10 mo wonky naps have started...please help?!

[shresmummy]

Hi, my DS turned 10 mo last week and right on time his naps have just gone all over the place. He was never the best napper but at least we were reliably getting a decent am nap. But as of 5 days ago it has all just gone to pieces. I am really not sure what to do now. Can someone p,ease help me?

Up until this week our routine was sort of like this.

Wake 6 (bf usually at 5:30 am/6-)
A 6-9:15 (I was sort of doing a set nap time around 9:15 but sometimes a nap window between9-9:15
S 9:15-10:30 sometimes an hour sometimes till 10:35

E bf upon waking solids at noon
A 10:15/10:30 - 1:30/1:45ish (usually between 3-3h15 min A time)
S 1:30/1:45- 2:15/2:45 (pm nap is a bit unpredictable. Some days its 1h10/20 mins. Some days just 45 mins.

E bf upon waking solids at 4ish then bottle of formula before bt
A depending upon when he wakes from pm nap. Most days I put him to bed around 6 pm.

He wakes for a feed around 10-11 pm. Then I am trying to wean off the next night feed around 1-3 am and just feed him at 5/6.

He also has a few early night wakes every night (between bt and 10/11) But resettles reasonably fast with a cuddle or pat.

Since monday out of the blues his am nap is suddenl 35 mins. He is waking up and refuses to resettle but seems quite happy in the following A time. But the issue is his pm nap isn't long either and now after 4 days of this I am sure I have ot buildup. He's had about 8 nw so far between bt and 9 pm!!!

I have tried really shortening the A time before the pm nap (today for instance I did 2.5 hr but still only got a 1h5 min pm nap leaving me from 1:40 to 6 pm before bt!! He totally refuses a catnap too.

I am not sure what to do. Can someone please advice me? Thanks heaps!

[ZacsMumme]

That second nap looks UT to me on your EASY hun. Have you tried increasing his A time for both a touch. I would head up towards 3.5hours A time for his first A and if you get a good nap the same for the second. And..the same for his last A  

[shresmummy]

I think we are in such a mess at the moment! I can't for the life of me figure out if we are ut o ot. Should I just start with 3.5 hr regardless of what's going on? Or lower A times for abit to let him catch up?

[ZacsMumme]

I would increase A times gently (ie 15 mins a time) every few days until you get to 3.5 hours for the first A time. Keep an eye on your LO as you do this. If you get a good nap the you can go for a 3.5hr second A time IYKWIM?

At the moment I think you are n a bit of a loop UT in the morning OT by BT

[shresmummy]

Hi Sara, thanks for that. I also have another issue in that I can't let him sleep past 10:45 am because I have to do a school run at 11 to pick p dd from preschool. So if he normally wakes at 6 then goes down at 9:30 I can only let him sleep for an hour. Will that make him ot? Then when should I try the second nap?

Thanks again.

[ZacsMumme]

Ahh okay I see

I think I might see if I can get some eyes on your routine then from mums with the same issues re school run. Hopefully you will get some good thoughts.

[*Ali*]

I think most LOs are moving to one short and one long nap at this age so it might suit you to do the short nap in the AM while your DD is at preschool and then shoot for a long nap in the PM when you can stay home.
Would your DS sleep in the buggy so you could have him sleeping in it and then leave the house with him still asleep to go pick up DD? Perhaps you could time any errands you might have for that time in the morning when you need him to sleep.
Have you seen the links on the 2:1 nap transition?
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=41952.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=95670.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=219546.0
Has he always been such an early riser or is this a new thing?

[Erin M]

When dd1 was transitioning from 2 to 1, we'd do a really short nap in the AM (around 30-45 minutes) and then we'd get a good long afternoon one.  So, you might try the short nap that you'll cap for the school run and then try for the afternoon nap somewhere around 3 hours A time -- of course that's just a guess from me, I'd try a few different A times and see what you get.  We're actually in the reverse situation right now -- we have a school run in the afternoon so we're guaranteed to have a short PM nap. 

[shresmummy]

Hi ladies,thanks for that info! Actually that was my plan too to do the short am and long pm nap. He has always woken between 6-6:30 am and that's fine with me because dd wakes later and they can sometimes coordinate the pm nap. Although dd doesnt nap now some days.

The past week we are having short am naps where he wakes himself and is happy. This is after 3-3h15 min A time before the am nap. But I just can't get a long pm nap! O matter what I try. Yesterday this was our routine. What o you think? Was I putting him down too soon before the pm nap?

Wake 6
Nap 9:20-10:10
Nap - tried at 1:10 but didn't settle till 1:30 then woke at 2:15 and he didn't resettle. Which meant he was ot by bedtime. And the night was shocking! I put him down by 5:45-6 but he woke every 45 mins till his feed at 10:15!!

What should I try next? I am so disheartened!

[*Ali*]

I would either car that am nap to 30 mins or push the so nap 15 mins later and see if either of those help. What do you think?

[shresmummy]

Do you mean push that A time before the am nap by 15 min? So if I was doing 3h15 min then try h30 min? And on top of that should I still limit the am nap?

[ZacsMumme]

I think Ali means (forgive me if I am wrong Ali) that you need to either
A) Add 15mins to that first A time - so from 3hr15 to 3.5hours. OR
B) Leave the A time as is but cap the nap at 30mins.

The intention of A is to get a longer nap. Your day will obviously be longer too but you can then cap the PM nap if you need too. The intention of B is to make sure your LO is tired enough for a good PM nap as he is refusing it ATM.

[*Ali*]

Sorry was on my phone and predictive text corrected pm to so. So, what i actually meant was you could try putting him down for the 2nd nap 15mins later and keep the am nap the same. Or you could car the am nap at 30 mins. Either of these tweaks should make him more tired for a longer pm nap. What do you think?

[ZacsMumme]

Sorry was on my phone and predictive text corrected pm to so

LOL, I have the same problem but with my fat fingers on the ipad

Or you could car the am nap at 30 mins

And I think Ali means cap not car

[shresmummy]

Today was a disaster!  I Think from tomorrow I will do 3.5 hr A time before am nap.

Wake 6:10
Nap tried from 9:25. He was sort of on/off sleeping until 9:40 but then woke at 10. Then he was fine. I tried to put him down at 12:50. Once again he did the on off sleeping till 1:05 but then slept only till 1:35!! Woke and I tried till 2 to resettle him. But he was playful, chatted at the blind then kept leaping towards the door and I gave up.

I put him down at 5:45 for bt but he only settled at 6:05. I went back to hold Him thru a jerk at 6:45 .

Heaven help me tonight!

Just wanted to check, if I increase to 3.5 hr A time should I still cap am nap? And if so, to what length? Then shoot for 3 hr A time after wu from the am nap right?