Changing sleep pattern

[HarrysMummy17]

Hi, I'm looking for advice on how to change my DS sleep pattern.

Since we went to New York his pattern has been out. As he doesn't go to nursery I haven't worried too much about it but we are missing things like toddler groups because he sleeps late.

He generally finally goes to sleep between 9-10pm sometimes it can be as late as 11pm. Thus usually depends on when he naps.

He wakes between 9-10am

I've tried not letting him nap but it gets to 4pm and he's shattered and falls asleep hence bring up until 11pm.

He's a nightmare to get to stay in bed. It doesn't matter how many times I put him in he gets out. Sometimes when I'm shattered I've just had to lay cuddling him whilst he squirms until he falls asleep.

He is 22months

Have you tried waking him up instead of waiting for him to get up?

I only have. 5.5 month old ds but he was in routine of bed at 10-11pm up at 10-11am so one day I gently woke him up at 8, so then that night he went to bed earlier and now he's in that routine.
But I'm no expert.

He screams when he's woken up . Full blows melt down until he gets a cuddle and usually falls back to sleep!

If he's very resistant to being woken up early, you need to do it very slowly and gently. So move everything earlier by 5-10 mins a day.

Or.

get yourself all ready to go out with milk and snacks ready for him. Lift him straight into the pram from the cot. tuck him up quickly with lots of blankets and go straight out the house. If he rouses and wakes up, feed him on the go or at your destination (I used to give a pot of dry shreddies and a bottle of milk). Change him when you get there. If you're anticipating doing this, put him to bed in something that's comfy to sleep in and passes for clothes (jogging pants and a long sleeved top etc) if you'll be bothered by him being out in his PJ's.

I used to do this all the time with dd when she was little as she just hated waking up and was not a morning person. She still isn't, but it's harder to do this when they're 11

Move it by 15 minutes each day, starting with wake up time.

Assuming you are working towards a 7pm-7am night time sleep, your lunchtime naps wants to be around 12pm-2pm. So aim to something around this.

Assuming you start at:

10.00am get up. 3.00pm-5.00pm nap. 10.00pm bed

Then change by 15 minutes by now allowing sleeptime to exceed set times. Give each change 2 or 3 days to establish and then make another change. If your DS is handling the change well you could move by 30 minutes each day, be guided by how he handles the change.

An example of the gradual changes would be:

9.45am get up. 2.45pm-4.45pm nap. 9.45pm bed
9.30am get up. 2.30pm-4.30pm nap. 9.30pm bed
9.15am get up. 2.15pm-4.15pm nap. 9.15pm bed
9.00am get up. 2.00pm-4.00pm nap. 9.00pm bed
8.45am get up. 1.45pm-3.45pm nap. 8.45pm bed
8.30am get up. 1.30pm-3.30pm nap. 8.30pm bed
8.15am get up. 1.15pm-3.15pm nap. 8.15pm bed
8.00am get up. 1.00pm-3.00pm nap. 8.00pm bed
7.45am get up. 12.45pm-2.45pm nap. 7.45pm bed
7.30am get up. 12.30pm-2.30pm nap. 7.30pm bed
7.15am get up. 12.15pm-2.15pm nap. 7.15pm bed
7.00am get up. 12.00pm-2.00pm nap. 7.00pm bed

That is 12 changes so if you make a change every 2 days it will take around 3 1/2 weeks to move his bedtime and naptime.

not*, rather than now

Thanks for the advice. I've thought about putting him into the car when we have to leave (have to use the car as its 10 miles to toddlers!)

I'll give the moving everything 15 minutes each day a try. We did lots of travelling and visiting family in dec and jan but we are not going anywhere until the end of March now so hopefully gives me time to work on it!

Yes have food ready for wake ups! Dd was such a nightmare when I woke her as her blood sugar was low. She was fine if I went armed with a box of raisins. And yes to waking gradually earlier each day. Also could you force a shorter earlier nap and always be awake by 3pm? Go for a drive or walk ? Don't be afriad of a short nap. Sometimes 20 mins is enough to get tyem through til bedtime.