Hi!
I used this board quite a bit with my older son and now I'm back for guidance with my younger. He is 2yr8mos and I'm struggling with how best to manage his naps (without giving them up completely- I am big on naps and my older son napped until he was 6yo). His nap times are getting later and later, thus getting shorter and shorter since I still wake him up at 5:15 regardless in order to get him to bed at night. He plays and talks and rolls around in his crib, but will not fall asleep.
This was his usual schedule:
Wake- 7:30
Nap- asleep at 2:30 for 1.5-2hrs
Bedtime- start at 7:30 (books), usually asleep at 8:30/sometimes 9
He starts nap routine at 1:30 (books, milk) and it used to take him about 45min-1 hour to fall asleep, so he would be asleep by 2:30 or 2:45. He will usually nap 1.5-2hrs when he falls asleep. These last couple of weeks his fall asleep time is getting later and later. First it was 3p, then 3:30 or 4. Today he didn't fall asleep until 4:45!! So he's only getting a 30min nap today. The problem is that with a 5:15 nap wake time, he won't fall asleep early even with a short nap. His bedtimes are also drifting later- sometimes he falls asleep at 9:15. Here are my Qs...
1. IF I want to hold on to his nap, should I push back his nap time and put him down to nap more like 2 or 3p? Would that make him MORE tired and more likely to fall asleep when he do goes to nap?
2. OR is he getting overtired and maybe I should put him down for nap EARLIER than 1:30? When he was younger he would get OT and super spun up and wouldn't be able to settle down for nap. It's similar now- he looks really tired by around 3-3:30, rubbing his eyes and yawning, but he just can't seem to fall asleep.
3. I am flexible on when he naps and how late he falls asleep at night- it doesn't matter much to me. I just want to figure out the best strategy to get him to fall asleep for his nap. The two hours of time waiting for him to fall asleep for nap, going in and out of his room, telling him to sleep, etc. is really exhausting and it's a waste of time because he's not sleeping or up playing!
I do want him to continue napping and I'm not ready to transition off entirely. With our schedule it isn't feasible to get him in bed at 6 or 6:30 and I don't want to short him on total sleep.
He went to the dentist about a month ago and one of his 2yo molar was about to break through, with the other following closely behind. Teething could be an issue, but I hate to give Tylenol/Motrin every day if I'm not sure?? Teething should only be a temporary issue right, like for a couple days? I think this is a broader issue with his sleep.
Thanks for your guidance!
Kristin
