Please! - need help with early riser and naps

[Zaiby]

Hi...
I posted on the 2-1 switch about help with the 2-1 transition, but I guess I need help with the early wakings first as I'm not sure how to get 1 nap when my son wakes up at 5:30 (he has ALWAYS been an early riser)

Like today he woke up at 5:30 and I tried to get him back to sleep by rubbing his back, btu he just kept sitting up until 6 when I got him out...by 9:00 he was so tired I put him back down...How long should I let him sleep?

He goes to bed between 7-7:30 most days, but it all depends on his naps.  He generally never sleeps more than 10/10.5 hrs a night (never has), and naps total 2/2.5-(3 hours on a good day)...
There are days he'll wake up at 6 or after, but honestly it is NEVER consistant - And I don't know what if anything is different on the days he sleeps past 6 or not.

Like the other day, he woke at 6:08, but wouldn't take his morning nap so he was sleep for his nap at 11:20 and proceeded to sleep 3+ hours! And still managed to sleep again at 7:30


I used to be able to get him back to sleep by giving him some milk when he wakes and sometimes he'ld sleep another hour or sometimes 2, but that didn't always happen, and I didn't want to make this a habit...

He goes down like a champ at bedtime and naps are usually ok as well (though lately he's taking his afternoon nap later - even with a short nap in the morning which I wake him from or he'd sleep too long)

Any advice?  I'm so confused and I really need to know where to start..should I just start him on 1 nap even though he wakes early?  We've tried ealry bedtimes 6-6:30 before when he's had one nap (he has refused morning naps sometimes lately), and he still wakes early...

His ideal A-times seem to be 4-4.5 hours (except for the morning which is 3.5) should he be able to do more given his age?

I guess I'm just looking for a little direction...Ih - he's 15 months

Zaibun

[Zaiby]

Anyone

[imsmum]

This is such a tough transition.  I guess a few things you could try:

when he wakes at 5:30, leave him in the crib without going into him if possible until 6 or 6:30,  If he is upset and you need to go in keep things dark and quiet and just say it's still night night time and lay him back dowwn.  You'll likely need to do the 2 naps, keep the first one to no more than 1 hour, but slowly try to make it 15 minutes later--ie. if it is normally 3.5 hours after wakeup, try pushing that back in 15 minute increments every few days.  It sounds like you'll need to do this because he's having to take his afternoon nap later any way.

It sounds like if he wakes after 6 you are pushing him to 11:30 and he gets a great nap, so that is perfect--on those days I would just keep doing what you are doing.

It sounds like the technique that Tracy outlines in Baby Whisperer solves alll your problems would be perfect for your lo so I would try implementing that.  And for anyone who doesn't have the book and is in Canada, my local Indigo has it on sale for $9.99!

[Zaiby]

Thanks for the replies guys...
I've tried the morning catnap  ie limiting him to no more than 45 minutes (which is at around 9/9:30) - but then he would not sleep until 1:30/1:45
Lately it's been closer to 2:00...
Like today he I put him in his crib at 8:50 and he was asleep in 5 minutes.  I woke him up at 9:35 which gives him 40 minutes of sleep - so I then put him back down at 12:15 - he was yawning and rubbing his eyes - but he did not sleep until 1 and he's still sleeping now (it's 3:15 - I think I should wake him, but if he's overtired, won't this help catch him up?).

It could be that he is just an early riser...

I do try and leave him in his crib at least till 6 or later, as 5:30 is way too early for me

I certainly don't want him to be overtired and I'd really like him to start waking later so that the 1 nap thing will be easier for all...
I guess I'll just keep trying the morning catnap though it seems I can't quite figure out when to put him down for his second nap -
Oh my...
Zaiby

[Zaiby]

Hi,
So I woke him up and he was clearly not ready to be up..sigh.  But nevertheless, we did, but he seemed tired all evening and was in bed at 7:20 asleep by 7:35.
Lets see how the morning goes, but I will certainly try the 30 min and see how he does.

On the other hand someone had mentioned to let him take his long nap in the morning and a short nap in the pm, but I'ld be afraid he wouldn't nap that late in the day...
Wouldn't that keep encouraging the early wakings as well?

I'll keep the short am/long pm going for a couple more days to see if we can find the right timings..
The other question I had is about his awake times-- at 15months is 4/4.5 too little?  Should I see if he can go longer?  Some days he can - others not so much..

