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SLEEP => General Sleep Issues => Topic started by: SNSmith on March 22, 2018, 02:51:24 am

Title: Schedule tweak 5 months and dropping a nap
Post by: SNSmith on March 22, 2018, 02:51:24 am
Hey there,
5mo DD is on this rough routine which has changed in the past week due to her consistently lengthening the first nap. Previously we did 4 x 40 min naps for a 12hr day.

E 7:30 or 8am
A
S 9:30-11am
E 11am
A
S 1-1:40pm (occasionally can extend this)
E 2pm
A
S 3:20-4pm or so (after the short nap she can’t make it to 2 hrs)
E 4:30pm
A

My question is here—-
- nap at 6pm which pushes bedtime past 8pm (even starting bedtime routine right away and putting her back in bed she’s restless for until 1hr 40mins after waking  anyway)
OR
- bedtime routine at 5:30pm, putting to bed around 5:45 or 6pm she always wakes after 40 mins thinking it’s her usual catnap and then it takes 30+ mins to resettle her back to sleep for the night

I don’t enjoy spending the extra time hanging over her crib at bedtime with the second option but if it’s what’s necessary during the nap transition to give her adequate night sleep then I don’t mind. Just wondering what the right thing to do in these situations would be? And does this early BT treated as nap issue come up every time a nap is dropped? Thanks!
Title: Re: Schedule tweak 5 months and dropping a nap
Post by: creations on March 22, 2018, 19:36:11 pm
And does this early BT treated as nap issue come up every time a nap is dropped?
I don't remember mine ever doing this so I think it depends on the LO.  We did sometimes have OT waking in the first part of the night when he dropped a nap, waking at say 20 mins but he certainly didn't think it was a CN he was just very very tired and OT.

Here's a different thought - how about increasing the A time between nap 1 and nap 2?  That A time is very short for 5 months and now that you are getting a good first nap she can likely handle longer A, it could also encourage her to nap longer for nap 2.  I'd probably increase to 2.5hrs (first to 2hr 15 then after a few days 2hr 30).  If she didn't nap longer then it just helps to move the day on so that you get a slightly easier routine running up to BT.
S 1.30 - 2.10 (if it stays short)
A 2
S 4.10 - 4.50 (if it is still a CN)
A 2
BT 6.50/7pm
The EBT is avoided and so is the late 8pm BT.

if second nap extends then something like:
S 1.30 - 3pm
A 2
S 5 - 5.30 (CN)
A 2
BT 7.30 slightly later BT for a few weeks, around 6 months she might be able to go to 3hr A which moves the naps later and drop the CN.

I know it's not exactly what you asked but hope this might help.
Title: Re: Schedule tweak 5 months and dropping a nap
Post by: SNSmith on March 27, 2018, 20:51:40 pm
Thanks!! That’s exactly what we needed- just some ideas and another pair of eyes. Today extending A times has been going well so far. She does seem to need entertainment though haha which is fine I should just think of some more ideas I suppose.
Title: Re: Schedule tweak 5 months and dropping a nap
Post by: SNSmith on March 30, 2018, 19:32:56 pm
Okay so I’m pushing out A times, currently around 2:15-2:30 and this would solve our early/late bedtime issue per your last post EXCEPT. She started waking for the day at 6am instead of 7:30am. This coincided with dropping the last night feed... not sure if it’s the increased A times or night feed situation causing the earlier waking but anyway here we are again wondering 5:30pm or 8pm bedtime with the extra nap?
Title: Re: Schedule tweak 5 months and dropping a nap
Post by: creations on March 31, 2018, 08:35:20 am
It sounds like nap 1 is coming too early. Is that first A time still quite short??  You were on about 2hr A time before nap 1 which was giving you a good nap so I didn't suggest extending the first A time (some like it shorter than the other A times) but if she is now waking earlier then this would suggest the first nap is coming too soon.  If you haven't already I'd increase to 2hr 15 for a couple of days then up to 2hr 30 for another couple of days. See how that goes and perhaps increase another 15 mins to 2hr 45 (remembering that at 6 months or with 2 naps the A times are 3hrs).
This will hopefully shift her morning WU time and keep that first nap and the full day routine to a more suitable time.

If some 5.30 or 8pm BTs are needed for a short period I'd just go with these.

You mentioned dropping the last night feed, did she do this herself?  Do you still do a dream feed?
She's quite young to drop all night feeds so maybe try a DF or at the 5.30WU feed and get back to sleep ASAP (treat as NF) to start the day later.  You could also try some cluster feeding before BT to tank her up if she dropped the night feed naturally.  It's a very long time to go without feeding for a 5 month old to get from BT to WU.
If you need to treat the 5.30am waking as a night feed I'd probably go with a routine with a later BT (ie include CN and go with 8pm ish BT) so that she has time to eat well before night sleep and so that getting her back to sleep at 5.30am is easier (more tired).

hope this helps