8mo EASY routine

[Kellyjs]

Disaster strikes! W2s didn't work this afternoon, so she's awake after a 45-minute nap again. I have been s/p for 45mins, but she's going from screaming the house down to just playing with her bunny!

Help! She's still tired, but won't go back to sleep... I can see the downward spiral happening again 

Xx

[creations]

I imagine you must have her in bed for the night by now. Don't beat yourself up about it, you did everything you could to help her. You can set the scene for sleep, you can help her calm and settle, but you can't force her to sleep. Tomorrow is another day.

Was her first nap good?  Maybe needs more A after a decent first nap? Can you show me today's EAS?
xx

[Kellyjs]

Yes, I had her down for 5.45pm. I'm just hoping I've not created an OT monster again!

Today went like this:

Wu 3ish s/s, 5.30
Up 6.10
E Bottle 6.40 7.5oz
E Breakfast. Only 1/2 bowl + 1/2oz
S Bed 9.30 sleep 9.35 w2s @ 10.05 (she stirred herself whilst I was up there) - 10.30 (1hr)
E Bottle 10.45 6oz
E Lunch 12
EvBottle 1.35 8oz sc from 3hrA?
S Bed 1.50 sleep 2.05 (w2s @ 2.40) woke at 2.45 would not go back to sleep. S/p until 3.40 then got up
E Tea 4
Bath 5.15
Bottle 8oz
Bed 5.45 sleep 5.50

As you can see she only had an hour for the first nap... Gave her nearly 3.5A even though she was giving me sleepy cues from around 3hrs A. From before I know less than 3.5hrs A gave us a 45-minute nap so I stretched it. The extra 1/2 hour was low key as we're doing te bottle before bed, changed, read story then bed slightly before the 3.5hrs were up.

Do you think she needs longer than 3.5hrs? I suppose 3.5hrs before was on a 45-minute nap?

Thanks so much yet again.... Xx

[creations]

Yes I'd increase again. See if you can add another 10 - 15 mins. Risk of course is an OT nap, but often mine would scream then settle when OT rather than just scream and scream for 45 mins.
Are your activity times relatively similar each day in what you actually do, I mean mum and baby groups, visitors, trips out and about etc. Do they vary a lot day to day or often similar?  The level of stimulation could be having more of an impact that you anticipate and A times may need adjusting to allow for level of stimulation.

I would say though that during tweaks like this it's quite common for there to be a long nap for a day or two then LO adjusts to that A time and needs another increase.
I'd try to get BT a bit earlier too. I know it's a massive push to get everything done in that short time but getting her to bed for 5.30 could really help (if she stays on that then clock changes it to 6.30 - 6.30 at the end of the month right?)

[Kellyjs]

Ok, I'll increase it again.

Yep, relatively similar at the moment. I'm not going to any groups until this is sorted out. There's been a few odd days we've been out for the day, but she takes naps in the car and to be honest, seems to crash and sleep great that night! But we only do that once every 2 weeks or so. We do try to get out at least once a day and go for a walk at the moment. Especially now the weather is better 

She does do a lot more activity at home than when we're out and about as she's mainly confined to the pushchair, so I'll take that into consideration. Do you think she'd need more A or less if we've been out for a walk for an hour?

I can do 5.30.. I just feel so mean putting her to bed so early! But I have to admit, it was nice cooking dinner at my own pace and with a glass of wine  remind me of the old days! Xx

[creations]

If your days are roughly the same I wouldn't worry about it. Some people have things like swim classes which are stimulating and physically tiring, some LOs are more tired when guests are visiting etc. It's just something to have in the back of your mind that's all.

[Kellyjs]

We used to do swimming classes but we've given it a rest for a bit... Probably a good thing really considering!

Last night was eventful... Woke at 1.30am but settled self, then 4am in a complete classic OT way... Took me 1/2hr of ssh/pat, but we got there in the end and she slept until around 6.15am I think 

Made the mistake of putting her down a little early for her first nap... 9.30am. I will have to learn to ignore these sleepy cues she gives me right on the 3hr mark. She didn't fall asleep until just now. Will try w2s again. We'll see how today goes!

Thanks so much for your support xx

[Kellyjs]

Today we had good naps I think. Nearly 1hr in the am and 1,5hrs in the afternoon. Bed was 2,5 hrs after wu from last nap.

So, why is she up at the moment?! So far over an hour of ssh/pat.. DH has just taken over for a while. We have NEVER had this even when she was a newborn! What on earth is going wrong? I was all set for a good night sleep after those good naps and this happens.

I just feel we are regressing and nothing I do is right. Maybe it's punishment for having such a good night sleeper all these months. 

Xx

[creations]

Oh dear. Can you post the full day's EAS including the NWs.
Is there any teething or perhaps a cold coming on?  Mine always has disturbed sleep when a cold is coming but it's not always apparent at the time. If teething or a cold is coming at the same time as altering a routine it can look like a routine issue, of course, but may not be, it could just be a couple of nights off track. (I hope so).

