nearly 3 yr old and we are all over the show

[sweetmummy]

hi,

would really love some advice/help for very spirited 3 year old daughter.
i did post recently, but probbaly in a round about way.

my daughter has always been an early riser normally btween 600am-630am even as a baby, i think we have only ever had a 7am once

approx june, it started to get really hard or really too late for a day sleep, we did 1 hour of 'quiet time' and she would go to bed earlier and she was doing ok, however she started kindy 130pm-330pm 4 afternoons a week, so i reinstated a day sleep at 12'sh fro 40 min to an hoour, and she would even ask for this.

now we have night wakings+++ form coming to our room, asking to go to the loo etc, this has been happenign for 3 months, no more 'sleeping though the night'.
yesterday she didnt have a day sleep she woek at 620am and she was in bed at 550pm and out to it at 6pm, she woke at 10pm and was awake fro 2 horus! and then woke at 55am.
so it wither is like that, or up asking for water, etc etc!
i;'m tto scared now to do 'no nap' afetr last night, that was OT right? but she gets so tired and is extremely busy.
so today she went don at 1130am and she woek an hour later. am confused. am i making things worse for her?
ideas please xx

[Truly Blessed]

Hello Honey,

(HUGS) on the hard time. I don't exactly have BTDT experience with DS starting Kindy yet, but I do know from others that it can effect routine usually the outcome being a more tired LO. If her sessions are in the afternoon, it doesn't really make sense that she is more tired in the am because of it though, that must be the result of the NW's. IIWM I would try a cat nap in the car on the way home from Kindy (do you drive home  ) I would allow only 20 mins and then go for her usual BT. Short naps late in the day aren't restorative enough to change BT drastically but they can make all the difference to how a LO feels and copes with the afternoon, so I think it is worth a try. She may however be hard to wake from it, so be prepared for that. It sounds like the 1 hour nap, is going to rob her night sleep. I think for some LO's a nap does have to be restored when they start nursery and that is fine as long as you're prepared for a shorter night in return. But if having done that NW's start then I'd say that horse has already bolted, and the cat nap may be the only way to go.

HTH what do you think 

x.

[sweetmummy]

hi,

o thank you for your reply, i think you are right re: leave the nap.
i do drive from kindy but it's only a 5 min-if that! drive. not enough, tho i guess i could eek it out.
if i do get a catnap, BT normal time? no nap 1-1.5 hour earlier than normal BT?
it's almost like her NW's have become habitual eg she wakes 10pm, 130am and then 4am'sh like clockwork now. not sure how to change that!
thanks! xx

[Truly Blessed]

it's almost like her NW's have become habitual eg she wakes 10pm, 130am and then 4am'sh like clockwork now. not sure how to change that!

What about trying 'wake to sleep' 

Would she wake up as soon as the car stopped if you did manage to get her to go over  DS does which is very handy, and fuel is way to expensive these days to drive round endlessly 

(HUGS)

Vicki.x.

[sweetmummy]

hi,

we have just been putting her to bed early eg 545pm-she is goign to sleep srtaight away and her NWs are less, and for 'less time' if that makes sense?
the cat nap just wont work really, she is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO amped after kindy she loves it, and with son ( nearly 1) and 'life'. i think the early to bed is better.

tho she is waking at 530am now. is this becasue she is goign tobed so early you think? or because she is OT? thanks! x

[Truly Blessed]

Hi Hun, it may just be because she's had all the sleep she needs. You will probably find that her BT sneaks later in the end anyway to be honest, it generally does and then her WU should follow suit. Hang in there, hope it all settles down 

x.

[sweetmummy]

thanks!