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

[clairebear79]

Hi ladies  I just told my dh what I've done & he's not happy at all.  I pointed out yet again that there is no point in being consistent with A times that are totally wrong for DS.  I do understand his reservations re: the PM catnap though as its almost impossible.

AND to top it all off I think that DS is going to fight the PM nap due to OT.  He is already rubbing his eyes & shaking his head & falling over & that is just 2hrs A time.  Siigh. 

[Roseii]

He'll probably bounce back Hun, sometimes I think dd2 is sooo tired but if we manage a change of scene and entertainment I can usually hold her off. Take him outside in the buggy maybe? I really think the fresh air helps
Why's dh not happy then??

[clairebear79]

he just thinks DS can't cope with 1 nap & that I am being inconsistent changing yet again, even though what we were doing was a temporary measure while he was poorly.  I must admit every time we've tried 1 nap so far we've had lots of OT & EW to boot & it certainly makes me doubt he's ready, but the other option is spending hours every day trying to get him to nap.  I agree we haven't got a handle on what A times DS can actually do, but I think if we ever do figure it out it will be a horrendously long day & DS will probably get less sleep than he would with 1 nap anyway. 

Lets just hope DS takes the CN & doesn't wake so stupidly early tomorrow eh?   

[Roseii]

Good luck and don't be tempted to try too too early for thar cn xx

[clairebear79]

I won't.     He's playing OK atm though I can tell he's tiring.  We'll do 3.30pm earliest which is 4h 20 A time.  It might even be a tad later at 3.45pm.  I'm going to take a drive I think, and hope for the best!

[Roseii]

How'd you get on Hun? X

[Shiv52]

Thinking of you too!

[clairebear79]

I think I kept him up too long.  We went out in the car at 3.30pm b/c he had started to get fussy & hyper, though not a single yawn or eye rub in sight (bearing in mind I said he rubbed his eyes after 2hrs A).  I reckon he was already OT at that point.  He is so darn sensitive to it & he doesn't help me out by having absolutely no tired signs until its too late.  He yawned as soon as we got in the car before we'd even set off.  Got driving & he just cried for a good 15mins & fell asleep at 3.45pm (4hrs 35mins A).  I was going to allow 30mins but he woke after just 25mins & hasn't stopped crying since.  He's not a happy wee man.  OT nap for sure.  And DH will not be happy when he gets home & sees him like this.  I'm expecting some 'I told you so's

So does 7pm BT sound OK with that?  I'm expecting we'll get EW tomorrow though being OT if I'm honest.

And what do I do WRT the routine tomorrow?  Do I repeat 4hrs A knowing that it is too short  Or increase to 4hrs 15.  I am at work tomorrow so there will be no chance for a car C/N so if he needs a PM nap it will have to be in the travel cot at grandmas.

This is really not fun ladies.  My baby is tired & miserable & we are just on day 1.

[Shiv52]

To be fair Claire what you set out to achieve, worked.  You got him to take a CN.  it is far too early to know if it isn't going to work. 

& we are just on day 1.

Yes hun.  It is JUST day one.  You have to stop changing things based on one day.   He has been great all day.  Take him for a walk round the garden and give him a snack and am sure he'll cheer up. 

I would stick with it TBH.  I don't really know how you can be sure it won't work until you give it a go consistently.

I would do 4.15 tomorrow to increase the chance of a longer nap. 

[~Sara~]

I agree with everything Shiv said.  Don't let DH give you a hard time, either, since it's only been 1 day.  Besides, it's not like you're unaware of what might happen if he gets OT...you're home with DS all day.

*hugs*

[clairebear79]

Hi ladies.  I know I need to stop changing things b/c it is this that is making my DS so tired & miserable - I know.

I absolutely intend to stick with the program - its just about doing the right A to get us through the day.  Shiv WRT saying I need to do it consistently - would I be better sticking with the 4hrs A for longer just to be absolutely consistent   Am just conscious of the need to get a longer nap (with 4h 15 A)  but to do this means we are changing things on him AGAIN.  It doesn't seem fair, but is it worse to keep him in an UT/OT loop?

[Shiv52]

No do 4.15.  15 minutes can only make a good difference.   A change of 10-15 minutes won't make the biggest deal but its the changing from short am to long am, capping his pm nap, altering his bedtime that will cause the biggest issue.  During this transition you will alter by 15 minutes at the most on occasion as thats how you get the A time up to beable to cope with one nap. 

I also really caution doing bedtime too early.  I would do AT LEAST 3 hours A time after a half hour nap.  My 12 month old is pretty low on A times a the minute with silly teething but will still do at least 3.5 hours A time after her CN. 

[clairebear79]

Thanks Shiv

I also really caution doing bedtime too early.  I would do AT LEAST 3 hours A time after a half hour nap.  My 12 month old is pretty low on A times a the minute with silly teething but will still do at least 3.5 hours A time after her CN. 

This scares me.  He is still crying & its been almost 1.5hrs since he woke from his C/N.  He just won't calm down & is just rubbing his eyes.  Isn't doing a late BT just going to make him more OT leading to a shorter night?  I would totally agree with the longer A if there wasn't OT involved, but there is.  Am I just being too soft?

[Shiv52]

I think you have to go with your gut.   Do 7pm if you think he really needs it.   Not too soft no.  Its hard to see them upset.  But I would not go earlier than that.  Bedtimes on short A times frighten me much more than anything else especially if there have been UT A times and naps the day before.   And in this 2-1 nightmare remember any wake up after 5.30(10.5 night)  is a GOOD night and so normal A times (4.15) will be fine. 

[clairebear79]

And in this 2-1 nightmare remember any wake up after 5.30(10.5 night)  is a GOOD night and so normal A times (4.15) will be fine.

This^ doesn't fill me with confidence!  5.30am WU's are not what I want to be seeing a week before the clocks change! 

We've done 7pm BT.  I am scared for tomorrow.