shorter naps and night time crib parties

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Thanks KM, I need it.  Today's nap was only 40 mins and refused to be settled.  He was SO upset I had to bring him out of the nursery.  I did try to take him back again but there was no chance.

Here's hoping the next few days will prove more successful.

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Last night he was awake for at least an hour from around midnight.  This morning he was awake at 5am (that's 4am in 'old money'!!).  Today I was a ZOMBIE.

However it has not all been for nothing, the tooth-fairy has paid us a visit and delivered one bright and shiny new molar 

Well I think it's a molar, it looks in molar position but atm it is only just cut so there is just a small sharp bit through.  I wasn't able to check the rest of his mouth fully but think this is the only one.

I'm SO relieved that yesterday and last nights horrendous sleeps were not all down to me being a rubbish mum and getting his routine totally wrong.

[ZacsMumme]

Hugs creations. We too have on and off EW and it's all down to cutting and moving molars

[Khalam's Mama]

You are a fantastic Mum. Watch out for another (or 3) following that one. Just do what you can to get him (and you) some sleep for now. Maybe offer some pain relief now you know it is teething pain.

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Maybe offer some pain relief now you know it is teething pain.

I already was.  I knew there was movement so have been giving meds every nap and BT.  A couple of times I've also topped up the meds later on in the evening (after enough time has passed and alternating ibuprofen and paracetamol) and I also gave him more at about 6am after he'd been mantra-ing for an hour.  It was sad to hear him because I could tell he was trying really hard to go back to sleep but could also tell by the sound he wouldn't respond well to help.

He was certainly OT today from such a poor nap yesterday and last night.  He started crying and the moment I picked him up he nuzzled into my shoulder and 2 seconds later was asleep!  For a boy who won't sleep in my arms he did pretty well at nodding off then!

[Khalam's Mama]

Ah bless. Hope they pop through soon. Sorry you probably said as much in your earlier posts I didn't scroll back.

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I didn't scroll back.

No problem.  When the thread started the night waking was totally different to this any way (although i was still giving meds almost every sleep as I knew they were moving).  This I understand.
Crib parties and disco dancing at 2 in the morning and having a good laugh at the old lady who needs her sleep, well THAT I didn't understand.

I'm still working roughly to plan.  Obviously taking teeth into account.
Thanks for your support.  Will update as an when.

[*Kara*]

Crib parties and disco dancing at 2 in the morning and having a good laugh at the old lady who needs her sleep,

We rarely get this sort of bit here, but molars have made it a common thing!  Hugs hun... funny how they are so rested in the morning and mum cannot get enough coffee to function

[ZacsMumme]

I know its not much comfort but I do honestly believe (after going through it and seeing so many other threads) that between 12-18 months they are developing at such a fast rate, and their needs are changing so quickly, plus teething, that us parents cant keep up Sleep nuttiness like this is common so at least your not alone Also, I think now tey are a bit older they are more sure of what they do and don't want,but cant communicate it to us...resulting in frustration and BT battles, or long NW, or for you lucky lady the chance to relive your youth and party all night long!

[*Kara*]

the chance to relive your youth and party all night long!

Now that is the optimistic side of things

[creations]

the chance to relive your youth and party all night long!

ha ha!

OK, I generally try to avoid the 'what do I do today?' question, but he it comes...

During his cold and then teething his nights have dropped to 10hr or 10.5hr but unpredictable, eg one night 12hr another night 11.5 but with a 1.5 crib party.
Last night (EBT 6.40), still many teeth WUs through the night but he's done a 13hr night, waking at 7.40am (brilliant for me) instead of 5 or 6.  He also woke fully rested, slowly, happy which can't be said for all the EWs.

I've been aiming for kind of a set nap time but kind of a set A time - he does appear to want a nap at about 12.30pm, which is 6hr or 6hr 30 A time.
Not sure about today though.
Set nap makes the A short, about 5hrs (sounds like it would be UT)
Set A makes the nap late, about 2pm when he is usually waking up and having his main meal (he's going to be really hungry at this time)
WWYD?

I'll prob just wing the day and see how he is and hope to work out what he wants.
Also for BT too.  Thinking 7pm.

BTW, update on the naps - despite illness and teething which are making some inconsistent nap days, the general nap now is 1hr 20 - 30, usually undisturbed and with a happy WU.  Working to a longer A time or set later nap time helped a lot.

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I'll prob just wing the day and see how he is and hope to work out what he wants.

It was fine.  He clearly wanted to go for his nap at 12.25 so whether this is a set time preference, UT or not, that's what he got (only 4hr 45 A).

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I want to update and thank you all.  I think we are basically back on track and this thread can end.
I really appreciate all the time, advice and support from you all.  It's helped a great deal.

KM, I think you were spot on with the UT leading to OT by bed time and he did end up really OT.  Pushing his morning A time up worked brilliantly.  His naps though not greatly long are calm and on the whole undisturbed.

ZM, You idea of a set nap time is definitely his preference for the time being.  We are now doing a 12.25 nap regardless of what time he has woken and he is going down a dream.  I agree too that there is so much growing and development during this toddler stage it is difficult to keep up at times.

Kara, I also think you were right about developmental disturbance too.  Although DS is approaching 15 months now he doesn't say any words clearly at all, not even mummy or daddy, but he understands a huge amount of what is said to him.  I haven't noticed a leap in his oral language skills since the sleep disruptions, he is still practising various sounds constantly without making actual words (occasionally something that sound a bit like a word which we echo back in the 'corrected' form) but I have noticed that he seems suddenly more 'mature' in his understanding, more frustrated by things too which indicates a greater awareness of his wants and limitations, and also a big development in his use of the potty - like a light had turned on and he suddenly 'got it'.

Claire, thank you too.  I know it might have looked like I disregarded your thoughts, I didn't, I took everything on board.  His naps are now generally 1.5hrs.  Yesterday though he was totally out and I decided to wake him at the 2hr mark which you had advised.  This was following a pretty disturbed (with teething) but long night and a good morning WU time.

There have been lots of NWs but they are very clearly teething now (it's so easy to tell the difference) and although they are tiring for me they are very understandable.  All the previous night time crib parties have stopped.  BT is between 6.30 to 6.50 (closer to the earlier), morning wake up 6.00 - 7.40 (I'll be waking him at 7.00 if it continues to go over).  No nap refusals, little disturbance during naps (maybe one WU, prob teething pain, self settles), waking up happily.

Even though he has these teeth still coming through and this week had a massive body rash (looked AWFUL but dos said just another post viral rash) the past 5 days have been consistent enough with sleep for me to feel like we have a routine and I know where we are up to again.
So - thank you all.

xxx

[Khalam's Mama]

Great. Glad you got there. Thanks for the update.

[ZacsMumme]

Great progress and update hun