17 mth old nap gone wild! please help!!!

[arisu]

3 weeks ago, we were doing a 1.5 hrs AM + 0.5 hr PM catnap routine. Unfortunately teething kicked in and messed everything up!!! I am having major trouble figuring out what is the correct routine now. Pleeeease help!!!!

I've tried to revert back to the same routine but she wouldn't sleep for longer than half hr in the AM (same as for PM). We did EBT and for days she was still waking early at 5am.
I started pushing her nap out thinking she's not tired enough. Now she only has 1 nap. If I'm really REALLY lucky she'll sleep for an hour and 20 min, otherwise she'll sleep for an hour, 50 min, or just half hour.

She's still waking up around 7am (for the past few days at least) so I can't tell if she's OT. I've given up EBT for the last 2 days thinking maybe she's sleeping too much at night and doesn't want to nap longer (I know that's not true but I'm all out of ideas).

Can someone please tell me what is up with her schedule?? What is the average A time for a 17 mth old? Is she sleeping too much? too little? DD is up for about 5-6 hrs of A time. She STTN (except when teething wakes her) for about 11-12 hrs. Can someone please write a manual for me??

[*Becky*]

sounds like she may be a bit OT tbh if she only just dropped her second nap but she is a good age for 1 nap so I would stick with it for a bit and see. If she is up at 7am I would try for the nap at 12pm and see how you get on. If she short naps then I would do an EBT xx

[arisu]

you're right. she woke up at 6 today - snoozed in bed with me while I was nursing her and falling back to sleep. I put her down for her nap at 12:30 and she couldn't even sleep for an hour we will do EBT tonight.

Is she going to get used to napping short with EBTs? I'm really worried that will be her new routine and we really don't want that to be a long term thing. She will never get to see daddy

[arisu]

My MIL keeps telling me that her older son never was willing to nap and so very early on he dropped his nap and did 13 hour nights. Another friend's 20 mth old also dropped her nap. I am sooooo scared Neither sounds right to me at all.

[*Becky*]

the majority of lo's do need a nap until on average 3-4 years. Some do drop it earlier but they are in the minority really.
I would try to keep naptime 5 hours after waking in the am and do an early bedtime if she needs it. It is hard but hopefully she will adjust quickly. xx

[arisu]

But will she eventually be able to nap longer? or will she just be so used to the EBTs?

[*Becky*]

hopefully yes she will start to nap longer, sometimes it takes a little while. We have been on 1 nap for about 6 weeks now and the majority of the time they are short. I try to do an EBT when I can.

[arisu]

oh wow.. 6 weeks and still going?  I guess I have to really stick to it and hope for the best. the hard part i find is knowing when to put her down for her nap since some days it's EW and some days she snoozes while nursing so most of the time i don't even know what exact time she really woke up. and then I really just can't tell if she's UT or OT. sigh.. they really should come with manuals. thank you for the advice. I really hope things will get better soon.

[*Becky*]

yes that must be hard. You could always try a set naptime....is she touchy?

[arisu]

in just the sleep department, I don't know if she's more touchy or more grumpy

[*Becky*]

ok well I would not advise set naps with a touchy lo but it can work really well for other types.

[arisu]

I've tried set naps before but it never worked (or i gave up too soon?). she always ended up being OT and everything was such a mess! I have to put her down at the perfect time or else I will have to pay for it through EW, NW, and short naps.

[*Becky*]

ok well I would start with a nap 5 hours after wake up and see how you go - good luck xx

[arisu]

thank you Becky! appreciate all the advice. I'm keeping my FX!