Habit or teething or developmental?

[momma.bear]

DS has been waking up around 5:30 (sometimes as early as 5:15) for the past few weeks now. There was one morning where he slept until 6, but that's it in the past 15+ days. He is cutting his canines, which has been affecting his naps. He will go down no problem for naps and BT, but he often wakes up during his nap and needs to be resettled. I've tried giving pain meds, but it hasn't made a difference. He is also starting to talk a lot more, so maybe it's developmental? I don't know... but it's driving me crazy as he's exhausted by the time nap time rolls around. Here's our EASY:

5:30 WU
12:30-2:30 (sometimes less) nap
6:30/7 BT (6:30 when nap is less then 2 hours)

I'm wondering if the WU has become a habit. The past two days he has woken up at 5am, but I was able to resettle him and he slept till 5:45 one morning and 5:30 the other morning. I've tried giving pain meds around 2:30/3am, one day I tried it and he slept till 6am, but the following morning he was awake by 5:30 again. I'm just concerned that it's going to become a habit, and that he's not getting the 13.5 hours that they say they need at this age. Just wondering what others would do in this situation... routine tweak? 6pm bed time?

[HenaV]

hey there,

I'm sorry you're having it so tough at the moment. I just wanted to check how old your LO is - wasn't sue is your ticker was up to date

Hena

[HenaV]

Ive just seen your reply on another post - your DS is 20m right?

For us at this age a combo of teeth and developmental stuff (language explosion) caused sleep mayhem. For us it was mostly NW, nap refusal and the shenanigans at BT. I don't think we had EW per se at this age BUT with 2/3hour long NW, she may as well have EW as the effect was the same. She as shattered, I was shattered and at the end of my tether. The good news, the dvelomenta; stuff passes and of course the teeth cut.

For us there was no real solution. I just had to work to manage R's OT (very sensitive to OT) and stick as closely to her routine as the little minx would allow.

Re: the teething, i swore by DM, always have. So most painfully i set the alarm for 3am and stick with until I know the worst has past.

I would perhaps try bringing the nap forward a touch given the EW - I am just wondering of your LO is perhaps getting a little OT with such a long morning, thus perpetuating the EW? So perhaps try a 12 noon nap (capped at 2h) for a few days and see if that helps and keep the day 13h max or shorter depending on nap length.

If you think the EW is habitual, have you tried W2S - might be worth a shot?

What ever you decide to change up and try, I would pick one thing and give it a go for 3-5days and assess the effect.

What do you think?

Hena

[momma.bear]

Yes, DS is almost 20 months. He has cut two canines (one top and one bottom), although I'm not sure if the pains subsides once they poke through a bit or if it takes longer? I have dried DM twice, it worked once, then not the next time. And when it 'worked', it just meant he slept til 6 instead of 5:30. Meds are not cheap, and I just don't think it's worth it for an extra half hour of sleep if I'm lucky...
Today he fell asleep in my bed: we had just been lying there for a bit and he nodded off. I woke him up after 10 minutes but it goes to show just how tired he is. In the car the other day he fell asleep shortly after 9am! I could try putting him down at 12, it's just that I try to put my 3 year old down the same time as he goes down so that I can get a quick nap as I'm exhausted... I have been putting him down around 12:15 lately but no difference in nap length.
This evening I put him down at 6pm, so we'll see what time he wakes up. I haven't tried W2S... do I have to wake him up at the same time each day? And close to his habitual wake up time or no?
Also, the past two mornings, he has woken up at 5am, but I was able to quickly resettle him and he slept another 30 mins. But if it's 5:30 on the clock, nothing I try makes him go back to sleep.

[HenaV]

Yep, re: W2S, I tend to give R a nudge about 30mins before the habitual WU time.

With cainines, it's not ime just the cutting through that causes disturbance but as the whole thing pushes through.

Looking at your night, he is SSTN right? If so you are getting a 10.5/11h night which technically isn't ew. Thought I appreciate that a 5/5.30 start cannot be anything but your LO is clearly really tired. Maybe with the teeth he's just super tired and perhaps needs a but of an earlier nap. I have to say with the WU you are describing I would normally suggest pushing the nap later to see if that helps to give you a later WU but if he's that tired I'm not sure that would be the right way forward.

What do think?

[momma.bear]

Last night I put him down at. He settled quickly and aside from a wake up at 9pm (I just sang him a song and he resettled), he slept until 5:40. That's an 11.5 hour night which is great! He does STTN other than the odd night, but he resettles very easily.
Given that he had a great sleep, what time should I put him down for a nap, and what time do you recommend for BT?

[HenaV]

Hi

Sorry if I'm too late. I would do/ have done 12noon nap (capped at 2h/2h15m) and a 6.45 (alseep by) BT or slightly earlier of the nap was short

Hth x

[momma.bear]

Okay, I put him down shortly after 12 and he woke up at 1:50pm... this was the first time in a week or so that I didn't have to resettle him during his nap. He made one cry around 1:30 but self settled. So should I do 6:30 bed time or aim for him to be asleep by 6:30?

[HenaV]

I don't think that's a bad nap, so I'd aim to be asleep by 6.45 but if you think he's tired and going to get OT, asleep  by 6.30. I'd be wary to go any earlier than that Withthe nap he had for fear of getting into an OT/UT cycle.

Hth

H

[momma.bear]

Thanks for your help!!!

[momma.bear]

Last night DS was asleep by 6:45. Up at 5am. There have been a few occasions where he woke up at 5 but I was able to resettle him for 30 mins. I went in twice after 5am and then he was up just after 5:30, and I am thinking he probably didn't sleep past 5 What do I do for nap time today?!!

[HenaV]

Personally I'd stick with the same. If I make a change I like to stick with it for 3-5days unless I can see it really isn't working. Otherwise things don't have chance to settle down you know

H

[momma.bear]

Ok. So given that he woke up 5/5:30, I'll put him down at 6 tonight. He had a nap from 12-1:45pm, which is the same as yesterday

[momma.bear]

Just wanted to give an update... he woke up Friday morning at 5:20, resettled till 5:40. Napped from 12-1:30. Last night I put him down shortly after 6pm, and he woke up at 5:20 again this morning but settled till 6:15am! Not sure if it's working or not, but I'm hoping! Should I put him down for a nap at 12:30 instead of 12 today to try to get him back on his previous routine?

[HenaV]

I would go to 12.15 in the first instance, and then to 12.30. I simply say this to avoid any OT issues with a 30min jump

H