BabyWhispererForums.com
SLEEP => Naps => Topic started by: Jessielou on January 04, 2016, 09:17:30 am
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Hi all,
I'm struggling with my 8 month old and nap transition. She has been an awful Napper historically and was on an awful pattern of 4 x 30 min naps until the last week where she transitioned to 3 naps in the space of a week and now seemingly down to 2 naps. Her first morning nap has been about an hour and 15 mins but afternoon nap is only 40/45mins and she's screaming by bedtime. I know I may need to put her down early for bed but it's leading to early wake ups. Her morning starts are not consistent.
This is her approx pattern. Have tried a cat nap but she screams hysterically, once for 45 mins!! I just want to push her bedtime a little bit later in the hope she may wake up at but later and also for her not to be so frantic and upset at bedtime. She used to wake up at 6.30/7 but nowadays it's more likely 5.30, 6 am is a good day.
A between 5.30-6am, mostly 5.30
E breakfast solids and milk 7am
S nap 1 between 8.30-9am for approx 1 hr-1hr 30 max
A 9.45/10 plays etc snack around 10.30
E solids lunch midday
S 1.30 for about 40 mins
A 2 pm
E 5pm solids
5.30 start bedtime routine bath usually crying at this point, bottle and asleep by 5.45-6
Sleeps through the night usually. Doesn't require night feeds.
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A few books I've read have suggested that a longer stretch between BT and the pm nap can teach an LO to nap longer. You could try stretching BT by 15 minutes or so every few days and see what happens. Or you could try pushing the pm nap later (maybe closer to 2) and hold it there for a few days to see if she naps longer and that would then get you a later BT. At her age, 2 naps is the norm and you likely won't have much success getting her to CN.
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Thank you, I'll definitely try pushing her naps, I'm just terrified of overtiredness as I've read about it causing night waking and her night sleep is good at the moment. Do you know what is the max wake time for an 8.5mth old?
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Wake time varies a lot at that age. Probably between 2-4 hours and some LOs like different amounts at different times of day.
If it helps, this is what our day looked like at 8 months:
WU 7
S 930-11
S 130-3
BT 7
It looks like the morning nap time is working. I consider anything over an hour restorative. I would work on pushing out the pm nap and/or BT.
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Thank you I will try that. I was worried I was keeping her awake too long but after 3.5hrs she goes to sleep easily with minimal fuss. If put her down earlier she fights and screams.
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Then keep on with 3.5 hrs!