Help! Early wakings getting worse... he's 18 mos old and I am now a grump!

[ccg01]

DS just turned 18 mos. He's never been a late sleeper (7 was the latest, months ago), but the last several weeks have been particularly bad. He's usually up between 4:25 and 5. FOR THE DAY. :-( Screams bloody murder if I try to get him back to sleep. Today he was up at 4:05. Not sure what to try. He is still taking milk for NWs and I try it in the morning as in a rare case he'll got back to sleep. Still teething (molars on one side) though it seems to be bothering him less the last few days. Has been on one nap of between 1 hr 10 and 1 hr 50 for about 2 months, will not take a second one (screams and yells, will do so for an hour, even w/Wi/Wo, but won't sleep). He falls asleep independently, but after a bottle, at night and nap. Sometimes chats before sleeping. Has a very dark room, stuffed bunny and sleeps in sleepsack. Usually eats a good dinner.
Started Montessori preschool yesterday - mornings only, so that throws something else in the mix. Please give suggestions! Working full-time and going crazy. DH is home w/LO after school.

Posting Monday and yesterday to give a feel for what's happening. The NWs are usually once a night, anywhere from 9 to 1:30). He has slept through the night in the past, but not for several months.
Monday
Woke 4:49
Nap 10:54 -12:53
Bedtime 6:35 (asleep)
Night waking 10:40- took 1 1/2 oz milk, back to sleep 10:40
Night waking 2 around 1:40  (bit unusual to have 2) -took 3 1/2 oz milk, back to sleep around 1:55

Tuesday
Awake 5:02 (heavenly)
Nap 12:03-2:15 (much longer A due to leaving school at 11 and then needing to eat lunch -- but also the longest nap in months!)
Bedtime - 6:56 (chatted for about 20 minutes, instead of falling right to sleep)
Night waking - 11:25 - took 3 1/2 oz milk
S 11:40
Awake for Wednesday - 4:05. He did sit in the dark on my lap for a long time but then wanted up. When tried to put in crib, he cried very loudly. Can't really leave him crying as he will wake brother in nearby room.

Thank you for suggestions/help!!!

[ccg01]

Shameless plea for help!
BTW, DH says today's nap was only 1 hr 8 minutes... guess earlier bedtime is in order?

[~Karen~]

I'd stick with one nap now he's 18 months old as should be able to handle it fine by now.  I think you need to start pushing his nap later gradually to try and stop the ew.  He's obviously OT so you need to be careful but if you put him down too early then it won't encourage him to sleep later in the mornings.  Maybe start with an earliest nap time of 11am and push it later by 10 mins every day no matter what time he wakes up with the hope that you can get to a 1230am nap time and a later wake up in the mornings. 

Yep, nice early bedtime!

[ccg01]

Hi, am back again!
Thanks for the advice to push back the nap and not to try for a second one. Have been able to push it back to around 12:15/12:30 normally, although there have been a couple of days when he was actually falling asleep (once on the playground!) before then, I think the earliest nap has been at about 11:45. But our goal is as close to 12:30 as possible. We have had some better luck, with him going to sleep around 6:30 and not waking til 4:30 or 5 am. But then we are also having some nights when he's waking a few times and asking for milk. (last night being one, with a 9:52 pm wake and a 2:55 one, before being up at 4:55 for day).

Thoughts on what to do? Not sure whether it is the milk (wanting it at night), the everpresent teething or something schedule related. DH suspects we need to do some sleep training. Am not sure, since LO is at times (several in a row last week) sleeping through most of the night, or at least around 10 to 10.5 hrs. He does go to sleep independently otherwise.

[clairebear79]

How long is LO's napping for now?  If he is doing around 2hrs from 12.30-2.30, I'd say doing BT at 6.30pm is too early, and this is what is causing your EW.  IIWM I'd gradually try & shift it later to 7pm & see if that helps.  HTH.x

[ccg01]

He's typically napping about 1 hr 20 to 1 hr 40. Sometimes a bit less, rarely 2 hrs. (We've been waking him if it's that long.) I was also wondering about the nap length/bedtime. He so rarely does a longer than 11 hr night, with 10.5 being more common. Will give shifting it a try.