Support for dropping the nap-part 6

[*Ali*]

Well done Cadan and you Ali..please let it last.x.

Alas, it did not

This morning Colby woke him at 5.45 and he spent the next hour and 45mins crying for me to stay with him. I didn't want to take a step backwards so just put him back in bed each time. He would sometimes spend 5 or 10mins in bed but then start calling for me again. So I put him down for a nap in the cot. He messed around a bit but was asleep at 2.10pm which is too late really but he couldn't last the whole day without a nap unless I was going to put him down super early before my DH got home and that is just a nightmare.

I am going on a 2hr car journey tomorrow lunchtime so am expecting a nap tomorrow as well.

It's summer here now but we were using a sleeping bag until cadan decided it was too hot. He has always used one. He got a quilt at 2yo too but mainly kicks it off after a couple hours. We've never actually used blankets other than in the car seat or pram.

[Truly Blessed]

Aaah sorry to hear that Ali.

he spent the next hour and 45mins crying for me to stay with him.

This is so hard to resist. Sam is asking me to rub his back at the moment but the APOP has to go, hate to see the look on his little face.

we were using a sleeping bag until cadan decided it was too hot. He has always used one.

Sam's still in his too. He's in his BBB but wanted it back after a night. He has a light quilt too which makes him feel really cosy but I like knowing that he is warm enough when he kicks it off.

Hope the rest of the day goes better.

((HUGS HUN))

Vicki.x.

[*Ali*]

Hmm so he slept 1hr40 from 2.10 - 3.50. I'm thinking we pd just before 8pm. I think he will go. That'll already be a 14hr day so I don't want to try any later than that.

[Truly Blessed]

That'll already be a 14hr day so I don't want to try any later than that.

This was the big problem before I stopped the nap, Sam was heading for 15 hour days so if you hoped for a long night, things just ran away from us YK 

I will keep my FX'd he settles well.x.

[CoLacey]

Thanks for the replies re: sleeping attire. I cant remember the last time I put C in a sleep bag, our summer's are to hot for anything but a t-shirt and shorts, even that sometime could be to much at night. I was lucky last winter was very mild and I didn't have to worry about this.

I bought a fleesie suit for him but the problem that we have is that at bed time its still warm and he gets to hot and ends up taking it off or kicking off his blankets only to get cold about 2-3AM when he climbs into our bed or worse yells out and wakes up Lacey.

We had a meltdown tonight, lucky DH was home for backup. I knew he was tired so after he refused to calm down, I was able to convince him that it was bedtime. He had an early morning and knew he could have benefited from a nap today. Unfortunately he woke up an hour later crying and woke up Lacey again. Fingers crossed that its not an indication of things to come tonight.   

[cath~]

Hi CoLacey - have you thought about getting merino PJs?  They aren't that cheap but are self-regulating for temperature so LOs aren't supposed to get too hot/cold in them cos they are breathable.  We got L 2 merino sleeping bags which she used from 4 months until about 18 months (when she decided she didn't want to any more) and they washed and lasted fantastically.  If/when we have another LO we will be using the same ones for sure.  I'm planning on getting her some merino PJs for this winter for the same reason.

Well, I'm going for a 45 min nap today and will see if that makes BT any quicker.  I find it so hard to believe she is UT at BT when her nights aren't all that long ATM but she honestly doesn't seem tired at all when we PD.  I really don't want a later BT/longer day though cos DH and I love/need our couple of hours together just us in the evenings.  So nap capping it is then..

Hope you all have good days/BTs/nights ladies.

Right, gotta wake her up now!

[cath~]

Hello all,

How's everyone doing? Hope it's going well.

Well, since Friday L has been doing 45 min capped naps (instead of 1hr or sometimes 1hr15 she was doing before) and it helped BT immediately. Instead of taking 35-45 mins (or even an hour) to settle, she now settles in about 10 mins.

So, she's falling asleep around 25-35 mins earlier than she used to

BUT she's now also waking up about 20-30 mins earlier than before too! Doh!

So total sleep is up ever so slightly.

Any idea how I can get her to sleep longer in the mornings too?? Or am I asking too much?

Not sure if the EWs are due to OT or teeth or if they're not EWs at all and she's just had enought sleep (about 10hr30 by then..), but whichever it is, once she's up she's not tired enough to go back to sleep.

I do WIWO for a bit but she gets madder and madder so last two mornings I've ended up sitting in her room which keeps her quiet. She seems to sleep/doze for 5-10 mins but then starts rolling around and chatting. Then the sun comes up on the groclock and she's def up then.

