Please! - need help with early riser and naps

[Zaiby]

I know how confusing it is - believe me I'm in the same boat still trying to figure out the right timings...
As I think my lo still needs 2 naps as well...hang in there - maybe we'll come up with the right mix!

Here is what we are doing at the moment:

5:30 - 6:30 wake

9/9:30 - 9:30/10 nap (depends on wake up)

1:30 nap for up to 2.5 hrs (this varies daily - have tried earlier nap - just won't sleep)

6:30 - 7:30 sleep (again varies based on afernoon nap)

As you can see it is very erratic..( i'm not sure if this is the problem? different bedtimes?)


If Noah can sleep after 2/2.5 hrs after short morning nap that is great because I'm sure this works..
It's worked for so many.  Though some have had problems - Riyan might be one of those
Let us know how it goes...

Z

[debo620]

Yah Zaiby, I am kind of scared to try it, and definately I will not be giving it a go until all of the holiday visitng etc. is over So you are doing 3.5hr of A time in the morning and a 30min nap?, my son would usually sleep for 1.25hrs after a 3.5hr A time, and am worried that waking him after 30min he would just be grumpy and still tired. I know that alot of people do that 30min nap earlier---like after 2.5hrs of A time.

[debo620]

3hrs!!!  ha ha ha, ya right!
Thanks Stacy

[debo620]

ok, so yesterday worked out well, with the 45min from 8:45-9:30, 2nd nap started at 1-2:40, asleep by 7pm. woke this morning at 5:45 , stayed in crib until 6:15, so I definately think the longer A time before bed is the way to go.

this am we went for a walk from 8-8:30, home and he played a few min and I attempted nap at 8:50,as he was getting a bit whiny and there was a yawn. I was hoping he would sleep about 40min and then be ready for another nap at 1pm or so. well between some playing, some fussing and then crying/wi/wo/pd, he was finally asleep by 9:30. maybe the walk was too restful? and then wasn't ready for bed? became overtired in the process of playing in his crib?

ok...so he only slept about 40min....and woke on his own ---probably a bit overtired I think....should I aim for next nap in 3.5hrs again?

[Zaiby]

So Riyan woke at 5 this am after having slept at 7ish the night before.  Anyway - so I put him down at 8:30 and was asleep 8:35 - woke him at 9:15 to give him at least 40 minutes because he woke earlier then normal - nap again at 12:45 - asleep by 12:55 -
Deb - seems like he's doing what Noah did yesterday!

Lets hope he sleeps at least 2 hrs - the last couple of days he's only done 1.5 in the afternoon...
And then bedtime at 7? Or later?

Will this ever get easier - it's so frustrating trying to figure it all out...

[Zaiby]

ugh - he woke up at 2:20 so 1 hr 25 minutes...he's been doing that the last 3 days even on 30 minute am nap...
He was doing 2+ - I'm not sure what happened - could it be becaues he's still sick (has an ear infection but is on antibiotics)?
Or is he still overtired?
I'll get him in bed by 6:30/6:45 tonight - but I know he'll wake up early...what a vicious cycle..

BTW Stacy - where in Alberta are you?  My parents and sis moved to Calgary from Toronto last year...I need to go visit them soon

Z

[debo620]

Zaiby, I'm in Calgary. you'll love it when you visit. its 12:55 right now and Noah has been up for almost 3hrs----we had to do grocery shopping though, so really hes hasn't had any ACTIVE time, I'll watch him closely and have him in bed by 1:30 hopefully.

Stacy, are you saying Kaleb doesn't do well over time on a short am and longer pm nap..... here I was hoping that I can sort of plan on a 40min am nap, 3.5hr activity and then longer pm nap...so that Noah is up by 2:30/3 at the latest. The way it was before---with a 1hr am nap, his second nap ended at 3:30/4. He was always tired enough for bed by 7 but the next morning he was up early--like at 5-----so I would much rather a shorter mid afternoon nap and a longer A time before bed.

sorry this is so crazy, you are being so helpful.

[Zaiby]

I plan on coming in the spring/summer - I lived in Toronto for 15 years, and am now in the states (NC) - however did live in Calgary in the 70's...All I remember is the cooooold - that is why it  has to be spring/summer - though I know how beautiful it is...Maybe we can hook up and exchange sleep stories!

