19 mo refusing BT

[Bex09]

Hi all! I haven't been on here for such a long time but need your words of wisdom please. DS has always loved his sleep but for the past couple of months we have been playing the nap capping game due to BT problems if he naps for too long or too late. However the past two nights have been awful and tonight it took him 3 hours, until 10pm to finally go to sleep!! So his normal day is:

Wu - between 6.30 and 7.30
Nap - 12.30- 1.30/2.00
BT - 7.30

The past two days he has been at nursery and he normally sleeps brilliantly on nursery days. His days have been:

Wu - 7.00
Nap - 12.30 - 1.30
BT - refused until 8.50 last night
      Refused until 10pm tonight!!

He seemed really tired tonight after such a short night and only an hour nap so I tried an EBT at 7pm tonight and that totally backfired.So I'm really wondering if you think it is time to cap the nap further or if this could be OT related? I'm just concerned that he is starting to get such little sleep with really short nights and short naps too. He's really only averaging 11 hrs of sleep in 24, which doesn't seem enough for his age. Would really appreciate your thoughts, thanks so much.

[cath~]

Hi Bex

Sorry to hear you're having BT troubles.

Maybe it could have started being a touch UT but yeah, sounds like poss OT now.  Both mine had big drop in daytime sleep needs (to preserve reasonable BT) at 18 mos. Well, dd2 is there now really.  Too much nap stole more from their nights so they got less sleep overall.

Dyt anything else could be going on that could be making settling harder? Eg language development, teething?

How does he settle for naps?

Does he have a lovey? Could that help maybe? Does he settle independently? How have you been handling it when he has trouble? Can you do WIWO or do you need to stay with him?

[Buntybear]

Hi - those very late bedtimes do sound as if they cold be a touch developmental? Could you give him a slightly longer nap to help catch up?

[Bex09]

Thanks for the replies and so sorry it's taken so long to get back to you! Summer holiday madness here!

After reading your replies I tried a couple of things and so far so good 'ish'. I've encouraged him having a lovie which he's taken to well and cuddles in his cot. I also agree that it could just be a developmental stage with a lot going on ie huge Language leap, physical skills and teething canines I've since noticed! So that explains a lot. I've also started letting him have a longer but earlier nap a couple of days a week to help him catch up. So he has an hour on most days and then every 3 or 4 days he goes down at 11.30 and has a good 2-2.5 hours! It seems he needs a good 6 hrs A time before BT no matter how short his nap is. So I am having to wake him up from his nap on less tired days to preserve a decent BT.

Thanks for the help and ideas, fingers crossed we are back on track. Although his nights are still quite short... Usually 10.5 hours, 11 at the most but I'm guessing that will lengthen when he eventually drops the nap. Thanks again. 

[Buntybear]

sounds like a good update  hope those nights lengthen for you x

[cath~]

Pleased you've found something that works for now