Rough night (long tired vent, sorry!)

[thedash]

I'm trying to be more relaxed with DS's sleep lately. He's getting older and honestly, DH and his family have always given me a hard time about insisting that we stick to a strict nap and bedtime schedule. So Sunday we did some mother's day things with the IL's and (long story short) DS ended up only sleeping about 15 minutes all day. His schedule has been a complete disaster since then!

Sunday night he was up until after 9:00 and super cranky. Monday night was only slightly better. But last night was awful. Bedtime is 7:30 but he didn't go to sleep until almost 9:00. He woke up at 12:15 and screamed any time I tried to put him down. But when I held him for too long he got squirmy and angry. DH and I took turns but he just would not calm down. Finally at around 3:30 he and DH fell asleep together - on the floor in our bedroom!

Could this still be fall-out from missing a nap? Ugh!!

He slept through the night for several months but then stopped and nothing I've tried so far has helped him. We tried a little bit of CIO but he pukes every time so I'm not doing that anymore. I follow the No Cry Sleep Solution for toddlers as closely as I can. Normal days are fine with just one wake-up but he goes right back down after some milk and a cuddle. On an average week he does STTN one or two times. I used to think that wasn't good but right now I want that back!

[YellowRose]

Did DH change his tune after witnessing the fallout from not napping on Sunday?

It could be fallout still, or it could be anything. I'm pretty militant about our nap/bedtime routines, especially with DH gone, and one of my 2yos was awake from 11-12:30 last night. Sometimes it just happens.

What does your gut say? Do you have plans this weekend? If you think it's still fallout from not napping, try to hold out until this weekend and then get everyone back on track. Otherwise, do you think he's coming down with something? Could be an ear infection, or teeth, or just that he misses you.

[littleboyblue]

My son was an excellent sleeper until right about one year. Could it be a phase? He eventually got back into a routine but if memory serves it took a couple of weeks. I think that was the first time we had to do some type of CIO. If your gut is telling you it's something else, definatley explore that. How does he typically do around daylight savings times? Is it a similar fall out, or does he just roll with it? I would recommend planning on a really relaxed day/weekend where he can just take it easy. Sometimes when they get over tired the issue compounds as they have trouble winding down, falling and staying asleep.

[kathrynmd]

I'd tell your DH and ILs to suck it as far as keeping a strict nap/bedtime schedule. Mama wins this round!

Little kids NEED the regularity of the schedule, it makes life better for everyone. You need to have a little flexibility - a half hour here or there shouldn't matter too much, but an hour, 2 days in a row, yes, that'll throw everythign off for days. DD always seemed to reset at daycare after vacations, etc. but it always took a day or so.

I'd look into sleep training again. I'm sure its gotta suck for your LO to puke, but I'd just change him and carry-on. Learning to sleep well and independently is so important for them and for you.

I would try putting your guy down very early tonight. Have a super quick easy dinner and then quiet bath for him and then bedtime.

[thedash]

Thanks ladies! My gut tells me that we have just messed with his schedule too much and it's still really important for him to stick to one. I think he was slightly constipated too, which usually makes him mildly cranky but was too much on top of the sleep issue. And I think he just wants to be with us all the time. Last night he kept trying to pull me into the crib with him and taking my hand and laying it down on his pillow.

DH seems to agree we need to stick to the schedule from now on. He called today and said he's going to order some sleep books online. We had taken NCSS from the library but he's planning to buy the toddler version and some others so we can work on it.

Also I've now had three cups of coffee and feel slightly less traumatized!