Shorter and shorter naps: wrong nap timing? separation anxiety?

[kimbo613]

DD is nearly 21 months.  She was, up until about a month ago, doing a 2-2.5hr nap from 12:30-2:30/3:00 (BT about 7pm, WU about 6:00/6:30am - her choice, not mine).  Last month we went away for our anniversary for two nights and left the kids with my parents, who they know very well and spend lots of time with.  My mom said she didn't have any major problems with sleep, but ever since then DD has been cutting naps short and waking up crying, which was unusual for her.  Generally she wakes at 2:00 with me putting her down at 12:30.  Today she woke at 1:30.  I have tried resettling by patting her back and shushing (which works at night) and wiwo most recently with no success.  I'm wondering if maybe it's just a stage to push through (SA) or if I have the timing off.  Should I be putting her down later?  She has been on the lower end of sleep needs, but never extreme the way her brother was, and used to wake up happy and chatty.  Any ideas?

[anna*]

hey Kim!
If she's waking unhappy, and seemingly not getting the rest she needs, I might try one or two days with the nap a little earlier (assuming she settles OK at nap time?) and see if she would do a longer nap. If that doesn't work then yeh try pushing it half an hour later but it doesn't sound particularly UT to me.

Audrey is just a couple of weeks older and probably a little higher in sleep needs but she will still do a longer nap from an earlier nap time - usually. 

[kimbo613]

That was my thought later in the day.  We have playdate this morning, but I will try to leave early.  Especially since she was up a million times last night.  The first two times I held her to calm her down, then gave her motrin just in case it was teeth.  After that, I think she was just being a stinker.  She would stop crying as soon as I opened the door and wave at me and ask for "up, please".  I did wiwo like a hundred times.  The wake-ups after 5am, she actually told me "No!" when I said "lay down, time for sleep"    So she's beyond OT today

[kimbo613]

I think we are better now.  Good night sleep is back, and she's waking from naps happy.  But they still don't seem long enough.  Today I got her down at 12:20 and she was up at 2:00 on. the. dot.  How does she know what time it is?   I'm assuming it took her at least 10 minutes to fall asleep, though it could have been more.  She is very sneaky and good at pretending to be asleep.  Is 1.5 hours enough?  Is a 12:30 nap appropriate for her age or should I aim for a little later and hope the nap lengthens?  I can't even remember what I did with Iain at this age.  I feel like if she is waking up happy, then that means well rested, and why mess with a good thing.  But I really can't get everything done in 1.5 hours.

[anna*]

If 1.5hrs isn't enough for YOU there's no harm in trying to eke a little longer. It may just be what she needs - Audrey is happy after 1.5hrs, although it's not enough if it's every day, yk? 12.30 seems like a very average nap itme for her age, if she's slightly LSN then try pushing it later and see if she'll give you a little more.

[kimbo613]

Thanks.  I love that our girls are so close in age.  Helps to have someone a few weeks down the line to help me remember what is age appropriate