16 mo nap messed up!

[shresmummy]

Hi ladies, my DS is 16 mo. He transitioned to 1 nap around 3 mo ago. Initially he would nap for 40 mins then require resettling but that stopped after 1 month then he started doing a few good nap days here and there where he'd have at least 1h45 mins on his own. And nights were decent too. But for the past month it's all gone to pieces! He was sick a few times, but now it's just not coming together nicely anymore! There is a chance he's teething molars but pain meds don't seem to help.

I'm at a loss as to what to try next is his issue A time related? Teething? Can the 18 mo regression come 3 months early  I just can't seem to work him out anymore! He recently learned to walk, but is that going to wreak havoc on his sleep thus much?

Since he turned 15 mo, he's been struggling to get to nap. He keeps  jerking around, I can't tell if he's ut or ot but basically what worked before isn't working anymore. We were doing

Wu 6:30
Nap 11:30-1:30 at least 2 hrs with resettling if needed. Or 1h45 min on his own
Bt 6:30/6:45

Now he's going down a bit later for his nap, because even I'd I take him in at 5 hr A time it's a struggle, he's needing 5.5 hrA time. He's resisting the nap, napping poorly etc. when do they reach around 6hrA time? I think my other two stayed at that for aaaages.. But this monkey is slightly different!

His nights are messed up to. He keeps waking 1.5 hr after going to bed, taking forever to get to sleep, then wakes a few times at night wanting hugs, etc.then at 5 I've been bringing him into my bed just to prevent an ew cos I still bf him then

Any ideas would be most appreciated! Thanks ladies

[shresmummy]

Hi ladies just wanted to update. This was our routine today...it was another day of nap resistance and short napping, needing to be resettled. I tried a lower A time to make sure he wasn't ot but it didn't really help!

Wu 6:45
Nap: took in at 11:55, took till 12:25 to fall asleep! Kept talking, fidgeting. Finally asleep 12:25 but woke at 1:05 then had to resettle in arms thrn slept till 2:15 when I had to wake to go pick up the other two from school.

Bt: took him in at 7:20pm, was calm but only slept at 7:45ish

First nw is at 9:30pm I'm resettling him now.

He's started this new thing of waking 1.5 hr after bt.. What's that all about? Any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks!

[creations]

Can the 18 mo regression come 3 months early

Yes!  Mine had his 18 month regression at 16 months, I've seen some with it not coming until 20 months.

He recently learned to walk, but is that going to wreak havoc on his sleep thus much?

Yes! Any developments can cause huge disturbance of sleep.  The 18 month regression is to do with developments too.  Half birthdays in general cause lots of behavioural and sleep changes, most of it you can ride out and keep telling yourself it won't last for ever!

The NW at 1.5hr could be OT or developmental disturbances too. If he starts getting his nap back on track you could see that NW disappear.

Sorry I'm pushed for time but saw you hadn't had any reply so wanted to post something.
I'd increase the morning A time, to say 5hr 45/6hr (seems you are doing 5-5hr 30 now) and set nap at that time. See how it goes over a week.
hth

[Haribo2012]

Great advice creations 
Fwiw our sleep was awful 15-18 months and I'm sure it was the SR come early combined with teeth moving about.

There is so much going on at this age sometimes it's hard to tell what causes NW etc but I'd push nap a little later as creations suggested if he's taking a while to fall asleep he may just not be quite tired enough x

[shresmummy]

Thanks so much for getting back to me ladies you confirmed what I was sort of leaning towards.. I was trying for a sort of  set nap around noon and it so worked out to be around 5.5 hr A time.

But today was a disaster both nap and nighttime! I saw that his molars on the top were pushing thru but despite the nurofen he refused to get off me and into the cot at all he was a bit whingy all day too. nap I ended up holding him and even when I tried to put him down when he was asleep he'd stir and freak out!

Same thing at bedtime, I tried for 1.5 hrs now he's in my bed so we can all get some sleep!

Independent sleep is out the window and so is any form of a routine .. For what it's worth today looked like this
Wu 6:50
Nap 12:10  - 2 ish ( he fell asleep very quickly so there goes my theory of upping the A time? But he refused to get off me!!)

Bed time, took him in at 7:15pm, but it was a big mess in the end.

Where do I head from here? Just ride it out and hope he can sleep better eventually!? I think it's teething related today, but have no idea what's been happening the past few weeks anyway! It used to be so easy.. Just walk upstairs, cuddle and he'd be out like a light and that was it!

[Haribo2012]

Ah bless him sounds like teething is causing a bit of SA as well. I'd ride it out if you can see the teeth the worst will soon be over.
Keep trying with your naps and BT and you will prob find he just starts napping ok independently again.