[Kellyjs]

I know, it sucks! I really though I was in for a better nights sleep last night 

Yesterday went like this:

Wu 1.30 s/s, 4 1/2 hr of s/p, 6.15??
Up 6.25
E Bottle 6.55 6oz
E Breakfast 1/2 bowl + 1oz
S Bed 9.30 (UT? Lots of playing, rolling and shouting) sleep 9.45-50 (w2s @ 10.15 & 10.20) woke at 10.23, coughed and moaned. -10.37 (50 mins)
E Bottle 6oz 11
E Lunch 12
E Bottle 7oz 2
S Bed 2.23 (3.75A), sleep 2.35 (phone rang at 3, went up and eyes open?w2s??) stirred 3.10, woke 4pm (1.5hrs)
E Tea 4.05. Ate more savoury + yoghurt
Bath 5.55
E Bottle 5oz
S Bed 6.25 (2 .5hrs) sleep 6.45

Today:
W/u 12.30 1.25hrs of s/p, 3.30 s/s, 5.50
Up 6.20
E Bottle 7oz 6.50
E Breakfast 3/4 bowl + 1oz

Wrt last night, she was ok as long as I was in the room, hand on her back or chest and softly sshing. As soon as I turned to leave once she was calm, all hell broke loose again. I was thinking perhaps SA? What do you think?

Teething- lower two centrals erupted at 6.5mths, except for being a little grumpy and the excess saliva she coped well and it didn't disturb her night sleep. The top two centrals have erupted well in the last month. and don't appear to be red or swollen. She doesn't like me to look to see if anything else is going on in there though which is a tad annoying.

I don't think she has a cold coming on, she hasn't been in contact with anyone that has had one, since we've been just about hibernating since all this craziness started.

I'm trying to be as consistent as can be... I know she's not hungry as I'm monitoring her intake, I really don't want to be in the room when she falls asleep as I know she'll wake up and scream the house down when she realises I'm not there. More than happy to calm her to the point of falling asleep... I just keep repeating your previous words of 'trying to set the scene for sleep'!

I've had to rock her as she's been inconsolable the  last couple of nights, but I only do that to calm her down, lay her down then continue the ssh/pat.

I realise how spoilt I've been in the last few months having a baby that slept through with only a DF from 8 weeks, which makes me think I've really cocked something up along the way here...

As I've become an avid historic post reader... One mentioned that NW might be too little A before bed... What do you think?

Xx

[Kellyjs]

Update... Went for a nap at 9.30am and is still there 1.75hrs later! Not worrying about it too much as we're out for the day today and will probably only manage another 45mins nap in the car later on.

Xx

[creations]

Hmmm... nothing leaps out. I'm tempted to just wait another couple of days and see if anything shows up.
It does sound like a bit of SA which could be linked to a developmental leap, illness, teething - I know you said she doesn't see ill or teething though so perhaps developmental.
I wouldn't have thought she was UT as her day sleep isn't excessive and I tend to think of UT nights as being chatty and playful rather than crying/SA looking yk?

I'll keep having a think.  FWIW as you've always had good nights I think it unlikely you are going to produce bad habits now if you stay with her until she is fully asleep a few times.  it might just help to get everyone a bit more sleep if you do that in the short term.

[Kellyjs]

Hi, sorry for the late reply, it's been a busy couple of days.

Yesterday she went back to a 45-minute nap after 3.75hrs of A. Should I bump it up to 4hrs A today do you think? It just seems like such a lot. I thought when they got to 4hrs it was time for the 2.1 transition but I know she's not ready for that yet! It's starts getting harder to fit it all into one day doesn't it?

She's been awake again since 5.15am and didn't go back to sleep. Up at 6.05am, so I'll try and get her as close to 9.30am nap time as possible, but she's already giving me tired cues! 

On the plus side, the crazy night wakings haven't happened for the last two nights 

Xx

[Kellyjs]

I think DD is somewhat of a phenomenon. Either that, or I've done something very wrong!

So after waking at 5.15am this morning, she made it to 9.30am and had a 45-minute nap. A time of 4hrs this afternoon has resulted in yet another bloody 45-minute nap! Grrr 

Surely that's very unusual for a 8.5month old to be UT at 4hrs A after only 45mins sleep?!

Do I just give up like I did before and allow her to have 2x 45mins nap with EBT until she's ready for the 2.1 transition do you think?

Be grateful for your thoughts... W2s started to backfire after 3 days as she was waking before I got up there then continuing to sleep for the remainder for the 45 mins.   

Xx

[Kellyjs]

Sorry.. Back again!

I left her in bed to type the previous message as she wasn't crying.. Just sounded like she was playing and crawling about. Thought i'd leave her a little longer.. Total time was around 20 mins and she's gone back to sleep!

It's so hard trying to figure her out at the moment!

Xx