Naps routine for a 8mo - please help

[Martini~]

Two days in a row I got 1,5h (I capped, he cannot sleep 2h in the morning!!) when put at 10am. And, guess what... Only 30min afternoon nap and yesterday I had to APOP in a pram, two days ago he took a nap after 15min of settling. But maybe a new pushchair should be blamed (umbrella one bought for holidays) as too stimulating for him. Will experiment for next days: today we were out so first nap in a pushchair and he did only 40-45min, second nap PD after 3,5h and sleeping already 1:10 so we will have restorative nap here.

Let's see how the night will go!

[Ima shel Alon]

Hope the night goes well

[Martini~]

Ok, some update from us.

Generally things are really nice here, I will not complain. Consistently on 2 naps for last 2-3weeks. Even if one was 30min and second one 45, he managed the day (happened once when we where traveling - nap in plain was 30min:/ and two days ago in nursery).

His schedule looks mostly as such:
7am WU (he wakes slightly before but I don't know when as quirky lying in his crib)
10am nap (doing 1,5h here on most days which is working fine, on holidays he did almost every day if this nap wasn't in the buggy)
Around 2 or 3pm another nap and here is my question... If he did a short one in the morning he will do a nice 1,5h here but if he did a long one I cannot figure out his needs. I put him down at holidays after 3-3,5h and he is doing anything from 30min to a 1h when I wake him. It would be ok but 30min seems to me for sure OT nap (couple of times happened after 3,5h A even if the morning nap was long), 1h seems to be fine but I got twice or so 45min nap when he wakes cranky! And is cranky for next 1h or so...  Still not after every nap of 45min he is cranky... Sometimes he wakes up happy and eager to play. Cannot figure out if he is UT or OT those days. Are kiddos waking from UT happy or also cranky? After OT nap F was usually fine just needed a shorter A so this cranky mood after a nap is a novelty for me.

Forgot to say, BT at 7pm, settles very nicely and STTN.

[katie80]

It's so hard to know. I kinda think, if he's sleeping through and you can deal with a little crankiness here and there, I wouldn't worry about it (although it doesn't sound like you are).

I certainly rarely have it figured out, but I do think 45min naps can be OT as well as 30min ones. They're just natural transition points in the sleep cycle and a baby can wake for various reasons at those points. Usually, I think kids do wake from UT naps on the happier side, but some (like Charlie) wake up not so happy no matter what. F seems pretty chill, so my guess is he would wake happy. But, maybe he's waking because his teeth hurt or something else is going on (did you change time zones for your vacation... could he just be readjusting, possibly?). If I remember right, SA seems to peek right around 9-11mo as well, so maybe that could be playing into it, seeing as you were on vacation and now just back. There are so many factors to consider!

[Martini~]

Heh, I start to believe that he just doesn't need more sleep per day than 2:15:))). We had this when he was younger and on 3 naps. When two first went good, there was no chance for a longer 3rd nap.

Still you are right, if he is generally fine so I won't worry too much. Thanks Katie 

[Ima shel Alon]

I agree with Katie.
If nights are not effected then I wouldn't worry too much about it. Alon woke up grumpy from every nap, even a 2h one so it's hard for me to say whether he is UT or OT, but it seems like he is doing well either way.

[katie80]

Heh, I start to believe that he just doesn't need more sleep per day than 2:15:))). We had this when he was younger and on 3 naps. When two first went good, there was no chance for a longer 3rd nap.

At least he cuts it himself during the day rather than at night!!