HOW DO YOU ENSURE DEEP SLEEP

[tinytatsmom]

My lo is 8.5 months old and we are really struggling with getting her into deep sleep, especially at night. Lots of times if she wakes during a nap I can extend it by getting her right back to sleep, but bedtime is a different story.  Even when I think that I have caught the jolt she still ends of waking lots of times.  I do a wind down routine, help her fall asleep in her crib (usually 2-3 minutes after I put her down), I try to stay to ensure she gets thru the jolt at 10 min, and 20 mins.  here's the thing though, some night she never seems to get into deep sleep long enough to stay there.She wakes every hour some nights, so I know she isn't hitting good stage 3 sleep.  I know that I need to work on my easy routine, which I am starting in 3 days.  (I am taking 10 days off work to do this).  Here is a sample of what a good day looks like:

7am - wake up 7 oz bottle
7:45 - cereal with fruit
8:00 - activity
9:00 - nap usually at least 1hour 15 mins
11:00 7 oz bottle
12:30 solids lunch
1:00 nap usually 1.5 hours
3:00 7 oz bottle
5:30 supper
7:00 7 oz bottle
7:15 bath
7;30 cereal
7:30 to 8 quite play and wind down routine before bed
If she is having problems settling is it because we don't do enough wind down or is it something else.  I really need all the advice I can get as I am so exhausted.
tinytatsmom

[Colesmom]

Hi there,

It's great that you're taking the time off to sort this out.  How is her demeanour from the end of second nap until bed?  5.5 hours is a VERY long time for a lo of that age to be up.  You have morning Awake time of 2 hours, then 2.5 hours which both result in good naps.  She is likely waking every hour at night because she is overtired.  Is there a reason for the late bedtime?  If you need to maintain a late bedtime because of work or other reasons...could you squeeze in another short nap, say from 4:30-5:00 to tide her over?  If not I strongly suggest a bedtime closer to 6:30 pm with a pm nap ending at 2:30. 

[tinytatsmom]

Thanks for the thoughts,

We use to put her down for a nap around 6 - 6:30 but then she was up later.  I have been trying to cut it out,  and if she does need one she is usually very hard to put down after we get home from the sitters.  probably b/c she is overtired.  Maybe when I am off next week we will try the nap and or earlier bedtime.  I am really hoping getting her on the easy routine and napping/ eating better will help solve or nighttime woes.
tinytatsmom

[aussie_mum]

hi there,
 your lo sound almost exactly like mine, she is 9 months old now and i am just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel she is starting to get much better with her naps and bed time sleep, but like your Darling she wasn't getting a deep sleep which is so frustrating and tiring, you are not alone! their routines are almost the same as well, is your lo a "spirited baby"? the best thing i found that worked was consistency and the patt/shhh is working really well at the moment. going on to "easy" will help as well.
good luck with it let me know how it go's
jamie
Aussie mum