My 8.5 month old seems constantly on the brink of EWs and long NWs these last few weeks. I can normally fix them by increasing his A time (in particular the last A of the day), but he was sick a couple of days ago and seems very tired about 1 - 1.5 hours after he wakes in the morning, so I'm not sure if it's OT causing it this time, or UT since I've reduced his A's in response to him being ill. Anyway.... I have a thread about all that over on the Naps board, but weaver suggested I post over here for suggestions on how to resettle him when he EWs. This is what I generally do:
If he wakes before 5ish, I'll generally give meds first. He doesn't have any teeth actually coming through at the moment, and the meds never shorten the NWs but this week I think his molars might be moving around cos he's biting his finger right at the back of his mouth. Anyway, like I say, that never has any impact anyway! I'll then sing to him, or talk (I recite the book Peepo in between telling him it's bedtime). I only pick up if he's very worked up, and only for a minute. He generally alternates crying and just lying there, doing nothing much. Eventually he starts trying to go back to sleep but only after about 1.5 hours normally. He's often up for 2 hours, and if this takes us to close to 5, he'll then only sleep another 40 minutes and then be up for the day.
I used to feed when he woke as well but then realised that neither feeding nor meds settle him - he'd still be awake for 1.5 hours after that, so now I only feed if he wakes after 5ish. If he's been up for an hour or so by 5, I feed then as well.
Like I say, these normally come after a couple of days of reduced A times, and go away again when I increase them again. He's on quite high A's for his age and too much day sleep, or sleep too close to bedtime affects his nights. He probably nws or EWs about 1-2 times a week and sleeps 11 hours straight the other times. Occasionally he'll wake between 1.30 and 5 and will cry for a few minutes and then settle himself.
Anyway, does anyone have any tips for resettling either the NWs or the EWs when they happen? The EW's in particular at the moment are tricky cos I feed, then try to resettle, but not for long cos he's really screaming the house down at the moment and I don't want everyone up at 5! But then 1.5 hrs or so later he's yawning and rubbing his eyes again - the same amount of time as he takes to settle for a NW. By this time he's already up and out of bed though.
Any thoughts / tips on resettling EWs or NWs?
