PLEASE HELP! 5 month old no routine

[kmalbin]

Just thought I'd finish todays EASY (which has actually been very hard lol)  This happens quite regularly and I don't know if I'm dealing with it correctly or if I'm going wrong somewhere which is why it keeps happening?  I have read the book but cant find anywhere that explains what to do if short naps keep happening in the day :-(

WU 6:45 stayed in cot until 7am
E 7am
A 7:30
S 8:45 (10 mins to settle, asleep by 8:55) (30 mins left to see if he'd resettle for 20 mins, then tried shush pat for 15 mins)
A 10am
E 11am
S 12pm (woke at 1:05 gave dummy and straight back sleep, wu again at 1:10pm and wouldn't go back to sleep)
A 1:10pm
S 2pm (30 mins, would not settle again)
A 2:30
E 3pm
A 3:30
S 4pm (40 mins) was a struggle to get him down for this one but he was soooooo tired and grumpy from when he woke at 2:30
A 4:40
E 6pm
BT 6:30 (15 mins to settle)

Please, what am I doing wrong? x

[weaver]

I'm wondering if his A time is a too short for him?  It looks to me like he's not really tired enough to do a long nap, but then because he's not doing a long nap, he's getting overtired at the end of the day. 

On average, 5 month olds (though he's a nearer to 5.5 or even 6 by now, is he?) would be doing 2-2.5 hours, and late 5 months/6 month olds could be doing up to 3 hours.  So I'd bump his A times, gently, give him an extra 15 minutes for each A time and see how that helps.  If, after 3 days, you think maybe he could do more, give him another 15 minutes.  Take it slowly and let him adjust to the change.  No big jumps!  Hopefully that'll help him.

And you mentioned that tea time is a real pain... I used to always do LO2's catnaps either in a sling or in the buggy. I would try to get most of tea organised before CN time and get everyone out the door for 40 minutes or so, or just cook with her on my front!  Saved me some hassle!

[Buttonbobs]

I agree honey, a few posts back we were talking about trying for an A time of 2.5hrs. I know that your DS seems OT, which he likely is, but the cause of the OT is being UT to get a proper restorative nap anywhere in the day. This age can be tricky with short naps anyway, some Los don't manage longer naps until they're older, but as your LO has managed some longer naps I wouldn't think this is the cause.

Can you lengthen that first A time to 2.5hrs and hold it consistently there for a few days and see what happens. You might have to resettle the nap for the first day or so as he gets used to the longer time. If this works, then work on lengthening the second A time and second nap.

((Hugs)£

[kmalbin]

Hiya,

Sorry, I am soooooo sleep deprived atm and i can feel myself getting angry with the kids now, and i don't like it 

DS would not sleep last night, i gave him a DF at 10:30 which he finished, then he kept waking every hour until a fed him again at 3am and then he slept until 5:45 when he decided it was time to get up :-(

For some reason he was not tired this morning so his A time was exactly 2.5 hrs, and he napped for an hour so going to do 2.5 for next A time too.

I think it is the dummy that is causing problems, he loses it and cant find it and that is why he's waking (i think) what is the best way to get rid of this? do i do it cold turkey or gradually? also, shh pat isnt working that well anymore.

he was 6 months yesterday.

i dont have a sling or anything and my DH doesn't get back till 6 but my DD needs tea earlier than that as she starts school next week, eek!

could i just rock him to sleep in the pushchair indoors or something like that? it def wont mess with self soothing?

thank u so much 4 putting up with me x