If it's the 18 month regression you find probably very little fixes it and it just comes right again one day, try and stay consistent if possible as independent sleep will return.

[shresmummy]

It's such a tricky thing to assess!! He's just refusing to get into the cot for naps or bt! Today's nap he fell asleep quickly without resisting but it was in my arms and he wouldn't have it any other way! It's so strange this has come out of nowhere! And then every time I tried to put him fine, heaven forbid, he would freak out do I just continue holding him to sleep and hope it passes? It's not very practical either!

[Haribo2012]

What about trying a little bit later say 15 mins just to see if he's that bit more tired so doesn't resist? I would just keep trying and put him in the cot but stay right next to it rubbing his back etc.x

[shresmummy]

Hi ladies, just wanted to update.. So I've pushed nap back 15 mins to around 5h 45 min A time. He's just starting to yawn and getting cuddly at that time. So I've taken him up. Do what I always did, cuddle for a bit and whe he starts to close his eyes pop him in the cot, he used to just shift around, then go to sleep so well. Now he just startles ans freaks out, and stands up. Wants to be carried again. All of last week this has happened, today he went to nap but woke freaking in 20 mins and now I'm carrying him (

I can see he's teething 4 molars at the same time... Any ideas? Is his behaviour ot or ut? Or teething? Basically he's no longer going to sleep properly.. I know he's actively teething so is this the right time for sleep training? What should I do I feel so disheartened

[creations]

It sounds like a lot of this is down to teething.  It sounds like he was going to sleep independently before this, I would trust that he will return to independence just as soon as he can, when the pain of teething has passed.  I doubt there is a need for further sleep training, most independent sleepers will return to independence with very little or no sleep training.
I am always astounded at the amount of pain LOs go through for those teeth. Mine had an entire year of sleep disturbance due to teething with only about 3 days break between canines stopping and molars starting.  I remember how hard it was.
I'd suggest medicating (ibuprofen) 20 mins before nap and BT time if/when you can (it may not be possible to do this for all sleeps due to the dose guidance).  During the truly bad times I used ibuprofen and paracetamol at something like 2hr intervals to keep the pain under some sort of control.

You could also try, when putting him down, keep a hand on him. Let him shift around to self settle but stay with him to help him nod off.  It really doesn't mean you'll be doing this for ever.

[shresmummy]

Thanks creations sorry I didn't respond earlier, as luck would have it I was sick for the past few days! Awful cough

You're probably right, it must be related to teething or dev. While I was sick thankfully his nights were better, prob because the top two molars were cut through already, the bottom ones are really bulging now, and as you can imagine he's back to his messing about again:( despite the nurofen!

I guess I'm going to just pick a routine try and stick to it and hope things settle down once the teeth are out? What do you think of this routine..

Wu 6:30/6:45 am
Nap 12:15 - 2 (with resettle after first 40 mins ) this is anew thing he's been doing now!
Bt asleep by 7:30/7:45

What do you think? Should anything be modified? Thanks again

[creations]

Sorry to hear you were unwell. Glad you are better

The 40 min WU during the nap can be UT even if he is able to go back to sleep with some help. Or it may be teething pain disturbing him so he brings himself fully awlake and the transition instead of moving directly into another cycle.
You could try 10 mins later for the nap, or meds before nap, or a W2S.

[shresmummy]

I tried meds today but same thing unfortunately now he's not resisting going down as much as he did couple of weeks ago, that's why I sort of picked that nap time. He still needs some help going to nap though but at least he's willing to go down in the cot unlike before! Maybe I'll try pushing the nap later, but how long do I let him nap for? His bt is quite late as is...

[creations]

BT doesn't always have to be later just because nap is. Some LO will do well on a long first A time and a short second A time.  Others the BT needs to also move later.  I would try a slightly later nap and same BT first. If you get resistance for a few nights at BT then you know you need to also move BT later or cap the nap. Nap capping can be such that you put him down 15 mins later but cap at the same time he was already waking. This makes nap later and shorter and BT doesn't move.
hth

[shresmummy]

Hi ladies, it's been a few weeks since I've been on here. After following your advice, and waiting it out things did settle down and it was smooth sailing for a couple of weeks. But then he got sick and although he's recovered one, it's back to the old crazy napping, won't let me put him down nonsense he went back to doing good naps but it's gone again I think the canines are cutting. But is it also possible it's the 18 mo sr? But that's what I was putting it down to the last time!

His routine was like this :

Wu 6:30
Nap: 12:15-2ish
Bt : in by 7:15 asleep by 7:45

Any ideas ladies? Now it's back yo nap refusal, multiple wake up, etc.