We're back to EW

[ikesmummy]

I'm so tiered!!! Ok so last time I posted I was realy struggling emotionally, Keaton was poorly with a nasty virus and croup and things were feeling like they were all over the place. We seemed to get back into our old routine:

A - 6.30ish
S - 9.30ish for 20-30 mins
A - 10ish
S - 12.30/1.00 depending on how active his second A had been
A - 2.30ish
S - 6.30ish

and things were going ok for about a week since Friday he has only slept past 5.30am once and that was when he stayed at my in-laws and was up for over an hour in the night (think he was probably stirring, they rushed in and he then woke properly wondering where an earth I was).

Sleep for Keaton post 5.30am has always been very fragile and if anything is amiss this is a standard wake time (OT, UT, teething, slightly under the weather and probably a million other factors I haven't worked out). The problem is I am really not an early bird and neither is my older son so we really struggle when Keaton wakes and makes enough noise to wake half the street let alone our little family.

He has been fine in the day and the naps haven't really moved, still putting him down at around 9.30 and then around 1, I can't push out that second nap because of the school run. WE did a one nap day on Sunday as when he woke for an hour in the night he then slept until gone 7 and when we picked him up at 11 the in-laws had decided not to put him down for a nap by the time we got their stuff together and got home it was 11.40 I put him straight into his cot and he slept from 11.45 - 2.10.

My husband is pressuring me to try one nap for a week but I can't even begin to imagine how I would try this with the EW. Would really appreciate some views on my trying 1 nap for a week and how I may be able to do it as well as any other ideas for getting a little later start to the day.

[B J]

As you know, I'm in the same boat as you.  I've been wondering if the EW are a signal that LO is ready for one nap or needs longer A times?  Do you think Keaton would be able to handle the longer A times with 1 nap? 

The EW make it really challenging to try 1 nap.  Are you able to do a really early BT if you try it?

[ikesmummy]

He has managed around 5 hours happily in the past but that was with a long nights sleep, we had three days (a few weeks back) with post 7am wake ups and so did 1 nap but on the 4th day he woke early (obviously OT) and then happily went back to his 2 nap routine.

I have often in the past and can normally do a 6pm bedtime but not sure I am brave enough or able (with the two of them and other commitments) to do much earlier than that. What about you? Are you comfortable with the early bedtime? How early can you get your little one down?

Have just realised I have to be at the school tomorrow at 2pm so tomorrow is going to be a mess whatever!

[B J]

My DS happily does 5 hours A time too.  But I think after a few days he may get a bit OT.

I work Mon – Thurs so it’s hard for me to do early BT on these days.  DH and I don’t get home until after 5 pm, so the earliest we could have him in bed is 6 pm.  This is if I get MIL to give him a really early dinner, and DH and I give him his bath as soon as we get home.  But this means we don’t really get to spend any time with him.  L

I am off Fridays, so I’ve been trying 1 nap days on Fri, Sat & Sun if he has a decent wake up time.  I can do early BT on these days.  I think the earliest BT I’ve done is 5:30.

I know during 2:1 it is common to alternate between 1 and 2 naps, but I feel like this is messing with his wake and bed times.  He has no consistency. 

[huby]

Hi there,

I had EW for a year and my little one is 14 months next week. 5.30ams all the time, bar two weeks. In the past few days, se's been sleeping until 6am  or 6.20...she still wakes at 5.30 or 5am but goes back to sleep if all is quiet. The only thing different I have done is leave her in her cot until 6.30 unless shes really crying of course...she rarely does. Like I said, I had a year of EW - some chronic, and suspect they've not gone forever but I do sympathise.
I found the transition to one nap v hard to start - lots of EW and NW, but eventually she's getting it and seems to have her own routine...fingers crossed only been a few days now!
I'd say go with the earlier bedtime to let em catch up with OT, you will get an early morning wake up - but itwill help them catch up and then leave them in their cot until 6am / 6.30am ...it gets better (touch wood)

[*Becky*]

Hi,
We went through this when DS was the same age and tbh what sorted it for us was moving bedtime slightly later. If he is going to bed at 6.30pm then 5.30am is really normal...but I completely understand it is not what you want. I know you have the school run but is there any way you could push the day forward a bit. Could he nap at 10am instead?

