Does sleep engender sleep or should I drop the daytime nap?

[beansprout]

Ds is now waking at 4.30am and not wanting to go back to sleep. Admittedly, getting up in the morning is great as he comes into bed with us and has milk and stories, so it is going to be hard to get him back to sleep.

He is only having 9 hours a night though (he is 2.5), and an hour during the day. At the moment, I wake him up from his nap, something he is always mightily unhappy about, but I want him to sleep at night, and not have to make up for lack of sleep during the day.

How much will his nap affect his nightime sleep? Will dropping the nap mean he sleeps later in the morning or should he actually have more rest during the day?

well, there's only one way to find out huh?
My DS used to sleep better at night the moe daytime sleep he had and thinking about it, I think DD is the same although we've been very lucky in that she's quite a good sleeper altogether.

But seriously, why dont you try letting him nap longer during teh day (ie, wake up when he's ready) and see what happens. It can't get much worse than 4.30am can it??

Well, we thought it couldn't any worse than 5.30am, but it did!

oh dear. I had a 5.45am wake up this morning and it was hell so I appreciate why you want to resolve this.
I would think trial and error might be best though for now because no matter what other mumsnetter's tell you about their children (me and mine included) your DS is unique and it won't necessarily follow that he will be the same huh?
Having said that though, I do believe that for soem children (mine included) the more lunchtime sleep meant more nighttime sleep.
Good luck.

how are you getting on beansprout?
My two both had a great lie in on sunday after my hideous early morning saturday. and of course, sunday is the one day that DH gets up with them both and so I didn't even get the benefit of it. So unfair

Ah, thanks for asking, I'm touched

I have just let him sleep on in the day, although have put him down a bit earlier, so he has had up to 2 hours instead of one. Still waking at the same time but will lay and be quiet for up to 10 mins at a time until we get him up, which is progress. Also, lots of emphasis before 6am on "ssh, night-time, time for sleep etc" followed by a fanfare for morning at 6am, to make the distinction.

Am planning to give it 2 weeks and see where we are then.

It's so galling when they get up early on your shift but not dh's though

good idea about trying to get him to understand the difference. When teh clokcs change this weekend wont the mornings be darker again - that might help huh?

Hi Beansprout- my dd is 2 and we had fun and games with her and trying to get her to sleep recently. We found that it definitely helps her to have a big nap in the day. The days when she doesn't, we have a much worse night. I'd second the suggestion to let your ds sleep til he's ready to wake up and see what happens.

We got her to sleep through at 19months by doing this. Previously we had thought that it would be better to try and tire her out.

She was two a fortnight ago, and naps for about 2 hours in the day. I try not to let her sleep past 4 though, so she is down for bed at 7.30/8pm.

Really hope things improve for you. It's so exhausting isn't it. We are now tackling ds (5mo) sleep issues but at least we're not up to two each night now! Will be thinking of you and hoping things improve!!