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Lockdown shifting toddler sleep pattern

4 replies

DizzyR · 18/05/2020 08:23

Hello everyone!

So my DS is 16 months. Pre lockdown he was on a rough 7-7 sleep pattern with a 2.5hr nap in the middle of the day. I say rough pattern as he’s usually wake up once a night for 30 mins and would have early wake ups etc but 7-7 was what we were aiming for and it was starting to work before lockdown.

In comes lockdown and his sleeping pattern has shifted. I’m talking early wake ups, multiple wake ups at night. We are starting to edge to 6-5am routine. This would be fine but if he’s going back into childcare (childminder is planning on re-opening) then 6-5am wont work for him or us and he’ll be knackered!

We’ve finally sorted the multiple wake ups (touch wood) butttt no matter when we put him to bed he wakes at 5am. We’ve been trying desperately to put him in bed around 6:30-7pm ish but he still wakes at 5am.

Last night we put him to bed at 6am and he woke up at 5am, whinged a bit, was silent for 20mins (maybe sleeping) then was up. We put him to bed earlier so he could at least get a bit more sleep.

I’ve been trying to leave him in his cot until 6am to try and teach him that it’s not ready to get up but this doesn’t seem to be working.

His blackout blind blocks of most of the light but bits of light do seep in in the morning but I’m not 100% sure this is the issue as it’s the same when he goes to sleep and he doesn’t have any problems the.

Anyway, any times how to get him back into a 7-7 routine?? Current nap time is around 11am-1pm with lunch straight after.

Any tips, advice much appreciated!

OP posts:
theseriousmoonlight · 18/05/2020 08:26

Could it be the afternoon nap that's affecting him now more than lockdown? Perhaps shorten that and see how that affects him.

DizzyR · 18/05/2020 12:42

Thanks @theseriousmoonlight his nap time length varies from day to day. Yesterday it was 1hr30 and the day before 2hrs but on whole it averages out to about 2hrs. As we are trying to juggle work and childcare the longer naps tend to suit us 🙈 but maybe we should try and shorten them. Thank you!

OP posts:
DizzyR · 18/05/2020 12:43

Also, we gave him lunch at 11:30 and put him to sleep at 11:50ish. He was very tired and put up a bit of a fight going to sleep but hopefully this will nudge him gently to a later wake up??? Who knows Confused

OP posts:
Sexnotgender · 18/05/2020 12:47

DS is 15 months and was waking up around 5, sometimes before! He was then making up for it with a massive nap.

Now we’re strict and let him sleep 1.5 hours and wake him. He’s now in bed about 6.30/45 and asleep by 7. Waking up about 6.

I feel almost human again!

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