wake to sleep--any tips?

[imsmum]

My 18 mo old dd wakes up exactly 9 3/4 hours after being put to bed regardless if that's early  (6:30pm) or late (8pm). Sometimes she will return to sleep briefly other times that's it even if that means she's starting her day at 5am For a while she seemed to be making that up during the day with naps of 2.5+ hours but lately they've been 1 3/4 hours.  I figure 11 1/2 hours probably isn't enough sleep and would like to try to extend her night sleep by wake to sleep. Would love to hear from anyone who has tried this.

[sacmommy]

I've used wake-to-sleep twice, once when my dd was about 11 months and again when she was about 23 months. For three nights I went in exactly 1 hour before her regular wake time (in her case, she woke up about 5:30 this most recent time, so I went in at 4:30). It's important to go in at the 1 hr before mark, so if you can't wake yourself, use the alarm. Gently resettle your lo (when she was younger I pretty much got her up and then put her down, this time I just very gently resettled her, otherwise she would wake for the day at 4:30!) Do this for 3 nights (4 max if there doesn't seem to be a change by the third morning), and see if it works. Good luck! It has definitely helped us.

[NicoleW]

hmmmm.....how would you do this for a nap if the nap was only 1hr long??? i guess it wouldnt' work huh? driving me nuts.
well, if the early morning waking continues i'll give it a try. Thanks!!!
Nicole

[sacmommy]

I think for nap you would go in 15 minutes before normal wake time, again for three consistent days. I believe Tracy addresses this in one of her books, but I don't have that particular one right now.

[imsmum]

Rose

What exactly did you do to wake and re-settle your lo at 23 months?  I'm so nervous about doing too much and her waking completely because she always takes a couple of hours to resettle so that kind of defeats the purpose

[sacmommy]

This most recent time - I just very gently moved her a little in the crib (for example, moved her back from the railing if her head was really close, or just shifted her body a tiny bit), and adjusted her blanket. That's it. You just need need to use your best judgment, and if it seems like too much or too little one night, adjust for the next. Remember, it's a pain for 3-4 nights, but if it works, the payoff is huge!!

[cata]

Hi there,
I'm having the same problem with my 15 1/2 months ds. He wakes every morning at the 10hr mark, it's just not enough sleep for him! I usually give him a bottle and try to get him back to sleep. Most of the time this takes me at least 1-1/2 hrs!  And then he will sleep for 1-1/2 more hours....
imsmum, tell me how you did with wake to sleep....please!

[sacmommy]

Hi Imsmum. Have you started in on the wake-to-sleep yet? I was wondering how it's been going! I know it's hard to get started because you worry you'll wake your lo even earlier.

[imsmum]

Thanks for checking in. 

Haven't started wake to sleep because dd started waking in the night again --a combination of a cold and canines coming in I think.  Once she is over the cold I'm debating whether to start wake to sleep or just to wait for the time change so she'll sleep 8 to 6 instead of 7 to 5--she seems to be on a 10 hour night sleep, 1 1/2 hour nap routine which seems to work for her in that she doesn't seem cranky or overtired.  She's always slept about an hour less than the average so I'm concerned if she gets more sleep at night she won't nap as well or nap later which is a problem because she has to be awake by 3 in order to pick up her older sister from JK. I know is not the accepted "sleep begets sleep" theory but I have noticed that if she sleeps a long time at night she'll have a shorter nap and vice versa.

Rose--were your lo's naps affected by the longer night sleep from wake to sleep?

[sacmommy]

Karina's naps don't seem to be affected by her night sleep. She's not the most consistent napper (she often will miss 1 or 2 a week), but when she does nap I usually have to WAKE her - which I hate to do! It always seems to me if they are asleep they need it. But if she naps too long, I worry the night will fall apart (I haven't completely tested this out, maybe I will someday!)

When she was having her early morning wakings, her naps were similar to now. She probably sleeps an average of 11 hrs at night, and 2 or 2.5 hrs for nap. My ds, though, mirrored your child. He never slept more than 10 hrs at night, and usually napped around 1.5 hrs. Every child is different!