Thank you for your replies ladies and your super big hugs. Much needed!
In reply to some of your questions, yes she still woke in the night on the one nap days and as a result of her seeming overtired we went back to the two naps for a while and all was well for a short time. I thought I would hold off on the one nap transition for a bit as she obviously still needed the two and the days she did have just one was totally her own doing. She woke late enough on those days to get herself through to lunchtime. This night waking and early mornings started around the time she had a very bad teething episode. She wasn't eating well in the day and was waking hungry at the times she seems to be still waking now. Maybe she is waking for the milk I gave her then? I haven't been giving any to her because she is eating well. I haven't been able to get her back on track since then.
As for being wide awake during the night sometimes, maybe it does have something to do with her naps. She is a very active little girl who doesn't stop all day really. I have to keep a very close eye on her to make sure she doesn't get overtired as she very quickly goes in to melt down. Maybe I am forcing the first nap a bit in order that we can still fit an afternoon one in. I always have to wake her from this morning one.
Say I keep her going as long as poss in the morning(in preparation for the one nap transition) but because of these early wakings she only gets to 10 or 11 o'clock, then how long should I let her sleep? As long as she wants? my only problem with this is that she can only cope with about 4 hours before she needs to go to bed and that could mean a super early bedtime (this happened once and she treated it like a nap, waking at 8.30pm). Or should I give her another nap later in the afternoon (pushing bedtime too late I fear!!). AM I CONFUSING YOU?!!!
My head hurts just reading this!
Just to add that although she goes to bed pretty well, she does like to look up as she is drifting off to check I am there. Because of past issues I stay in the room usually until she is almost asleep. She will cry if I leave before she is very sleepy. In the night I do whatever I can to get her back to sleep. Sometimes a pat on the back works, sometimes she just goes off on her own and other times I can tell that only a cuddle will do.
I know there's alot of information here but it's mainly what to do about naps, I guess, as I'm sure I have heard that too long a morning nap can result in early morning wakings.
Any of this help?