23 month old fighting nap and BT

[jenn1975]

Hi cathn. Thank you for the reply! Yes, he's usually affected by leaps and wonder weeks.

I put a night light in his room but its very very dim. Also, I took the cd out of our car with his favorite songs on it and put it on his player in his room. Both of these things have helped a lot! He asks for them now when we get ready for bed.

I think it was the dark. He's said "too dark" a few times if its dark outside. Or we go into the garage where it's dark.

Thank you so much for the help!

[cath~]

Ah, pleased the light and the music have helped!

[jenn1975]

Oh boy, we're having a weird night! He's woken 3 times tonight. The last time, just now at 3 am he was screaming and both my husband and I jumped up startled and ran in there. He was saying "mommy." I held him and gave him water and some ibuprofen jûst in case its teeth.
He's now in there moaning and looking around his room.
Nightmare??
The other two times he cried out but went back to sleep. My husbands in there now rubbing his back because he's just sat up crying again.
I was googling "nightmares" and thought I'd pop over here for support.
This is so strange for him. He rarely wakes in the night unless he's been sick.
He went down fine tonight with no crying.
Could he be OT? His days lately have been

WU 6:30-7
Nap 12:45-1 (only 1 hour today and yesterday, but usually an hour 20 min to and hour 30 min)
BT 7:45-8:20 (asleep taking about 20 min to fall asleep)

Am I putting him down too late maybe?
He's now in there sort of moaning/grunting off and on.

Very weird behavior. And when I went to lay him down in the crib he said something and I swear it was "person." And he was looking in his crib. I had my husband look around the house because I was spooked and I even looked under his crib and in the closet. Of course nothing.
 

[cath~]

could be a nightmare

did you do earlier BT after the two short naps?  it could be accumulated OT - I think OT can sometimes be a trigger of nightmares (but might be wrong ) how does he seem during the day?  OT?  could also be developmental.

how was last night?

[jenn1975]

Hi again. I did a bit earlier BT, but not by too much.  Last night he woke at 10:45pm after going to sleep at 7:45pm. He was whimpering only.  I didn't go in. He stayed awake for over an hour, mostly quiet the last half an hour.  Does that sound like OT?

What do you think his A time should be? Right now it's about 6 hours in the AM and 5.5 hours in the PM.

His language is exploding big time! And he's also using the potty more and more.  We're not being too strict with the potty training, just going with the flow and reminding him to ask to go to the potty.  He's done pretty good while he's naked, but if he has underwear on he will still go in his undies.  I've read potty training can disrupt sleep too? His diapers have been dry 2-3 nights in a row when he wakes up.

Maybe I should aim for asleep by 7:30? This morning he woke around 6:50, so about 11 hours, minus his one hour waking, so 10 hours which is low for him.

[HenaV]

Hi!

At this age my DD was much the same. I agree with Cath that the cause of your sleep disturbance is likley to be cumulative OT. For the cause of the OT was a developmental leap and teeth snd together ime they are a lethal combo resulting in multiple NW and EW.

We got through by allowing longer naps to catch up and EBT if a nap was cut short. So as a general rule if it was a 10 night (or under) which would equate to a 5-5.30 WU, I would allow a 2.5h nap at 12.30pm and 6.30pm BT

If the night was 10.5h plus i would allow a 2h nap at 12.45pm and BT 6.45-7pm

I did this until the NW settled down and then introduced a Gro-Clock to deal with the EW.

More BTDT thoughts than advice but hth x

[jenn1975]

Thanks for the insight Hena! I think you could be right about OT. He has been sleeping in til 7ish a lot of the time which he never used to. 6:15-6:30 before. So I've been putting him to bed later. He really only rarely takes a two hour nap unless it was a very weird night or he's been sick. Usually it's an hour to an hour and a half.
I'm used to EBT with him from the past so maybe ill go back in that direction for a bit here.

Thanks for the time guidelines too for naps and BT.

[cath~]

Hi again. I did a bit earlier BT, but not by too much.  Last night he woke at 10:45pm after going to sleep at 7:45pm. He was whimpering only.  I didn't go in. He stayed awake for over an hour, mostly quiet the last half an hour.  Does that sound like OT?

....

His language is exploding big time! And he's also using the potty more and more.  We're not being too strict with the potty training, just going with the flow and reminding him to ask to go to the potty.  He's done pretty good while he's naked, but if he has underwear on he will still go in his undies.  I've read potty training can disrupt sleep too? His diapers have been dry 2-3 nights in a row when he wakes up.

Sounds like the NWs could be partly developmental, poss related to language and PTing (which can def affect sleep for a bit). 

I agree worth trying EBT for a bit to see if that helps.

[jenn1975]

Thanks again cathn. He's been doing one hour naps lately again. Ugh! That's another one I just can't figure out. So EBT. 
Last night went well, he was asleep at 7:35 and woke around 6:45am and no NWs 

Thank you ladies! Ill be back I'm sure.

[jenn1975]

Well this one has to be my fault. BT was too late, laid him down at 7:20 after only an hour nap.

He woke crying at 1:45am. I waited a min or two then went in. I rubbed his back and told him mommy is here. Walked out. More crying but harder. Went back in, covered him up, rubbed back, left room. More crying. I waited 5 min then went back in. I checked his diaper after asking him if he pooped (he had diarreah today), he said poop yes. No poop. Quick drink of water and laid him down. It's almost 3am and he's quiet now but still awake.

WU yesterday was 6:45 (11 hr 10 min sleep no nws)
Nap at 12:55 (one hour)
BT 7:50 (laid him down @ 7:20 but he took 30 min to fall asleep and was whimpering for 15 min)

Has to be OT right? I'm so tired too and am worried about him getting used to all these night visits.

It's hard for me to get back to sleep once I'm up so I jump on here for help.

[HenaV]

I'd say he's OT. With that day is have aimed for a 6pm BT. Today (if I'm not t late!!) I'd allow a longer nap if he'll have it or EBT.

He will be fine, as will you (once you get over your OT!!). I used to worry to re: my DD getting used to me going in sometimes four times per night. We did have some 'stay mummy pleeeease' shenanigans but soon fixed those with WI/WO.

Hope things start improving soon xx

[jenn1975]

Hi hena. He did an earlier nap today and it was about an hour and a half. That's good for him.

I will take your advice and do EBT for a few days too.

Thanks for the help!

[jenn1975]

Maybe it will take awhile for the OT to pass? He woke crying at 3:30am. This time it wasn't too bad. He was back to sleep in 25 min and I only went in one time. He fussed awhile after I left but then settled.

His day yesterday was
WU 7:10am (one hour NW about 10 hr 45 min sleep)
Nap 12:35 (an hour and a half, up at 2:10pm)
BT 7:35 (asleep)

Should BT have been 7 maybe? He's usuàlly doing 13 hour days mist of the time and his naps are always always under two hours, usually less than an hour and a hàlf.

How should I respond at night? Last night I didn't say anything except shhhh and rubbed his back. No words and I didn't pick him up.

[HenaV]

Hey!

Sorry if I'm too late. Here OT takes a little whole to straighten put. i would have done 7pm BT just in the basis of the nap. Given the naps not extending ATM it might be worth sticking to a 12h day just until the OT is dealt with. Things do seem to be improving though hon don't you think?

Re: NW - that's exactly what I would do - offer reassurance and leave.

Xx

[jenn1975]

Hi again 
Ok I'll keep to EBT for awhile and shoot to stay close to a 12 hr day.
He cried when I laid him down for BT last night and I went in one time. But zero nws last night!

Thanks for replying.