Cold turkey to 1 nap - OT disaster - & now resisting 2 naps aarrrgggghhhh!!!

[Shiv52]

You'd have to judge but if you don't think he would be able to handle 4.5-5 hours after an 11.45 night I think he would be pushed to manage it after a 2.5 nap given how you are finding he is so sensitive to OT.    I'm not saying don't do it.  I'm just saying don't be surprised and be willing to accept a wake up 11 hours later after a day like that.  So do a 6pm bedtime but don't be surprised if you get a 5am wake up. 

How often would he do a 2.5 nap for you?

If you are thinking that it really is better to just do a one nap day and EBT then I'd start with 4.5 A time tomorrow and get it upto 5 hours within 2 weeks.  KWIM? 

I'm not a big fan of EBTs (can you tell?!) although neither of my girls tacked on.  They both do 11.5 hours ish so I keep the day at least 12.5 and always get to a proper bedtime or else it would be a cycle of EBTs then EWs then a really long day and so on.  Not worth it to me.  I prefer the later bedtime and proper wake up.   Both of mine need good long A times through out the day to sleep well too.  So if they only got 8.5/9 hours A time in a day there is no way they would be tired enough to sleep longer than normal at night.   So you have to weigh that up too. 

{{{hugs}}}  Such a rough transition.  We have that with dropping the CN which is why we did cold turkey to 1 nap!!

[clairebear79]

Hmmm - yea I see what you are saying.  It is a big risk to do EBT esp if he's not had enough A time over the course of the whole day.  I would accept whatever he throws at us though, of course. 

I also totally agree that if we go with 1 nap & EBT then we would definitely need to get the A time increased to 4.5hrs & then up to 5hrs over the next couple of weeks.  That was my aim anyway.

I would honestly say if we didn't have OT hanging round our necks all the time then he would handle a 4.5-5hrs A in the AM fine.  He may have done it today but I didn't dare to push him b/c he'd shown definite tired signs.

Gosh it is a very tough call to make.  You never know he might make it for me & wake up at the 1.5hr mark anyway!

One last Q though - if I do the CN - how long do I give?  I'd be happier just doing 15mins with a 7.15/7.30PM BT, but then his total day sleep is less than 2hrs - which like you said the other day, is being a bit unfair on him.  But if I do 30mins I am worried he'll still be awake well after 8pm & even with 8pm BT this is making a 13.25hr day which I don't like to make a habit of really.  I have done far too many long days & I know from experience that if I can keep his day to 12.5hrs tops then I can often get an 11.5hr night if the naps are timed right.

[clairebear79]

LOL decision made - he woke himself at 1.5hrs.  CN it is!

[Shiv52]

but then his total day sleep is less than 2hrs - which like you said the other day, is being a bit unfair on him.

I was refering to the day when you did a short am nap and then woke him at 1 hour into his PM nap.  You have to make sure ONE of the nap is restorative enough to maintain him.

So a 15 minute CN should be fine and then judge if it needs to be longer x

[clairebear79]

You have to make sure ONE of the nap is restorative enough to maintain him.

Ah - got you now! 

We had a lovely afternoon at the beach & came home at 4.30pm (hoping for a car nap on the way home as he'd had 4hrs A & lots of fresh air & yesterday he did a CN 4.5hrs after a 2hr nap) .  He didn't sleep.  He was rubbing his eyes & yawning but seemed too awake, though not in an OT way.  We even drove to the next motorway junction past our house & back again to see if he'd go off, b/c of the yawns.  Got home at 5.15pm.  Of course b/c we were late home, we couldn't do BT as early as he probably needed b/c he hadn't had any tea, so I had to shovel some into him quickly & get him ready for bed.  He was asleep at 6.20pm, 5hr 50 A time after a 1.5hr nap.  Siigh.     He's woken at 7.20pm crying & again about 8.45pm.  He's OT again. 

I think we in an UT/OT loop.  Yesterday was catch up for sure, & that's why we got the long night.  He was better rested this morning, so although he was tired for his nap (asleep in 5mins) he wasn't tired *enough* to sleep a long nap of 2hrs+.  I probably should have pushed 4.5hrs A before his nap (hindsight is a wonderful thing eh?  - I thought I'd done the right thing this morning b/c he was giving off tired signs & he fell asleep quickly for once! ).  He was super happy this afternoon & his eye bags looked so much better, so I was confident he was caught up on his sleep.  Of course this meant he wasn't tired enough for a CN, even though he only did a 1.5hr nap.  And of course then this means he goes to bed early, and OT. 

