Hi, I just wondered if anyone had any suggestions for my son's sleep schedule. He used to take 3 naps a day, and then go to bed at 6 pm and sleep until 6 am (we co-sleep and I would feed him a few times a night). I am not concerned about him sleeping through the night, just the getting to sleep at the right time so he is not exhausted during the day. He is tired in the late afternoon, so I have been putting him down for a nap then, but then he wakes up fussy and stays that way until bedtime, but he will not go to sleep until 7:30 or 8:00. Then I have to get him up at 6:30 am every morning to take him to daycare, and I have to wake him out of a dead sleep and he is still very tired. If I try to skip that 3rd nap and keep him awake until an earlier bedtime, he is cranky all afternoon, and then when we put him down early (around 6pm), he wakes up shortly after happy and ready to play, like he has just taken a nap, and then won't go down again until 8 or 9. Then on the weekends he will sleep until 8 or 9am, like he has been sleep deprived and needs to catch up. I wouldn't be concerned except that I don't like having a cranky boy who needs to be held every afternoon and evening - I can't get anything done and I'm tired. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Why do you have to wake him up to take him to daycare? At his age, they have nap rooms for him.
Sounds to me like you need to go to 2 naps, but not by just skipping the last one. Instead push back the first and second naps. Put him down a bit later for each. You can hold him off for a half an hour each nap and keep pushing back until you've found teh right time combo.Most kids (but not all) go to two naps at around 6 months or so.
Here is a book for you to RUN and get.
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
By Marc Weisbluth
The beginning is boring and repetitive, but in the middle there are sections based upon age. GREAT BOOK!!
It stresses the importance of a routine. The same routine every night and every nap. I would be trying to nap him every day at the same time. Morning around 9:30 and afternoon around 1.
Hi K.,
I have 2 little boys (3 and 22 months) and if I remember correctly that is right around the time their sleep habits changed too. I agree with the other reader about changing to 2 naps and moving them both a little later. Does he still go back to sleep quick after you feed him at night? My second started wanting to wake up and play in the middle of the night around 9 months, he would roll around and poke me in the face and neither of us were sleeping enough, so I tried putting him in his crib in the other room and he started sleeping much better. Sometimes if he would wake up he would even go back to sleep on his own (which to me was a miracle because with my first I would have to rock/bounce him forever to get him to sleep multiple times a night).
As far as the fussy afternoon/evenings I have also gone through this and my recommendations are: sling/chest pack/back pack, or a bottle/binkie in front of an age appropriate movie (my first son loved Teletubbies which a swore I'd never let my kids watch, but the move slowly, are colorful and laugh a lot and show little segments of kids playing - twice), or maybe even a window. Or maybe he is getting teeth? When mine are getting teeth they are happy in the morning and as it gets later in the day they seem to bother them more. You could try some baby motrin and see if that helps. Mine seemed to go through about 2 week phases where their teeth would bother them really bad every day, then all of a sudden it would be good again. They also liked to sit in their high chairs with the little mesh-net ice cube holders while I cooked dinner. Anyhow, I hope some of this helps, good luck!
