anyone want to chat about the 2-1 nap switch , thread#2

[jmoran544]

Our routine, it seems, has not settled as well as I wish, since the kiddos (twins, 11.5 months- 9 adjusted) were sick with a virus. Prior to that (it has now been over three weeks) they were going to bed at 6:15, asleep by 6:30, and up at 5:30. Naps were anywhere from 1-1.5 hrs 2x day. Last night they went to sleep by 6:45 and were up at 5:45am- a miracle- although our dd was awake from about 3-4am playing and singing. She has been doing that for about a week now. Ds might wake at 8:30 or so and cry out. He settles when I put my hand on his tummy/ back.

Our routine:

5:30 wake up
6:00 bottle
7:30 breakfast
9:00 nap #1   ds 45 min-1.5 hr; dd 1.5 hr
10:30 bottle
12:30 lunch
1:30 nap #2 for ds (1.5 hr); 2:00 nap #2 for dd (35 min)
3:15 bottle
5:00 dinner
5:30 baths
6:00 bottle
6:15 in bed
6:30 asleep

[irish3680]

I need som opinions from you experts 

Ella turned 1 on Saturday. We have been shortening am nap since about 9.5/10 months due to EW and short pm naps. All has been going well until this week. Routine before this week:

6:45/7: wake & play in crib until 7:30
7:30: out of bed, get dressed, etc.
8:00: breakfast
10:25: down for am nap, asleep @ 10:30
11:00: wake her up
12:00: lunch
1:15: down for pm nap, asleep @ 1:30ish
3:15: wake her up
3:45/4: snack
5:45/6: dinner
7:15: bed, asleep @ 7:30ish

This week she hasn't been falling asleep for her am nap until 10:40 and I am still waking her at 11am, which she is NOT happy about. I have then been putting her down at 1:00 to compensate. Today she woke after 1 hr 2o mins from pm nap and was MISERABLE all day. Put her to bed at 6:30, asleep around 6:40/6:45. She needs to be up at 3:15 for her 7:15 bedtime. Any later than 3:15 and she wakes early the next morning. I definitely don't want to make bedtime any later than 7:15, it does not agree with her and I prefer an earlier bedtime. Thanks for your insight!!!

Shannon

[jmoran544]

irish3680, I think your schedule might be the thing we're looking for at our house. Sounds like your lo went through similar "troubles" at 10 months that my lo's are going through right now. I'm going to try something like it.

I hope you find someone who can help with your 1-yr old. Sounds like she may be ready for one nap? We're not there yet, so I'm not sure.

[NiknLily]

Hello ladies, thought I would check in.  This thread moves so quickly. 

I suppose we are sort of making some progress.  I decided that I needed to shift her day to a more sensible time as 5am-5pm just wasn't good for either of us  plus its impossible to give an early night when bedtime should be 5pm anyway, there is no way I was putting her down any earlier. I figure that if we can get to 7am-7pm at least if I put her down at 5.30/6pm it will be 'early' IYKWIM.  Anyway, not sure how but managed to jump forward to 6am-6pm so huge improvement there but still going to work on pushing it to 7-7. 

As for naps, I have totally given up on 2 naps, have tried a few here and there when she is showing signs of being knackered but she just wont take 2.  I'm just hoping that if I give her an early night here and there she wont start slipping back to early wake up.  I'm pretty sure thats how our day got so early, a few EW's and lots of early nights, with no good days in between did push her wakings earlier and earlier.  She is still not taking good nap's consistently. Too many 45Min's, mostly 1.15hrs and a couple of 1.5hrs.  Our trouble is now that she is waking at 45min into nap and somedays will just not go back to sleep, other days, like today she will but just for another 30Min's 

So where we are at is, nap is at 11am, unless she wakes after 6am then I do push it later and bedtime is 6pm, unless of course we get a good day in which case it gets pushed later too.  I'd say on the whole this strategy is helping, although today she woke at 5.30am and then only did a 45min nap so we will see what tonight brings 

Oh yes the SA (or whatever it is) I have managed to put her down for a few naps without staying in the room and she has settled really nicely on her own.  Bed times are a little different, if she is OT, which is most days  she needs the extra comfort of having me touch her.  I'm OK with this on the whole as the less OT she is the easier she settles on her own so I think it will work itself out with time.  Just like this bloody transition 

[debo620]

Shannon, I think you should leave the am nap at 30min for a little while yet and then have the pm nap 1:45-3:30. it would seem 20min am nap left her a bit OT for the pm nap.

newmum, glad you guys have pushed the day forward a bit. I have basically acceptd a 6/6:30 am wake-up as thats just my son. although I agree 5-5pm is just too early.

[Ydnic]

aarrggh!!

