Taking a long time to fall asleep at night

[Chloevalentine]

Yikes that's a late night if he wakes at 730 9pm is 13.5 hours! I'm def not waking him today it just makes for a rough start. Think I might try the nap 15 mins earlier again as to make A time a bit longer before bed and see how that works. Yesterday was good he's just starting to stir now at 730 which is about right 12.5 hours total sleep which seems to be what he needs 11 at night and 1.5 nap.

[Shiv52]

Hey Hun

Just popping on to say that I agree with Cath and wanted to reiterate the need for a proper A time after that nap. I know he's happy enough at the minute faffing in bed for 30/45 minutes before he manages to fall asleep but I doubt that will last as the transition goes on as he'll end up getting frustrated. I think you maybe  encountered that before in one of your last threads xx

[Chloevalentine]

You are right but it seems no matter what time I put him in crib at night it's taking him 45ins to fall asleep. Although last night was only 25. Guess it just depends on his day. He seems to need about 6 hrs A time before bed with s 13/13.5 hour day. Being that he was up at 730 today I'll try for an earlier nap again today around 1245 until 215 and then I've been putting him into crib around 8 so that he's asleep by 830 although sometimes he's up later. It just gets tricky with bedtime because last night he was asleep in 25 mins which is good by 825 but here are sometimes when I put him in later and it takes him longer to fall asleep like the other night he was up until 9 and then he sleeps too late in morning yk? Just trying to find the perfect/appropriate time which is so hard lol

[Chloevalentine]

He napped today from 1245-215 1.5 hours was up at 730 am I didn't wake him either time to avoid grouchiness lol but we put him to bed a bit later to see how he would do he went in at 815 and he's just falling asleep at almost 910! That's probably the latest he's ever been up! Last night he had s similar day but went into crib at 8 or just before and was asleep by 825. Tonight it was like he got a second wind at 805 when we were getting out of bath he was super wild. Any suggestions?

[Shiv52]

I would probably aim for bed 6 hours ish after nap wake up. So I'd think if he wakes at 2.15pm I'd be aiming for getting into bed about 8/8.15pm depending on how the day goes. Given he's asleep so late he'll likely sleep on so I would probably just do a no nap day tomorrow.  The other option is to wake at 7.30am but that'll be a short night for him but it's whatever you think will work best.

It's hard to know. With my Dd1 we kept the nap and she went to bed about 9 and up at 8am. With DD2 I couldn't be bothered with the later bedtime as DD1 was going to bed at 7.30pm but I couldn't expect a nap and an early bedtime so we cut the nap completely by 2yo.

[Chloevalentine]

Yeah I think I'm just going to go with the flow for now being that he seems rested and pleasant. But I do think he got s second wind going to bed after 8! He did sleep until 8 today. I'll just offer nap at regular time too. As far as the 9 pm bedtime it is late but for now it just seems to be what he needs. My only concern is the time I'm putting him into crib and how long he's awake in there I just feel bad lol. But when I try putting him in earlier or later it's still taking him a long time. Maybe he just needs the time to unwind with all of his new vocabulary if he naps today what time should I put him down in crib tonight?

[cath~]

both of my two go through periods of taking more/less time to settle and it's not always related to being UT or not.  often it's developmental

[Chloevalentine]

That's my gut feeling too I did wake him at 1 hour nap today 1:10-2:10 so we'll see if it makes a difference tonight

[Chloevalentine]

We had a good night here. Into crib by 8 asleep by 825/30!! I'm not sure if it was because I shortened the nap by 30 mins or because he usually doesn't catch that second wind if he's in bed by 8! My mom was here today to help me wake him from nap so even though he was a bit upset he didn't carry on and cry for an hour like he normally does. Although I must admit im not sure that I'll be happy about having to wake him tomorrow from nap without her here for a distraction. Guess I'll play it by ear

[cath~]

Sounds good

Having a drink and / or small snack to offer mine when I wake them from naps, that they can have sitting on my lap, helps to ease the transition for them.

Maybe if he gets used to being woken (and associates it with something pleasant happening?) it won't be so upsetting for him?

[Chloevalentine]

We can't seem to get out this late night late morning cycle. He's not falling asleep until 9 then sleeps until 745-8! His nap is a bit earlier because he's exhausted and yawning by lunch so going down at 1245 until 2 but tonight didn't fall asleep until 9!!

[cath~]

You haven't really changed anything though have you? (Sorry if that's wrong!) or are you capping the nap/waking in the morning?

I think your best bet is to do both of these, def cap the nap at least.

Have you tried 45 mins? Waking at the end of a sleep cycle might be easier?

[Chloevalentine]

I was trying the waking at nap time at an hour and I was trying a bit of an earlier nap. But it seems that he just needs 13-13.5 hour day no matter what time he wakes from nap. Today I wake him at 730 he was fine no crying. I'll try the earlier shorter nap and then bedtime the same going in crib at 8 to hopefully be asleep by 830. His vocabulary is just crazy right now. He's talking non stop and just needs some time to settle and practice at night I think lol. The just hard because he still needs the nap but being woken and its just taking him longer than usual to fall asleep at night making for a late morning wake.

[Chloevalentine]

We had a no nap day as he resisted but bedtime is tough a lot of crying and can't settle ugh

[cath~]

Oh dear sorry to hear that.

What time was WU in the morning and what time did you first put him down? He might need a shorter day if he skips the nap.