Should I wake him up from a nap?

[Liskee]

So. DS2 still hadn't got the hang of nighttime sleep but following about a month old colds and coughs he seems to have, this week, got the hang of napping.

This last few days I've put him down as normal (fed to sleep, white noise on, down in cot) about 9am and 2.5/3 hours later gone into waken him up. Then again, after about 3 hours wake time, put him down for an afternoon nap and again had to wake him after 1/1.5 hours. I don't like him sleeping after 4pm as bedtime is about 7.30/8pm.

Bedtime is very much a hit and miss affair. At minute we're still feeding to sleep and after an hour or so he usually wakes and I struggle to get him back to sleep. Means I either end up going to bed and co sleeping, or bringing him downstairs and then taking him to bed and co sleeping. A full night in the cot is a distant dream at present.

I know he can't self settle yet as getting him over without a bottle means A LOT of rocking, bum patting and bouncing with white noise.

So here are my questions!!

1. Is the extreme napping a post illness catch up (I suspect yes)
2. Should I be waking him up after 2.5/3 hours? Either now given the illness, or just normally?
3. Is it the self settling or the napping which would be affecting bedtime? (I suspect self settling and see a weekend of CC in our future as I have no problem with it)

Thank you!

Oh forgot to say! He's nearly 10 months!

My toddler (now on 1-nap days) sleeps a minimum of 3h after lunch. It's more like 4h at the weekeweekend or school hold when I don't have to wake her for the school run.

At 10 months she was having two 2h naps: 9-11am then 1-3pm. She'd sometimes have an extra half hour power nap around teatime (4.30/5 ish) if needed. Sleeping 7/8pm to 7am without waking.

So having long naps isn't a problem. In fact I'd say more sleep is a better, healthy way to be.

I would suggest the read on for the night wakes are feeding to sleep. I would use the dummy and stay with baby doing in-cot settling so that he learns to go from fully awake to fully aslerp asleep in the cot.

Fate your child is at the upper end of the sleep needs spectrum so i wouldn't say that is a benchmark.
OP I always think if a child is unwell or recovering from illness then it's better to let them sleep. You can get back into a routine once they're fully better

Thanks both. Yesterday DS2 had to be woken again from naps for reasons to do with toddler activities. But he slept really well for naps and last night managed 8.30pm - 6am without waking in his cot!! Never done that before so I'm astounded and delighted whilst sitting here with him on my knee! Maybe he's turned a corner? We'll see!!

Brilliant going!