Author Topic: Short naps as well now??!!  (Read 1385 times)

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Offline LisaM

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Short naps as well now??!!
« on: November 11, 2005, 13:38:20 pm »
Hi

I don't know what is going on at the moment but anything to do with sleep lately seems to be going wrong.  We started having trouble when going to bed at night, dd (18 months) would scream when I left the room, although this has improved and hopefully will continue to.  Then we started getting really early wake ups in the morning anytime from 5am onwards but mostly around 5.30am - this is ongoing and we have tried later bedtimes but they haven't really helped.  Now this week for the last 3 days dd has only had an hour for her one nap!!  She only normally has hr and half but that seems like a lot better than just an hour.  I am getting concerned because I read that average sleep at her age is 13.75 hours and she normally now only sleeps about 10 hrs at night and now only 1 in the day.  She must be exhausted?  Or does she need a lot less sleep now?  I am so confused as to why her naps have just suddenly reduced like that and was still trying to work out the early wake ups so now am (as usual) totally clueless as what to try.  I am wondering whether all the lack of sleep is catching up and she is so overtired that she only sleeps an hour?  Has anyone else been through a period like this?  Is it going to improve?  Is there anything I can try or should I just go with it.  She wakes up fairly happy really I think although ends up having an early bedtime as gets grumpy later so we never end up getting bedtimes later in the hope of a later wake up in the morning. 

Sorry this has gone on and on and on...am just having a bad day of it as really hoped the other 2 days were just flukey and today would have a longer nap.  Am meant to be going out tonight with friends and just feel so tired and not at all in the mood to get ready or do anything other than flop on the sofa!

Fingers crossed for a 6am lie-in...thanks for any advice xx


Offline elfin

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Short naps as well now??!!
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2005, 11:11:38 am »
Hello,

Could you post back and tell us what her typical day looks like?  When she wakes, naps, bedtime?  What does her bedtime routine look like?  Has anything changed lately?  Has she been ill?  Is she working on any new teeth?

Chances are it is just a phase she is going through.  The important thing is to remain as consistent as you can, as this will make it easier to get back on track.  My ds went through a phase like this at the same age, with waking really early, etc.., so I feel your pain!
Carrie

Myles 12/06/03

elfin@thebabywhisperer.com

Offline LisaM

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Short naps as well now??!!
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2005, 12:46:16 pm »
Hi

Typical day (not really have these anymore but..) looks like this:

Wake up 6am - on a good day
Normally her nap will be about 6 hrs after wake up time so nap at 12.00 - goes off for naps fine but waking after an hour for last few days so if up at 1pm I would put her to bed at 6.30pm.

The last 3 mornings have been better in so much as she has woken almost on the dot of 5am each day but has gone back off to sleep after a while so we have have some better days - am hoping that these will continue.

She has been teething recently and also had a bit of a cold last week, just a runny nose really but I guess that might make her wake up?  She has just gone for her nap now so heres hoping for a nice long nap.  Do you think I should be keeping her up later in the evenings?  I have so far found that mostly she will still wake at the same time even if bedtime is an hour or so later so don't really like to do it as she ends up only having 10 hrs or less a night.

Thanks for your help.
Lisa


Offline Carmela's Mom

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Short naps as well now??!!
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2005, 17:10:06 pm »
Hi Lisa,

My daughter is also 18 months old....my suggestion would be to put her in for a nap at 11-11:30 instead of 12.  I did this little change with my daughter who was also taking 1 hour naps and she now sleeps 2-2.5 (though we have to wake her at 2 hours because we're having issues with night sleep..ya never win huh?)

Carmela's schedule is similar

Wake up anywhere from 5-6:30
Nap 11 or 11:30 until 1:30
Bedtime at 7:00 (6:30 if bad nap)

Hope this helps.



Offline elfin

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Short naps as well now??!!
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2005, 12:13:15 pm »
Hi Lisa,

I wouldn't put her to bed any later, as like my son she just gets up at the same time anyway.  Like Carmela's mom said, maybe try for an earlier nap of even 15 min or so.  This age can be very trying with teething, milestones, etc.., and it can often feel like their sleep is all over the place.  The important thing is not to make too many changes, as this will just confuse them and make getting back on track more difficult.

Hope things start to get better for you!
Carrie

Myles 12/06/03

elfin@thebabywhisperer.com

Offline LisaM

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Short naps as well now??!!
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2005, 09:00:56 am »
Thanks for suggestions.  She has actually gone back to taking an hour and a half for the last 2 days I would love it to be 2hrs really but she has only done this a couple of times ever.  I was putting her to bed earlier around 11.30 before for a while but she still only took 1.5 hrs and then meant it was longer to go till bedtime so will probably stick to slightly later if possible.  Just hate these early starts, I was thinking about trying for another baby in the New Year but don't know how I'd manage with even less sleep!!

Thanks again x