early waking getting earlier! Help please!

[dorisdimple67]

Hi there  - first time poster and hoping someone can help!! My 12 month old has pretty much always been a great sleeper - 7pm - 7am with no problems, unless unwell or teething. From literally the day he turned 1 he has been getting up between 5-6 (closer to 5 tbh!) and of course, since the clocks go back its between 4-5 - weep!!

We tried to look at what had changed since this all started and we came up with 3 things - he had a heavy cold that lasted well over a week, we had stopped his morning bottle and he started to fight his naps - as if he hated being in the cot and was constantly standing and screaming for me (this preceded the early waking by about 2 weeks). After he got better we reinstated his morning bottle - and for the first 2 nights we thought we'd cracked it as he slept through. But on the third night, back to early waking. We don't rush into him - but can't leave him too long as we have another child who we don't want to wake, if possible. His routine currently goes like this…

5am aaprox - wake up and bottle
7.30-8 - breakfast
10am - nap for 30 mins
12pm - lunch
1.30 approx - nap for 1 hour
5pm dinner
5.30pm bath and pyjamas
6.30pm - bottle
7pm - bed

It's worth noting that he is generally a sunny baby who survives pretty well without a nap - we don't let him, as I know he needs it, and Id rather he had more than what he does but he seems happy enough and wakes himself. It doesn't seem worth the fight to force a longer daytime nap on him. Also worth saying he settles himself happily at 7pm.

Any suggestions would be great!!!!

[jessmum46]

Hi and welcome, I'll get this moved over to toddler sleep for you as your baby is now over on e:D

Was his nap routine (30 mins at 10am then 1h at 1.30pm) the same before the EW started?  I wonder if you have hit the 2-1 nap transition....the standing and fighting naps before the EW started would fit with that as well.  I would be tempted to gradually cut his morning nap, working towards one nap in the middle of the day.  So say  just a 20 minute nap at 10am, bring pm nap back to 1pm.  Try it a week, then if no joy, cut to just a quick 10-15 mins and 12.30pm nap, then just ditch the catnap and shoot for an 11.30/12 nap.

What do you think?

[dorisdimple67]

Hi Jessmum - thanks so much for your reply and sorry for my delayed one!

Yes, thats right and it had been a  battle for him to get to that point! Do you think I could try going just cold turkey onto 1 nap? Its such a job getting him to sleep at 10 am (he eventually might nod off closer to 10.30) it seems its not worth the battle to wake him up after 10-15 mins.

He was at nursery the other day and as his schedule goes a bit haywire there they put him down for an hour - 10.45-11.45. He didn't sleep again (and was in good spirits) until the evening when he nodded off in his bouncer at 6. We took him to bed and he slept until 5.30.

I guess I'm just worried I could try this - but even though he seems fine, he might end up being overtired and that may come with further issues. Its so hard!!

[jessmum46]

You could try cold turkey but it does have quite a tendency to backfire, especially at the younger end of the age range.  Often holding onto two naps as long as you can prevents so much over tiredness.

What about doing the 10am nap as a doze in the pushchair or car?