I feel better now.  For the life of me, I can't get the short AM nap and long PM nap right lately.    He can't settle down for PM nap right now, so who knows if we'll get one or not.  Crap.

We had some sort of schedule until he learned to walk.  Then he slept ALOT for about 2 weeks and now we're back to figuring it all out again.  I'd post some sort of schedule, but its been all over the place.

His bedtime is 7:30 and he used to wake up at 6:30, like clockwork.  Now he tends to sleep much later, sometimes until 8:00 or so.  I've been waking him up, but he's so cranky and clingy when I do.   Then if I give him any length of AM nap, he's still cranky and difficult to put down for the PM nap.  Somedays we get 2 naps, somedays we only get 1.

His A time is about 4 hours, from what I can tell.

Any opinions?  Should I let him sleep later, then lay him down at 4 hour A time and let him sleep as long as he can?  (Usually 1.25 hours) On those days I would give an early bedtime.  OR do I keep on trying for the short AM nap?

Thanks and sorry if this is all over the place!
Cindy

[debo620]

Cindy, if you are having later wakes then I would personally just go with that. he will probably only sleep 1.25 hrs after a 4hr A time because  that is all he is tired for.. personally I would go for a 5hr A time and let him sleep as long as he will (maybe 2hrs or so).  still include some rest time and big snack maybe 3hrs after waking---walk in stroller etc.
HTH

[MommaHolmes]

We're still doing OK at this end, the routine's not perfect as he's still taking ages to fall asleep at night sometimes but we've had two nights in a row with no NW  and wakeup seems to have stabilised at 7:15  Naps are not consistent, we've had a 1 hr and a 2hr20 in the last week, but averaging around 1.5hrs so on the whole not bad.

Newmum - really pleased to hear that there have been some improvements. I think the whole thing does get a bit easier when you plump for one nap and don't spend quite so much of your day trying to get them to sleep! Sounds like you've got your head screwed on about it all and I'm sure that's half the battle 

Cindy - seems to me like it's poss that your LO is trying to adjust his own sleep in order to compensate for erratic naps. If it were me, I'd let him catch up his sleep in the morning and then try for one nap. If wakeups start getting earlier and earlier or you get a lot of NW then you could use a two nap day to catch up on sleep.

Shannon - I'd agree with Deb, just let her routine move on by 10 mins. Either shift bedtime by 10 mins or let her take an extra 10 mins to fall asleep at night - there's probably no perfect solution that meets both your needs and hers.

Jmoran544 - I just can't help but think that your LOs are awfully young to be starting this transition and that there just don't seem to be enough signs that they need to. I'd leave well enough alone if I were you cos once you start interfering with their routine you run the risk of making changes that they're not ready for and then getting into the wonderful world of OT  You don't want to go there unless you have to!

[Ydnic]

Thanks for the fast reply!

I'm so excited to let him sleep in the morning!  That means mommy gets to sleep in too or get some things done around the house!  (I'll probably sleep in though...)  We'll give it a try tomorrow.

He did end up falling asleep, for the PM nap today.  Whew.

C

[OliverRowland]

argh!  i just want to vent....ds is taking forever to get to sleep at night.  this has been going on for nearly 2 weeks now!  he used to take 5-10min but now it is 30-40min.  I cannot wait for this transition to end!!!!!!!!

[Ydnic]

Yesterday I told you all that he's been sleeping later.  Well, this morning he woke up at 6:30 again.

He had some trouble going to sleep last night.  He didn't wake up from PM nap until 4:15 and finally fell asleep at 8:20 or so.

I guess I'll just play things by ear today.  Looking at yesterday, I think I was laying him down before he was quite tired enough, judging by his complaining.

Wish us luck!
Cindy

Did anyone find that once walking is accomplished, their A times stretch fast?  That seems to be what is happening here.

[MommaHolmes]

OliverRowland - I know what you mean!! Although our LO has always struggled to fall asleep at bedtime, despite having had the same winddown since he was tiny. 30-40 minutes is a good day in this house, it's often between 1 and 2 hours  I'm hoping that its something that will work itself out if I keep to a consistent bedtime for a couple of weeks. If not, then I might bring it forward by 15 mins and see if that helps.

[OliverRowland]

1-2 hours?!  How on earth do you do it?  Does he fall assleep completely independently?  I still hang out in Oliver's room.  Bad i know, but I am picking my battles right now.  It might be because I stopped BF around the same time...maybe the boob really helped him settle at night more than I thought!!!!!!!

[Ydnic]

Wahoo!

Laid ds down at 5 hour A time.  Heard him wake up and stir (cried a little) at 1.25 hours and now he is back to sleep!

YEAH!  Happy dance, happy dance!

Cindy

[debo620]

thats great Cindy!