Stacy - you are probably right - Wed- 1hr 15 minutes, Thu 1hr 20 minutes , Today 1hr 25 minutes (prior to that he was sleeping 2hrs plus, so his overtiredness caught up to him)
Now where is this little town of yours compared to Calgary?

I put him in bed at 6:25 and it's 6:35 here and all is quiet...I know he'll be up early (like probably before 5) so as you suggested I will give him 40 in the am and 3hrs later will try 2nd nap and just leave him no matter how long it takes him to sleep right?  And, yeah if this short pm nap continues will go back to 2 medium naps - I think your plan is a good one..

Happy sleeping everyone..
Z

[Zaiby]

so this is what happened...like I said he went to sleep at 6:35 - he did wake at about 10ish but because he was coughing, and settled back down - again at 2ish coughing and settled back down.
I woke up at 4 out of habit I guess and didn't hear anything until 5:50 I must have dozed off...
Now I'm not sure when he woke because he did have a poopie diaper and seemed quite happy..
At any rate - I assumed a wake up of 5:30 and gave him a sippy of milk at 8:30 before his nap as he was asking for it and he fell asleep drinking it!  He hasn't done that in ages - so maybe he did wake up earlier?

Slept 45 min (I woke him) and back in crib 3hr 15 min later (he took long having lunch and then pooped again)..
He's in there now babbling and playing...it's been 20 minutes so far...
Should I just leave him in there until he falls asleep?

[Zaiby]

finally asleep - took 30 minutes - after throwing out all his stuffed animals and lovie (blankie) - (does time in crib awake count as A time)? let's see how long it lasts

I may take a nap myself- but oh I have so much laundry to put away (which I don't really feel like doing)...

[Zaiby]

slept 1 1/2 hr - and at least he didn't wake up in a bad mood (the last 3 days he was not happy)- was quite pleasant actually, but again had a dirty diaper - I don't know what that is about - 5x today - maybe it's the antibiotics?

He did get a total of 2hrs and 15 minutes of nap today so not bad -

Let's see tomorrow...
Z

[debo620]

hey Zaiby, we had sort of a wierd day. I haven't yet opted for waking after 40min in the am---usually he does it on hiw own
today:
woke 5:30am
nap 8:50-9:40----50min ? he usually does 38min cycles
nap attempt at 1pm----played until 1:35p----woke at 2:30pm, 55min?

I'm not sure, both times he woke my DH was walking down the hall---so maybe he was in a really light sleep and the walking on the creeky wood floors woke him?  i'm usually quiet around the 40min mark but if he makes it past that then were usually ok to make some noise. kind of wierd, anyway we went for a 30min walk here at 4:30---so he did at least get a bit of rest, maybe even 5min of shuteye, I'm not sure b/c his little hat moved down over his eyes. looked kind of cute 

hope tommorow goes well for you

[Zaiby]

hi guys,

ok not so good night here...
He was asleep by 7:10 (bed at 7) so 4.5 hrs awake as he woke at 2:35 from 2nd nap..
He cried out at 12 - settled back down, again at 2, settled back down and then at 3 he started again but this time couln't/wouldn't settle so I had to go in and pd, but he was not having any of that - so I gave him a couple oz of milk as he really hasn't been eating well due to his cold and he did go back to sleep - only to wake at a little after 6..

Clearly still overtired?  On top of all this - he's being super clingly (he usually is anyways - but it's more than normal right now)

Deb - I think I'm going to do what Stacy suggested and give him two medium naps - and let him catch up

How did your night go?

Z

[debo620]

yes we had a 5am wake-up and I tried to give him some milk at 5:15, he went back into his crib without crying---but just talked and played. I will be putting him down here at 8:30 and see how it goes.

[debo620]

well, after the 5am wake-up he was  down at 8:30-----woke at 9:10, not crying just talking and what not, now I kind of wish I had kept him up longer this am. So now, what is my best strategy for this afternoon? do I just aim for 3 naps today?

I have two options, I think:
put him down at 12:40 or so----maybe he'll sleep until 2? but then how do we get through until 7pm bedtime?
see if he'll catnap in the car before lunch---maybe 12-12:30, and then aim for another short nap at 3pm?
oh, I just hate this....any suggestions....?