Thanks for all the advice - I really do appreciate it...

Z

[Zaiby]

ok - so today he woke at 4:00am and wasn't fussing was just tossing and turning - he would go to sleep then yelp and go back to sleep - I think this happened until about 5:40 when he finally was up for good, and was quite happy (again 10hrs sleep)
And just this morning he started sneezing/runny nose and drooling - He's been teething for awhile now, but the symptoms come and go - the last time was a couple of weeks ago and he had full blown cold at the time too..

So - he's asleep now at 9:10am
I plan on waking him up at 9:40 and putting him back down at 12:30 and let him sleep for 2/2.5hrs (well that's the plan anyway...)

Ugh - why is this so difficult?
Z

[imsmum]

I really do think that in conjunction with offerring the short nap in the am you need to push it back slowly so that he has one nap starting around 11 or 11:30.  This is basically the technique that Tracy sets out except, as you pointed out, she suggests allowing a long afternoon nap and a short catnap in the afternoon.  If you keep the am nap as it is you may just be reinforcing the early wakeup.

[x95stocchier]

just lurking...
Zaiby, I'd appreciate it if you'd continue to update with progress, as I'm in the same boat w/ DS 12 mo old.

Wish they came with sleep manuals, lol!

[Zaiby]

Hi!

He fell asleep at 12:45 (still was almost 3 hrs from catnap) and woke up at 2:15 - so a total of 2hrs for the day, which I hope will mean he'l sleep longer overnight..
I'm going to put him down at 6:45 or should it be earlier?   

I'll keep you posted....

THanks all!
Z

[Zaiby]

Hi!

So I put him down at 6:37 as he was acting quite tired and he was asleep at 6:55.  This morning he woke up (I think anyways because this is when I heard him) at 5:30 - so he did get 10.5 hrs last night - not bad - but I still think we're short an hour.

When he wakes up I generally leave him until 6 as he is not crying just rolling around babbling - sometimes will cry out (but nor crying) - should I be trying to get him back to sleep?  If so how? He's not crying so wi/wo doesn't apply - if I go in to shh/pat, which I have tried though not for very long  - he just wants out as soon as he sees me, and w2s - well he's so inconsistant with wake up - I wouldn't know what time to do this...

Zaibun

[debo620]

Stacy, me again, I think I am going to try this short am nap/long pm in the newyear (after all of the parties), and am in a very similar situation with early wakings (5:30am on average).

In general if I aim for a 3.5hr first awake time--the nap is usually 1hr-1hr 15min. like today
woke at 5:40
nap 1 9:15-10:30, then 4hrs awake time
nap 2 will aim for 2:30pm----but really dont want him to sleep past 3:15/3:30 for a 7pm bedtime so thats the dilemma.

when trying for this 30min am nap, should I shorten the first A time----so that they are not totally exhausted after waking then after 30min, so maybe 3hrs A time in the am instead?
maybe nap 9-9:30
nap 12:30-2:30, what do you do if they do not sleep for 2hrs?

[TDR'smom]

I have not had a chance to thoroughly read through all your posts, so forgive me if you already answered this question...

When he wakes up early, what do you do?  The reason I ask is that Tyler used to wake up REALLY early like 6 or sometimes before 6.  We would leave him in his crib consistently till at least 7:30AM.  Eventually he started putting himself back to sleep when he woke at 6 so we were able to tack on another 1+ hour to his sleep.  I know this does not work for everyone but it worked great for us.

So if he is not crying, I would just leave him till the time that you WANT him to get up?  Does that make sense?  It might take a few days...

HTH.

Good luck!

[debo620]

ok, thanks AGAIN Stacy,  m, km

[Zaiby]

I'd give anything for a 6:30 awake time at this point - even 6 sounds much better - I do leave him in there until at least 6 thinking once he gets there, then leave him til 6:30 and once he's there, then 7 (which is ideal).  I just feel bad leaving him in there for so long...I guess if he doesn't complain...I'll keep trying that as well..

I'll keep at it - though wouldn't you know it - he just got a cold and today woke up from his catnap on his own coughing which made him throw up a little...so I'm guessing he's not going to be sleeping well - do I still control his naps even when sick?

Thanks everyone- I hope everyone starts getting sleep soon!

Z

[TDR'smom]

Good Luck Sweety!!