So tomorrow I already know he is going to be tired in the morning, and will probably need to sleep after 4-4.25hrs A.  And if I let him he'll do a whopper nap to catch up & so it carries on.

So.........I think even if he wakes early &/or he is super tired tomorrow I need to increase his A to 4.5hrs.  Would you agree

[Shiv52]

Sounds like a lovely afternoon. 

I really think in all honestly Claire I would do 4.5 A time tomorrow and for the next 3 days then 4.45 for 3 days then 5 hours and just get to one nap.  I honestly think pushing through the OT over a week-10days is going to be much less painful that these awful OT/UT loops. I really think he isn't able for 2 naps anymore without you needing to do a really really long day.  KWIM?  And TBH once you start upping the A time beyond 4.5 there really isn't time for a CN anyways. 

[clairebear79]

I am actually glad you have said this.  I think I have finally come to realise this is what I need to do & so I will just have to go with it.  Its not going to be easy, esp b/c I am working 3 days next week & naps are out of my control but I will keep at it & hope & pray that we get there.  Agree that once A = 4.5hrs+ , CN isn't really an option, as today has proved!  So EBT it is. 

Am pretty scared of this esp with the clock change coming up in 1 week aaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!!

[Shiv52]

Definately is the way to go.  Like today he should have been wrecked for his nap after being out at the beach all afternoon and he just wasn't at all! 

I actually think he'll handle it better than you think.  Just push through the OT!!

[Truly Blessed]

I totally agree. But Claire, you have started him off more gently with the longer A time this time round instead of the giant leap, so let's hope this helps him.

Come on Oliver you gorgeous little monkey! Let's do this 1 nap thing and let Mammy and Daddy sleep better too 

Nitey Nite.

((X))

[ZacsMumme]

Come on Oliver you gorgeous little monkey! Let's do this 1 nap thing and let Mammy and Daddy sleep better too

I second that

[clairebear79]

Thanks ladies.  We had a 5.30am WU here.  Kind of expected even though I live in hope that EBT will give us a longer night one day!!!  We are ploughing on ahead with the 4.5hrs A today.

[*Amy*]

No advice just wanted to say I LOVE your new pics

[clairebear79]

Oh poo - another wonky nap day.  he has been rolling & lolling all over the floor all morning and I KNEW he was tired.  Still I went ahead & did the 4.5hrs A.  He's woken after 1h 15 mins.  Siigh.  Its going to be a VERY long day, esp if he refuses a PM nap again.

Ladies it really does frustrate me that EVERY SINGLE TIME we do a 1 nap day we get EW the following day & an OT nap.  Siigh.

[clairebear79]

Argh!!! he went back to sleep (yay!) & now I'm having a trauma trying to decide whether to wake him at the 2hr mark!  Its only midday, so if I do wake him & he refuses CN then he will have a good 6hrs to EBT at 6pm & then of course he'll be OT & wake early for nursery tomorrow (which I really don't want or need)  BUT if I don't wake him & he sleeps 2.5hrs+ & then does EBT at 6-6.30pm then we will most probably get EW anyway!!!  Argh!!!

[newmama12]

Oh poo - another wonky nap day.  he has been rolling & lolling all over the floor all morning and I KNEW he was tired.  Still I went ahead & did the 4.5hrs A.  He's woken after 1h 15 mins.  Siigh.  Its going to be a VERY long day, esp if he refuses a PM nap again.

Ladies it really does frustrate me that EVERY SINGLE TIME we do a 1 nap day we get EW the following day & an OT nap.  Siigh.

Oliver a J are living parallel lives!  
This is what happened to us a few days ago. J was finally on an awesome schedule (for a few weeks)! Even though it was still 2 naps, it was working nicely. Since he was finally waking at a decent hour I decided to go for the 1 nap. That completely backfired and we've had EWs (again) for the past 4 mornings. UGH!!! I'm about to post another thread for help.

Claire, LOVE your new pics! He is such a cutie!