45 min nap monster back in 9 mo! more A time??

[julieb]

DS started teething about 1-1.5 mths ago and started 45 minute afternoon naps again.  Now 4 additional teeth later, I'm trying to get him back on track.

I don't have luck with PU/PD to extend anymore and WTS has never seemed to go as planned (he pops those little eyes open in an instant!).  Extending A time again could be the key?  But at what point is it too much?  I mean, I don't want him taking his afternoon nap at 4 pm, ya know?

The morning nap seemed like it was starting to get shorter, used to be 1.5 hrs on the dot, now 1-1.5 hrs.  When it's short, he sometimes compensates with a longer afternoon nap.  This is fine with me since the morning nap is supposed to fizzle out eventually.  A time in the morning is 2.5 hours (9:30) and 3.25 hours at lunch time (2:00ish).

I guess what I'm wondering is, as we head toward this 2 to 1 transition (and I have a feeling it will be sooner than later as the other nap transitions were), should I start pushing the morning nap back, letting this one extend and not worry about the short (and thus, later) afternoon nap?  Or should I start waking him from the morning nap in order to see if it will help the afternoon nap?

[Diego's Mama]

Too soon for one nap, ten months going on eleven, right?

How does he go to sleep initially?

How is nighttime sleep?

[Meg's Mom]

I read your subject line and thought that could have been me!

My LO did the same thing at 10mos, i made some changes to her scheudule and we were back on track.

I look forward to seeing your reply to Laura's question and we both can probably offer some help.  I agree, he is too young for 1 nap - try to hold off and there is lots you can do to achieve that.

[julieb]

He'll be 9 mths soon.  And I'm not thinking he needs only one nap right now, just figuring it may happen around 1 year or so (earlier than other babies) because he went on 4 hr EASY at 3 mths and dropped the catnap around 5 mths.  But I figure since 1 nap is the end goal, I might as well direct his current naps in the most natural progression toward that 1 so the future transition might be easier, KWIM?  "Start as you mean to go on"  :wink:   Always trying to stay one step ahead.  :lol:

Anyway, nap routine is change diaper, rock & sing happy songs with lights on for 5 minutes, sleep sack, lights off, rock & sing slow song for 15 seconds, into crib.  This is the same routine we've used since he was 4.5 mths old (and we overcame the 45 min naps that time as well).  This is only the afternoon nap I have the problems with lately, whereas it was ALL naps when he was younger.

He's been sleeping through the night for ~1.5 months now.   :?   Hrmmm, could sleeping through the night coincide with these 45 minute afternoon naps?  I also have problems with early wake-ups, but I have off and on his whole life.

He wakes happy for the most part, and usually seems in good spirits until bedtime.  Sometimes I notice he's a bit more emotional as bedtime approaches.  Should I just accept this?  My fear is it will get him into a chronic cycle of being overtired and start to effect his nights and the morning nap, making everything worse until we get into a REALLY bad spot.  I'm already concerned that this poor afternoon nap is influencing the recent early wake ups.