If anyone has any thoughts on the EWs I'd love to hear them! I have no idea whether to let her nap a bit longer (in case they are partly OT EWs) or not. EBT not an option Mon-Thurs...

[Truly Blessed]

Hi Catherine,

Ugh this is the whole problem with the 1-0, the short nights and short nap don't amount to enough overall sleep. It depends on her temperament Hun. Some LO's need to keep a nap or they just can't make it through the day without melting down. Other's are better on no nap, like DS. Your LO is still so young for this eh  . Not uncommon I know.

The most frustrating part is that keeping the nap can often lead to less sleep in the interim. IIWM I would stick with the current routine until you're sure she's completely settled into it, then see where it gets her. You could try a longer CU nap once or twice a week  or just pray her nights lengthen soon.

DS has been no nap for 3 weeks  ish now and he's doing great. But his nights have a tendency to gradually shorten from anything between 13 down to 12 then a short one (last night) of 10.45 ugh! So he needs a CU now.

Debating a one of nap (which always gives us a 10pm BT) or just earlier BT and hopefully a longer night. Only debating the nap 'cause today is his nursery afternoon and he won't cope with being left so well when OT  .

Good Luck!

How's it going everyone else 

Vicki.x.

[barbaraz78]

It could be a good idea to allow a long nap (like 1.5 h) once or twice a week, Catherine. With DS I always do it while capping nap, and it helps, especially when nights become shorter.

We are still having 1-1.15 h nap, though I am suspecting that he could also deal with shorter nap (or no nap at all). We had a couple of late nights on the weekend because we were out with friends on Saturday (we left at 9.30 but of course DS didn't sleep in the car, so he ended up asleep at 10.30 ... but he was up at 9 am on Sunday) and on Sunday we did the birthday cake of dad and he ended up in bed at 9.30... but then he slept till 8.45 on Monday
On Monday he didn't want to nap and he happily chatted for 1 h at 2 pm, but when my mum wanted to pick him up he fell asleep at 3 for 45 min . Then 9 pm bt and up at 9 am again!! So a 12 h night with a 45 min nap tells me that he could be ready for a shorter nap. However, I don't want to push too much on it, especially until he's happy and his nights don't go shorter than 10.5 h. I am scared to ruin a routine that is working well, although not ideal. Also, he's at the sea now and it is very tiring, so I think a nap is beneficial.

[cath~]

Hi Vicki and Barbara - thanks very much for your replies. It is a bit of comfort to know these problems are 'normal' LOL.
Yes, I think I'm gonna have to go for slightly longer CU nap or EBT (if poss) occasionally to keep OT at bay. It's just hard knowing when and how much though isn't it!
L has a nanny looking after her 4 days a week and I think she thinks we're crazy capping L's nap so much, and only letting her have longer nap occasionally. But I know if L has longer nap all the time then she won't go to sleep at BT! I don't think L's nanny has worked with such a low sleep need/high A time child before... Anyway, that's my issue, not L's. I just wish I could be home all the time to manage this myself!
Thanks again ladies

[barbaraz78]

Well, Catherine, you know that here where I live children normally nap (at preschool) until 4yo for two hours! Apparently it is normal for people here (yes, kids here have later bt, but still I don't see how a night shorter than 10.5 h is resting for a kid...). I wonder how I will do the next September when DS will be in preschool in the afternoon, and I hope he will self-regulate and naps only if he needs it. If not, I will have to find solutions...

[*Ali*]

We are all over the place. We went away for the weekend to the seaside and Cadan was napping for 2-2.5hrs around 2pm and then sleeping 9.45pm-8.15am. It worked great so we didn't miss the evening stuff they had on for the LOs. Since we came back on Monday he has been having a shorter naps normally in the car for 45min - 1hr and still sleeping 7.30pm-7.50am. We have been having days out at amusement parks etc. because DH is still off work so I think we have been tiring him out. He has been waking at night most nights though but not for long.

[Truly Blessed]

where I live children normally nap (at preschool) until 4yo for two hours

I will eat my hat if every child in the class goes to sleep for 2 hours at the same time Barbara! LOL. If so there must be some hypnotism going on 

x,

[Truly Blessed]

We are all over the place.

But in pretty good shape I'd say Ali  It's nice to go with the flow sometimes isn't it.

x.

[barbaraz78]

I will eat my hat if every child in the class goes to sleep for 2 hours at the same time Barbara! LOL. If so there must be some hypnotism going on  Wink

I'm sure that teachers have something of magic, as they can put 25 children at the same routine...
Of course, there will be kids that sleep as soon as they go to bed and kids that sleep a little later, but they told me that almost everybody sleeps at 3yo...

I agree, Ali, it is a very good routine!