be as tired as you must be ....  HUGE hugs to you. 

[Mom to M&M]

DS was only about 8 months old when we moved but he had 1-2 weeks of really rough bedtimes, NWs and EWs before setting back in to his usual norm (he wasn't STTN yet at that point anyway). DD had no problem, but she hasn't with our 3 previous (!) moves since she was born either! Big hugs - you deserve a LOT of sleep one of these days (as does your DS). Hope you hear from the sleep clinic soon.

[*claudia*]

Just sending you some HUGS and hoping you get the results from the clinic soon.

And some most deserved sleep, of course.

[katie80]

Hugs here too, Laura!  Wish I could really give you one!   

Don't have much advice, but I agree with pps on earlier bedtimes, if possible.  Another thought I had was similar to Wendy's; what if you did nap at 12 pm instead of 11:30 am?  Would he still do the 1.5 hr or 1 hr 15 min?  At least that would get you closer to bedtime and maybe knock off a *little* OT.  I'm sure it will take him a little while to settle in to the new house as well.

[MummyToBen]

Laura, don't slap me  , but have you tried the super early bedtimes?  I can't remember if you did in the end! I would be getting him in bed at 5.30pm for at least a week.....it gradually shaves off the OT - definately *not* a quick fix but is the ONLY way I seem to be able to get any extra sleep into Ben as he won't sleep later in the morning or take a longer nap when OT.  But I won't say any more 

Sending you a MASSIVE hug at this crazy hectic time (((((((((((())))))))))))

xxx

[*Becky*]

Hugs Laura,
I agree with Claire. If he won't do a longer nap then it is only an earlier bedtime that is an option to help him get a bit more sleep...not for days and days but def worth a try for a night. It does sound like OT to me....bx

[Tweakster]

I guess the way I see it is you have to get more sleep into him if possible (I know it's not always possible though) so maybe if the nap is a tad shorter he'll give a longer night with an early bedtime, and yes as early as Claire suggests.  It's probably not going to set you up for the ideal wake time but he'll be better rested and clean up this OT.

Also agree with Cherie about the wind down and stuff, getting him used to the surroundings more.

[LizzieN]

Sweetie I really do feel for you, this has been going on for SO long...huge hugs lovely!  Do you bath him every night sweetie, do you notice a difference on those nights that you don't?  I just ask because some kids do find it beneficial whilst others can get very OT from baths....

It's funny with Dyllan I was doing a 12-12.30pm nap when we were staying with mum and dad, mum put him down earlier and that actually seemed to work better...now only a couple of months later it's usually more like 1pm, unless he has had a super bad night...they really can do some pretty big leaps in a very short space of time!
 Hugs to you my friend
xxLizzie

[babybarr]

Claire - haven't tried super early bt, could only do it at the weekend cos of work during the week and this weekend has been crazy anyway - which aint gonna help!

Lizzie - we now don't have a bath it doesn't *seem* to make a difference bath days or not, I thought ages ago that it was the bath not helping but soon realised it didn't follow that pattern!

This is the last few days...
Fri -
my mum put him down at 11am for a nap and he slept 1.5hrs (this is a LONG nap for him)
Bed 6.30 asleep within about 10mins (about norm)
Woke 6am ish (not accounting for *usual* NWs - I just discount them now!!)

Sat
Nap 12.40pm (at my dad's as he needed to fix the computer ) slept 1hr 10mins
Bed 6.55pm asleep 7.35pm
Woke 6am ish

Sun
Nap 11.40am 45mins (at ILs naps in buggy never longer than an hour!)
Bed 6.35pm asleep within 5mins

So I know he's OT - he's ALWAYS OT!  But any extra thoughts on the above appreciated!!

Thanks again lovely lovely girlies

[Fiver]

Agree re. the early bedtimes.  When we were getting lots of EWs and OT (largely because DS had decided that napping was for wimps!) we went for a 6pm bath, in bed by 6.30pm as the norm and if he was super tired, starting at 5.30pm for bath.  From time to time, we still do an earlier than 6pm bathtime, but he has to have had a really early morning or strenuous day for that.

Really hope you get things sorted in a way that suits you all and that the sleep clinic stuff comes through soon