How to move to 1 nap a day??!

[*Kara*]

Hugs hun... sounds like teething pain to me too... it really does lead to very unsettled sleep

Have you tried ibuprofen (I think you have Nurofen down there?)?  It really is far superior to paracetamol for teething pain... it works faster, lasts longer and keeps the swelling down too.  Many moms here do a dream med during the night to preserve sleep as well.

Ibuprofen starts to work in about 20 mins (as opposed to 45mins for parac.)... it will last about 5-6 hrs (3-4 for parac).

Huge hugs!

[LouiseV]

thanks Kara, yes we are using Nurofen, it doesn't seem to make any difference (although it has been wonderful in the past!)

Do you think teething pain can go for this long?? Like, weeks? He has also just learned to walk so I did wonder if things are just so new and different to him right now that his sleep is going out the window. ARGH! Feel like we have regressed months!!!! :-)

[*Ali*]

Ah poor poppet.

The pain can go on a bit especially if has teeth coming one after the other. Have the teeth popped through yet? Teething can also make them more sleepy so he may need more sleep than normal and be OT even though he would normally be ok on that amount of sleep. The very disturbed nights will be contributing to that as well. The feeding is also probably becoming a habit that you'll need to break but only once he is no longer in pain from teething or ill.

The walking is also not going to help things. Apparently when LOs learn a new skill such as walking they are compelled to practise those movements when they sleep and their muscles are restless. This may be a reason for the fidgeting you're seeing. OT will do that too though.

Unfortunately you may need to just get through until the teeth and walking settle down and the wean the NFS and do some kind of gradual withdrawal to get out of his room again. Do you get to nap in the day when he does?

[LouiseV]

Thanks for that. I think you are right about the walking thing as its such a new skill and one he is still mastering. Last night I used W2S for the 11.30 wake and it worked. He woke at 1 and I was able to pat him back to sleep but when he woke again at 2 I fed him and he was awake at 4 wanting to be fed too. I was so exhausted by this stage I took him to bed and fed him again.

I think you're right about the feeding creeping in as a habit too - I think I will get another couple of 'cheaty' nights under my belt where I let him feed to maximise my sleep and then do PUPD and go cold turkey on the night feeds again. I cant really nap when he does much as I'd love to, as he's so on the go when hes awake its my only chance to get anything at all done! But this weekend might be time to call in some reinforcements :-)

I did wonder if moving him to 1 nap might have upset things too (although things had already begun to fall apart when I did the move) and I'm wondering if its contributing too? He's napping the best he ever has (bad days are 1hr30 or 1hr15 if I put him down too early) and good days are up to 3 hours tops (this from a chronic 45 minute napper!) But still......his A times are quite long now...
6.30 Awake (no feed as he's full from the night!!sigh)
7.30 Solids
10.30 Bottle and morning tea
11.15 Nap
1.30 awake and lunch
3.30 Small bottle and afternoon tea
5.30 Dinner
6.15 Breastfeed
6.30-45 Asleep (not fed to sleep)

[*Kara*]

Hugs hun... I can't offer much right now - I am in the exact same mess as you are!  Molars and walking have sent us for a loop as well.  3 weeks of 10-10.5 hrs at night and one nap a day of 2 hrs or less... ugh.