sleep advice needed for one of my mums please

[watgem]

one of my mums is desperate for some advice please regarding her 2 !
1/2 year old who has started dropping daytime naps but by 6pm is pooped, goes to sleep then wakes at 8pm and thinks he's just had a nap and is wide awake! I have suggested she speak to the HV but that culd take a while so she really wants some advice now please if any one has any suggestions?

[TraFerd]

Hi, I think if it were my child I'd treat it like I would any other night time waking. Keep the room very dark and when mum goes in at 8pm keep eye contact to a minimum. Do anything it takes to get him back to sleep, nursing, rocking, laying him back down but don't bring him out of the room. It might take a bit of work but after a couple of nights little one should be used to being asleep at that time and will hopefully sleep through.

Hope that helps x

[blue bear]

what time does little one get collected and what is mums routine, is lo falling asleep sat up on the sofa or is mum bathing and putting lo to bed at that time?
What is normal bedtime up to now and would a rest mid day be better for this lo to keep them going, can lo be encouraged to rest with a quiet story etc after lunch so no nap but a proper rest to recharge the batteries and keep her going.
playing in water always seems to help keeping little ones going, if mum needs to make tea can she get lo up at the sink washing up to keep lo entertained.
she might need to change tea time etc so child is full and has been bathed and settled to bed earlier so they sleep through that eight o clock wakening.

[watgem]

thank you I will pass these ideas on to her they sound fab

[sarah707]

6pm is one of the worst times for children to nap because it totally confuses their body clock.

Have you tried a rest period during the day - not a full sleep if the child doesn't want to do that any more but a sit down with very little stimulation to let the body totally relax. It can really help re-charge batteries and add an extra hour onto the evening routine.

Then mum needs to look at her routine with him - why is he falling asleep at 6pm? What's his routine? Is he well enough stimulated? Does he have things to look forward to later like a snuggle with parents / reading a book etc? If he's just sitting in front of the TV he will most likely fall asleep but if he's busy and playing he should keep going a bit longer.

Then if he wakes after a couple of hours it could just be a habit developing - so dark room, quiet voice, go back to sleep, it's not time to play, here's your blanket etc...

Hth

[watgem]

thank you ladies I think he's always had sleeping problems, he only ever had 1 nap in the day and for only 30 minutes, I would think most of his days are pretty full on, I will pass the info on for herxxx