Constant NW, at lost

[Colin Macs Mom]

It's ok, regression is normal even though it sucks! You're doing great Loanne, you've worked hard.

[Sylvia.]

so how did last night go

are you still doing wi pu wo sitting in the same spot

if you are doing this i would amagine it would take more than a few days, i think if he is falling asleep again this is good, all you need to see improvement is for him to be fallling asleep quicker, if he is doing this then you have progress

please please hang in

talk later

[Ruggie]

Progress update

Day 3, as mentioned, no pm nap and slept at 6:30. He woke constantly all night, lost count, from 9pm til morning.

Day 4 (sunday, so I wont get confuse)
am and pm nap bed at 7:30
woke at 3:10 am, same dance slept on and off and the day started at 5:30am

Monday, am nap was OK and really fought the pm nap, took him for a drive and he slept.
DH settling him now, should be asleep by 7:30

He has been better at settling at night, falls asleep after talking to himself with the door slightly ajar. Still no improvement on the 3/4 am NW. wonder if I should wait bit longer or start doing some w2s?

Soo tired

[momofclaire]

Hi Loanne,

I think you are doing pretty good.  I would stick with the plan for a week or so and then evaluate any needed changes.  I know I fell into the trap of trying everything at once.  I ended up feeling like nothing worked.  Keep it up, you are doing great.

[Colin Macs Mom]

I agree 

[Sylvia.]

thinking of you, how was last night?

[Ruggie]

Hi,

Another rough night, its no longer an 3/4 waking for an hour, its now waking from 9pm onwards.
This morning he fought the am nap. I have only just put him down for a nap and its 12:20. Guess it will be just 1 nap today

Feeling helpless...

[momofclaire]

Loanne, I am so sorry.  Could he be teething or sick?  Have you been offering two naps but sometimes only getting one in?  Maybe he is not ready for one nap.  I think even if he might be the transition may be causing a bit of overtiredness.  What has your sch been like the past two or three days? 

[Sylvia.]

hugs, i wish i had a quick answer for you, this has been going on for a painful long time and it is so tough when you don't have any family support during the day, please don't go away stay here with us, let us support you, as hard as it is you just need to stay consistent for a longer period, could you tell us what is you little man like in the day? how are the boys together? did you say that he will not fall asleep in the pram, just can't remember, sylvia xoxo

[lins]

Just a thought - something we used for my oldest boy (now 22 months).  We had a mobile thing that attached to his cot only when he got older we detached the mobile and left only the base which played music.  When he woke through the night we would switch it on - it was very soothing classical music - while we soothed him.  After a while we just had to go in and switch it on then walk out and eventually he would switch it on himself.

I think he just associated it with us and comfort.  We weaned him off it by forgeting when we were on holiday - there were so many other things going on he didn't notice.

lins xxx

[Ruggie]

Hello there

He is not sick, and he is constantly teething since, I cant remember really, he is always cutting one or another. I dont think it has anything to do with the teething tho, he seems to take it in stride. Sometimes we be like 'oh look another one has cut thru' and he is not fussier or any diff in behaviour, so I dont think thats the cause.

Routine wise, assuming 6am is the offical wake time (its when we give up settling)

6am wake and play
6:30ish breakfast
9 snack ( a big one)
10:00 am nap

11:30 wakes
12:00 lunch (big one)
2:30 bottle
3:30 nap for 45 min

5:00 dinner

6:45 bath bottle bed, aim for PD at 7:30

These days we sit outside his room, door ajar and he talks to himself to sleep, as of yesturday we dont have to sit there, just door ajar.

Thats pretty much the routine I have been aiming for since last week (I started on Fri, i think) except for Tues where he refused am nap and ended sleeping 12-2 and today where he did 45 min am nap and 1.5hr pm nap and got really tired.

The only good news is that last night we heard him at 3:45, but sounded like he resettled himself (we didn't go in as he wasn't crying) until 4:40, where he woke and DH was able to resettled with within 30min with a dummy. He slept til 6:03am!!!
I dont know whether thats the routine kicked in or because I went into his room at 3am to check in and him and found him without his cover, so I put it back and inadvertly stirred him thus W2S. Dunno, but thats our best night ever.

Lins, thanks for the suggestion, funny what works doesn't it? I have noticed that he is better since we left the door slightly ajar. When he wakes, his cry is not hysterical any more. So we have been able to hang back and wait for a real distress cry.

Big hugs to you all for being here for me.
 

[momofclaire]

Loanne, does he go to bed a bit earlier when he doesn't take the cat nap?  It seems you are in the midst of the 2-1 switch.    This transition seems different for everyone.  After about 2 weeks of frustration with Claire I decided to just offer 1 nap.  She took to it beautifully.  She needed a little extra mama time to get her through the morning but it was smooth sailing after I stopped going back and forth between two naps and one.  That, of course, doesn't work for all babies though.

[Colin Macs Mom]

I was thinking the same - that 2 - 1 switch is brutal.

Even if you don't agree Loanne, I think you're doing very well. When you first started posting here he had no self-soothing skills and didn't sleep independently at all. Now he clearly has skills and is making huge progress. 

[Ruggie]

Well to be honest, before this post and plan started (last Fri), I have tried him on 1 nap at 11:30ish for at least 2hour. He usually stirs at the 1 or 1.5 hour mark and if I can get in early enough, he would sleep for another hour totalling 2-2.5 hour midday.

My biggest concern is that at 12 mth, he is too young for 1 big nap, I usually settle him earlier, more 6:30-7 rather than 7:30-8. So I guess I weren't confident enough to follow that through and went back on the 2 naps routine.

Please remind me, given that he wakes at 6am, what time should I put him down for a nap if he is on 1 nap and how long should I aim for? Woo (DS#1, 2.5 yo) naps at 11:30 for at least 2 hour, but I know he is not normal;)

Feels kinda weird if I have to put B(DS#2) down after Woo, means he'll be awake for longer than his big brother?

Yes, B has made some progress hasn't he? I guess it hard to notice the small steps when everythign feels so overwhelming.
Last night he didn't wake until 4am, so I guess we have moved from 3 to 4, so thats progress in it own way.

I am too scared to try 1 nap now that there has been some progress, but when is the time to stop waiting for progress and move along with his development?? what to do?  

[Colin Macs Mom]

Actually, the 2-1 nap transition occurs anywhere between 12 and 18 mo. so if one nap was working, go with it! How was his night sleep on one nap? Was he ok with the long A time?

If you decide you want to go with one nap, I'd put him down at 11:00am and then after he's established on the new routine, slowly push it back until he does down the same time as DS1.