LSN DS hit the 18 mth sleep regression...advice please

[ZacsMumme]

UGH! 

T has hit the 18 mth SR hard. We have teeth coming and he has been sick. He has a bout of SA and alis has plus developmental stuff has lead to him just not settling at BT and wanting us to hold him till he pretty much passes out from exhaustion

This was his routine
WU 6.30-7.15 usually 6.45-7
Nap 12.30-2.30
BT 7.30 sometimes earlier sometimes a little later.

He has been showing signs of needing a routine shake up for a while. Not settling at BT, shorter nap, earlier WU.

Now, it's turned to custard. He was napping ok, but BT battles were hours. Yesterday and today were the worst. Hence posting here.

Mon
WU 7
Nap 12.45-2.45
BT 9 (attempted 7.30)

WU 7.30
Nap 12.30-1.55 (woke crying. OT/Ut prob both ugh)
BT 7.30 but crying still at 7.51

What do you think? Push the nap? Wi/WO?

[LovelyLilyandJack]

Lily was LSN and I'm pretty sure it was around this age we had to start capping her nap.  Though she did have generally wonky sleep from 17-19 months anyway, with lots of 45 minute naps and nws, or longer naps and BT resistance.  When she came out of it her nap only lengthened slightly and we were capping to 1hr by 20 months I think. I'd try and ride it out for a while I think,  and then maybe try a nap at around 12.45 / 1 for 1.5 hrs and see where that gets you.

I'm dreading the 18 month sleep regression with Jack.  Developmental stuff really affects his sleep and he's very LSN, so it's very hard to do EBT or a cn with him cos he doesn't do long nights and even a tiny cn keeps him going for hours.  Will be following your progress with interest!

[amayzie]

Argh- the 18 month regression was awful! Don't know if we're LSN- but we are very sensitive to a long nap!! At the 18 month regression we pushed bed time later (for us that was 7.30- but you might want to go to and we capped the nap for a while. I think though that eventually thing settled down and we kept the bed time but the nap would be ok to be a little longer. We also had success at this time with a later nap- perhaps pushing the nap later ill help?

[jcsmom]

We meet again! We are going through some similar stuff. C has never been a long napper and has always preferred her nights to her nap. So on long nap days we get BT resistance coupled with NWs/EWs. She is pretty much capping her own nap at around 45 mins to an 1.25 which I am fine with. This gets us a nice long 11.5-12 hour night. Any longer and her nights majorly shorten and she gets OT on short nights. I would push his nap out to 1 and cap to 1.75 at first then 1.5. C pretty much needs at least 6 before nap (to avoid battles and EWs) and is asleep by 5 A (I put down at 4.5) after. If her nap is long she can take up to 6 hours A to go to sleep. So a long nap just eats into her nights sleep. GL! xx

[michaeljacknnugg]

So, he's previously been on 13ish hrs' sleep in 24?

I'd push the nap if he copes well with a long morning. Ours ended up being 2.30-4ish before he sarted dropping it aged 2.

Hugs for this rough patch, Sara!

[ZacsMumme]

So he woke around 6.15 but I got him back to sleep in my arms. He's having trouble breathing from his virus...so I'll have to put off PU/pd till he's 100% I think.

So routine. Consensus is push the nap later and cap it at 1.5 if he doesn't wake earlier

The worst part of bees regressions is knowing when to do this all...ie he's OT so do I let him cu? Given he only cu when he wants ie may sleep in it messes him up more really so best to wake him? No cu naps?

So I want to aim for this then I guess
WU 6.30-7
Nap 1-2.30/45 (cap at 1.45 first?)
BT 7.30-8

BT he is tired but limpet like, last night DH held him to sleep in the end

[michaeljacknnugg]

If he's like my DS, trying to get him to catch himself up only ends up in frustration on my part and a random lie in when I was least expecting it. If you push the nap out gradually then you've got more chance of sticking to things.

[jcsmom]

Zacsmumme our routine looked like what you posted pre all this regression stuff. A later nap helped keep our WU after 6 and capping it (she did it herself) helped to keep BT at a decent time. CU naps for us always end in less sleep overall as then she fights bedtime/NWs. But C is an enigma whereby even a fraction too much day sleep really impacts night sleep.

[ZacsMumme]

Ok ladies, this is why I love u all your my voice of reason. 
So he woke at 7.30 ill nap him 1-2.30 and try bt at 7.30 (or 8?)

[ZacsMumme]

Ok did BT 7.45 he was def tired but he just can't shut off, and when I pd in the cot and leave he goes nuts. Def SA. I'm not sure to manage it as he is suffering with teething and fluxing a bit, coughing and runny nose. BUT I know the reason for the long settling and then getting OT etc is because he is an IS but he wants to be on me so can't sleep then gets OT or cries for me and I end up APOPing him when he's shattered.

I guess I'm feeling like I need to do WI/WO but I don't want too

[amayzie]

I was always pretty hopeless at WIWO... i think i got the timing wrong... I am not a fan of the catch up nap as it really never worked for us...- i got very strict in the end with it all!! Still am!!

[ZacsMumme]

I was always pretty hopeless at WIWO... i think i got the timing wrong... I am not a fan of the catch up nap as it really never worked for us...- i got very strict in the end with it all!! Still am!!

im so torn now. He only slept 10 hrs. Woke talking his language has taken off, I see the changes. I know this is developmental but I'm soooooo tired an over It.

I can't remember if you can 'ride it out' or if this just makes it last much longer were about 1 week in....

WWYD with today on a 10 hr night!
BT 7.45 slept at 8.30
WU 6.30/45 and out of cot 7
--- nap at 1 or pull back to 12.45 if hes shattered? And still do 1.5? .
BT

I feel he is really OT is it worth trying an EBT?

[michaeljacknnugg]

I'd try an early bed rather than a longer nap, so still cap his nap if you can. Hope that's helpful, because a ten hour night sounds normal to me!

[ZacsMumme]

Its never been normal for t before though yk? ill go for ebt and see what happens.  Z was never this brutal at 18 mths.
what do u all think re ST?

[ZacsMumme]

Okay so update. Here is today
WU 6.30/45 out of cot 7
Nap 12.25-2.25 (was awake when I went in but happy)
Bt 7pm. DH said he was almost asleep on bottle so def was OT. But then started up when put in cot. We started Wi/wo - took 45 mins and asleep 7.45. Just stirred at 8.30 but SS.

Will see what night brings. Ugh I hate Wi/wo