[huby]

I think if ytou have two naps, go for a later bedtime sure, but when drop to one, might err on the side of caution don't you think Henry1? Not sure, sure you have more experience in these matters than me tbh.

[ikesmummy]

Thanks for your replies. Yeah bedtime has got earlier due to him not sleeping after 2.30/45 ish due to the school run although today did shift a bit

A - 5.30 (think it was actually a bit before this is when I looked at the clock)
S - 9.35
A - 10
S - 12.40
A - 2.45
S - 7.10

I could push the first nap a little later but just worried about fitting in enough sleep in a second nap before I have to go and get DS1, I sometimes leave it until 2.50 but this is pushing it a little bit.

How much sleep do you think he needs to be getting in 24 hours and how much of that should be daytime sleep? Read on another post today that ideally he'd be having a 1 hour nap am and a 1.5hr nap pm. Due to the school run can't see that working here (the A he would need after a 1hr nap followed by a 1.5hr nap just wouldn't fit in)

Wondering now if I should turn it all on it's head and try for a longer nap am followed by a catnap after the school run but he always refused the second nap when I tried this before???

[huby]

I ended up doing one long AM and one short PM, which of the PM I had to accidental parent, because she refused it any other way. Most do shorter Am and longer PM. But it worked better for me the other way round, can you get him to take the second catnap in the car on the way to picking up your other son?

[ikesmummy]

Unfortunately he doesn't like to sleep in the car or pushchair, doesn't really like any APOP unless he is really ill or really OT and then he will sometimes let me rock him to sleep. He seems to be stimulated by all the things that lul lots of babies to sleep. Sometimes if the A is just right he will sleep in the pushchair if I have him strapped in on recline and put a blanket over the pushchair so he can't see out but as this is a bit hit and miss don't really want to rely on it??

Feeing quite helpless and having to remind myself that he also benefits from being a younger sibling, trying to get through this phase with the school runs is a nightmare right now!!

[huby]

You soo remind me of my situation when she was that age - she WOULD not sleep in pushchair or car seat either...remember pushing for hours and also car seat along motorway - once we did a three hour journey and nothing! So I felt your pain.
She did start doing the pushchair thing but not until later on, and often when I don't want her to, tsk tsk.
Gosh, I have no idea how you do what you do with three kids, but just wanted to say - you're doing them proud. Well done, it must be hellish right now and you must be sooo tired. I was getting EW of 4.30 and 5am for a long time too.
It changes a lot, but she seemed to be teething forever and that didn't help matters.
Sometimes, you can only do what you can do with everything you have on your plate. I hope someone has some suggestions for you. Perhaps try the long AM, shorter PM as you were thinking - though without APOP, will be tricky to get the second nap in from experience...I had to APOP the second one always.
Better go, think heating is too high and keeping madam restless. x

[ikesmummy]

Now u am wondering about teaching it something. He wad awake from just after 4am until just after 5 am, I gave him some med at about 4.30 and he is still asleep now at nearly 7  as we have to be at the school from 2 until just after 3 think i'll be shooting for a 1 nap day today. Had a phonecall at 6am, the first day in ages I have actually been asleep at 6am as my friend needed to drop her 3 year old round on her way to the labour ward, I'm so so tiered!

[*Becky*]

No time now but will be back...promise!

[huby]

haha, what did i say - we had a 5.30 one this morning...hoping it isn't a return to the EW days, lets hope she gets back on track...she just doens't seem tired!

[*Becky*]

at your lo's age we were doing a 30 min am nap and a 1.5 hour pm. I would suggest pushing your day back tbh but if you have the school run then it is not so easy and am not sure what to suggest. I guess the other option is a long am/short pm. Would that work with school run? I could never get my DS down for a second nap after a long am which is why we stuck with short am/long pm.