I need advice about sleep for my 15 month old. Here are my issues: #1 he is an early riser, he usually wakes up around 4 am and falls back asleep until 5-5:30 at the latest. #2 His naps are so erratic, I have no idea how to what to do. Since he wakes up so early he usually needs a nap by 9, sometimes it's a half hour and sometimes it is 2 hours. The last couple of days his morning nap is getting a little bit later and later and he is taking a longer nap, but then doesn't take his afternoon nap until 3:30 or 4. But sometimes he is napping by 2. So at times I think he is ready to go down to one nap, but I know for sure he cannot make it long enough in the morning to be able to push the nap far enough into the afternoon to be able to make to bed time. (His bedtime is 8pm, which I know I can push up a little during the transition). To complicate things I still nurse him to sleep for naps, which I want to stop. To complicate things even MORE starting next week we will be traveling, staying in hotels for the next three months.
Please give me advice, incite, or words of wisdom! The past couple of days have been miserable, not knowing how best to handle this situation. Thank you so much!
Tackle one at a time. At 15 mos, maybe he just needs one nap. If you can keep him up until 11 or so then put him down for the one nap. If he gets tired early in the evening still put him down -he may suprise you and sleep.... trial and error is the only way to go. Good luck!
Try to get as routine as possible with the naps. You can always adjust the bedtime. I found with both of mine, they transitioned from two to one nap per day around this age, which might explain the irregularity of his sleep pattern. My 18 month old takes 1 nap, 12-2 at home and daycare, and goes to bed between 7:30pm-8pm. There have even been days when he has taken a small morning nap, but that is very rare. With the traveling, we have traveled with both kids and again, try to be as routine as possible, but be flexible and just understand that with traveling, you won't be able to always follow your schedule and the kids will usually adjust accordingly, although not always easily :) Good luck!
I would definitely try putting him down earlier in the evening. When kids (and adults too!) go to sleep too late, they end up not sleeping as well, then waking up early. If you think he definitely won't be ready to sleep at 7 pm, try 7:45 for a couple nights, then 7:30, etc. Also, the early morning wakings might ease up when you stop nursing. I nursed my son until 16 months and he stopped waking up early within 2 days after I stopped nursing. Not that I advocate that you stop right away, but if you feel like you are ready to wean anyway, I just want you to know that the sleep might get better when you do. As far as naps go, I would definitely get him on a schedule. Even if he doesn't sleep at the times you put him down, leave him in there anyway for at least an hour. Eventually he will learn that those are the times for sleeping, or at least resting. I always leave my son in his crib for 2 hours. If he sleeps, great, if not, at least he got some quiet time. I would probably stick with the 2 naps until he starts sleeping better at night, but he'll probably be able to move to one nap soon. Good luck to you! Sleep training is SOO hard, but SOO worth it, especially if you will be traveling. The more consistency you can provide, the better.
Put him on a CONSISTENT schedule. Put him down for his nap at noon, which is a universal nap time, mostly b/c if he wakes up at 5, his body will be CRAVING a nap by them. Even though he may not be showing physical signs of being tired. Let him sleep for 3 hours at the most; wake him up if you need to. Then put him down at a consistent time (w/in 1/2 hour) every night, and wake him up at a consistent time every morning. He should eventually get to the point where he's waking on his own and you won't have to do it anymore. It will take a couple of days to adjust.
what time does he have dinner ? is he a good eater ? I'm wondering is he is waking at 4am because he is just hungry ? do you nurse him at 4am each morning ? Only thinking maybe you could try mixing some breast milk with a little rice cereal as a snack just before he goes to bed at night so he has something a little more substantial in his tummy before bed.
Angelina's advice about creating a nap routine might be relly effective when travelling. I also agree with the other ladies about consistency when travelling. You will need to plan your day around being back at the hotel for his naps. Good luck. It will be alot easier when he sleeps for one afternoon nap per day
Why put him to bed so early, if he's getting up at 8 hrs I would just put him down later then he will get up later. I nurse my kids until around two, I don't really see an issue with nursing him to sleep, our society is so hung up on kids growing up, he's still a baby and needs you. Nap time, I would just lay down with him at the time you want him to nap and just stay there until he goes to sleep, you may even need to just stay there throughout the nap for the first couple days to get him to stay asleep, and stick with putting him down at that time everyday.
Get "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weisbuth. Your problems will be solved!
The best advice I can give is start a routine, that way he will know what is coming. My daughter was an erratic sleeper as well and at about 13 mos (she is now 19 mos) we finally fell into a strict routine. First thing was to give up her morning nap, which meant she took her afternoon nap around 11:30-12 and would sleep for about 2 hours, it eventually moved to 1. Her bedtime was at 7pm when we got rid of the morning nap and is now 8pm, it will vary just have to see how tired he becomes.
Our routine for naps is we go to her room about 15 mins before nap time and hang out, I get things ready, her bed, close the curtains, turn on her fan (has to sleep with it), etc. Then I encourage her to pick out a couple of books. Then we change her diaper, and sit down and read, then into her bed she goes. She knows once she's in there its nap time or bed time and there's no getting out till the time is up. Now this was not without struggle in the beginning, but now she asks to go upstairs or into bed and falls asleep on her own.
Bedtime routine is similar, but she gets a bath, then we read then she goes to her bed and we sing a little and then it's night night time.
A helpful book to understand sleep habits in babies/toddlers is Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child. I didn't follow this book to a T, but it was helpful in learning the cues and what to consider.
We didn't sleep for a year before our routine and now she sleeps 8 to 7 and takes anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hour naps everyday.
Routine, routine, routine!
I would try putting him down earlier for bed. I know that sounds counter intuitive, but it might be that he isn't getting enough sleep. At that age, my son took two naps (1:30-2 hours each), and slept 12 hours at night. He transitioned to 1 nap at about 16 months only because of daycare.
If he is still getting up early, let him hang out in his crib, same for the naps. It will allow him to rest even if he isn't napping.
