15 mo EW: please help

[mrsfabmoretti]

Hi all,

My toddler is almost 15 months old and has decided he wants to start the day at 5.15am! Sometimes he'll go until 6am, but it has been getting earlier and earlier.

We're currently battling with the 2-1 transition and the day looks a little like this:

Wake: 5.15am
S: 9.30-12
S: Rest in cot at about 3-3.30pm for 20 mins, but never falls asleep
Bed time: 6.30pm

I've tried getting the AM nap later by pushing it out slowly, but this results in a shorter nap of 40 mins! I daren't cut the AM nap, as then A time is waaaaay too long before bed time (and I know it's on the long side at the minute, but he refuses the PM nap  ).

Any suggestions? Please help... x

[anna*]

I'd push that morning nap out pretty quickly - say 30 mins every couple of days - and see if that helps you. It's worth noting that if he's asleep at 6.30, 5.15-30am isn't REALLY an EW, as he's getting an 11hr night... if you push his morning nap later, you should be able to push bedtime later too.

[mrsfabmoretti]

Thanks for your reply, Anna.

It's worth noting that if he's asleep at 6.30, 5.15-30am isn't REALLY an EW

Oh no, I did worry about this!

I tried pushing morning 'A' time out before, and he started having shorter naps. Seems as though about 4 hours is the 'magic' A time. Would it be better to have a longer 'A' time, but a shorter nap? To me, 2hr30 always seems on the long side, but I daren't wake him up as 'A' time until bed is long already.

Thanks

[Mom to M&M]

You could also try just letting him have a catnap around 9:30. 20 minutes even? Then a proper nap at like 12?

[anna*]

I would push the A time out by 30 mins and see what sort of nap you get after leaving it there for 3-4 days. You may find that it starts out short but gets longer - that was certainly my experience with the 2-1 switch. The afternoon A time is waaaaay too long, and that's the only way you're going to get it down! 2.5hrs nap is totally fine at this age.

[mrsfabmoretti]

Thanks for your replies, ladies.

LO slept at my mum's last night and typically woke up at 6.15am! Fingers crossed he'll do the same tomorrow?

Definitely need to lengthen the morning 'A' time, so going to start trying to do that tomorrow.

Mom to M&M... That's a great idea about morning cat nap, and never even thought of that. However, I think I'd be too terrified about LO not taking the second nap. One to consider if lengthening the 'A' time doesn't work, though.

I'll keep you posted.. Fingers crossed. x

[mrsfabmoretti]

Hi again,

Well I have been trying to push 'A' time the past few days, and we're typically up to 5-5.5hrs, with a nap time of about 1.5hr. LO has STILL been getting up at about 5am.

Yesterday we were at church in the morning, so had to give LO his nap at 11.30am (after him being up at 5am). So thought he might miraculously be up a little later today, and we got 4.30am.

Think I'm just being impatient and need to wait for these longer 'A' times to start working, maybes? Just getting desperate now as we've not had over 2 weeks of the really early wake-ups and feeling a bit fed up. Luckily, I've been off work for the Easter hols (I'm a teacher) but back to work on Wednesday- eeek!