Sleep Schedule

14 years ago

My son is 18 months old, I have read that he needs approximately 11 1/4 hours sleep at night and 2 1/4 during the day. He generally gets slightly less than this but seems to do OK. I am going back to work in a few days and am trying to adjust his schedule to fit my work hours. I will be getting off between 8 and 9 pm, by the time I pick him up and get him home this would be considerably past his current bedtime. He currently takes only one nap a day, I would like to start having him take an afternoon nap also so that he will stay up later to accomodate the late hour I will be picking him up. Is this going to harm him to break up his sleep this way? He will still get approximately 9 hours continuous sleep at night and make up the rest with the extra nap. Is this going to be the same?

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Comments (3)

oilpainter
14 years ago
Who do you have watching him when you go back to work? Could they get him ready for bed and put him down at his regular time. Would he doze in the car and go back to sleep again when you get home. Some kids do and others won't.

The problem with changing his bedtime to later is that you will have to change it back again when he goes to school.

I would however change his morning nap to an afternoon one by moving it back gradually. Perhaps with just a quiet mommy and me time mid morning to get him over the hump.

He may sleep longer in the afternoon if he needs the rest and that would help with the sleep disturbance at night.

I wouldn't worry if he doesn't get the requisit number of hour you stated. That is just a guideline. Some kids need that much sleep and others don't. Every child is an individual and as long as he's having a nap in the day. he will manage fine.
adamsmommy
Original Author
14 years ago
His schedule will get all out of whack if I have his dad put him to bed for a while, then wake him up to go home. He doesn't stay asleep once you take him out of the car seat. I guess I will just try my new schedule and see how he does. I'd like to have at least 15 mins at night when I get home from work to cuddle and talk to him. I am having a hard time with the idea of someone else putting him to bed. I have to cherish the limited time I have with him everyday.
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Yes, I did some reading into therapies for that type of disturbance and read about trying to reset the rythms, but they don't seem to be too successful for that particular type of disturbance, as opposed to something like delayed sleep syndrome. I have always had light sensitivity and just chalked it up to being so fair, especially until I reached full adulthood when the melanin seemed to start kicking in. My folks have few pictures of me as a child without my eyes being squinted shut against light. LOL. I think my occupation now really helps in that I get massive doses of rays in daytime. Unlike so many people with this type of disturbance........I generally have a sense of well-being, an extremely hardy immune system and when I sleep, I sleep extrememly well. And, I just listen to my body and let that set my bedtimes and awake times. As long as I can do that, there is no reason to correct any of it because it doesn't interfere with my activities or health. I also suppose it isn't a disability so much as just part of the normal human functional spectrum. Can't you imagine how much simpler life has become for sleep disorder people with the invention of the internet? It allows people to do things like work, socialise and get their education on-line 24/7 when they are most alert.
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This is probably too late to be of much help but I wanted to lend a little support... my dad, too, had emphysema and your description fit what he went through. He needed frequent naps (right down to the pre-dinner nap) and also had bowel problems. I think they finally isolated the latter to meds and were able to make some adjustments that helped. It must be embarrassing for your husband to have this kind of problem (but I love that he blames it on the cat) :) I hope it gets/got resolved with your dr. visit. The sleep issue probably won't go away completely -- emphysema is hard on the body and will continue to make him tired. And age does make a big difference. Exercise helped when dad could manage it -- he would walk some -- but it just made him feel a little better, it didn't make the fatigue go away. Cutting out the smoking would help your husband but it doesn't sound like he wants to give it up. I know it also contributes to fatigue. Doctors don't/can't oversee the health of individuals the way they used to -- because we see so many specialists, etc., a primary care or other physician just doesn't always know everything that's going on -- so it's important for you, as an advocate for your husband, to keep on top of things and make sure the questions you have get addressed by the drs. Don't be afraid to talk to the drs. as long as you need and ask as many questions as you need to get the information that will help. A friend of mine goes to the dr. with her elderly mother; because the dr. has a tendency to rush in and rush out before they could ask questions, my friend moved her chair in front of the door and sat down as soon as the dr. came in. The dr. got the hint, sat down, and took all the time they needed. I've found most drs. are really responsive and like that patients are trying to participate in their own health care but sometimes they need to be brought to a halt to get their attention. It sounds like you're really taking charge and I admire you for that. Best of luck to you... let us know how things are going!
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I was a forced early bird during the raising kids and working years. Like others, I would stay up late after the kids were in bed for the quiet time to myself. The last job I had for ten years and I started at 7:30. I really disliked getting up so early. I am not a happy camper in the morning and don't want noise or chit chat. Some coworkers arrived at 7 and would be laughing and carrying on when the rest of us arrived. I of course said good morning to everyone but then I would think to myself "can you all just be quiet for an hour?" I am definitely a night owl now that I'm retired, although I have to admit I'd like to get up a bit earlier than I usually do. I like to lounge in the morning for awhile before getting dressed and heading out. I make all appointments in the afternoon. DH is, and always has been, an early bird and is chipper and chatty the minute his feet hit the floor. We've had numerous "discussions" about me being the opposite and not wanting chit chat first thing and needing quiet for a bit. I have to keep reminding him, but many mornings he is out playing tennis or pickle ball when I get up so I have the quiet and am ready to be social when he gets back. My brother retired several years ago and still sets his alarm for 7 am. The first thing I did when I retired was unplug the alarm clock! We were talking about it and he said he didn't want to "waste half the day by sleeping in." When I told him I like staying up til 1 or two he said there was nothing he would want to be doing at 2am, to which I replied there's nothing I would want to be doing at 7am...ha!
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oilpainter
14 years ago
His schedule is going to be out of whack no matter how you do it and your husband is going to have one cranky kid on his hands from his normal bedtime until you pick him up. Going from morning nap until that time of night is too long for a child that age. If you could get him to take an afternoon nap it might be Ok.

Oh yes your husband gets to put him to bed too, but don't you see that no one is putting him to bed for the night, but you. When he wakes up when you take him from the car seat and you get him inside, you can have that quiet time with him and lull him back to sleep. The whole process will be much easier on all of you if your husband puts him in his jammies, and he gets a little sleep before you pick him up.

Sleep Schedule

Comments (3)

oilpainter

adamsmommy
Original Author

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Sleep Schedule

Comments (3)

oilpainter

adamsmommyOriginal Author

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adamsmommy
Original Author