Need help with A times please!

[momtothomas]

Hello all -

My DS is 9 1/2 months old (8 1/2 months adjusted, but seems to be hitting milestones on time now).  He's always been a short napper, but things seem to be improving sporatically now that he's crawling so much.  3 times in the past week, he slept for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, which is a HUGE accomplishment for us!  But, other days (today especially) are super wacky and we go back to 35 minute (or shorter!) naps.  If he can manage to take his morning nap a little later, he can make it to 12:30 and tends to sleep longer.  If his first morning nap is earlier and/or shorter, he can't make it until 12:30, ends up taking a very late morning nap, and then another short one mid-late afternoon.

Here's the "short nap" schedule (times are approximate, since he's at a sitter's house 3 days and home the other days):

6:00 Wake
A little formula here, but never hungry in the morning
Sometimes cereal here, but only if I think I'm going to try to extend his A time (see below)
8:00 - 1st nap
8:40 - Awake
Bottle in here
11:00 - 2nd nap
11:45 - Awake
Lunch (solids)
Bottle a little later
2:30 - 3rd nap
3:15 - Awake
Bottle in here
Dinner (solids) at 6
Bath at 6:30
Bottle
Bed at 7:15

Here's the "good" schedule that's appearing occasionally:

6:00 Awake
Bottle and cereal in here
8:30 - 1st Nap
9:30 Awake
Bottle in here
Lunch (solids) around 11:15
12:30 - 2nd nap
2:00 or 2:30 - Awake
Bottle
(Another question - Should he be getting a catnap at 9 months?  2:30 to bedtime seems like a long time to be up...
Dinner (solids) at 6
Bath at 6:30
Bottle
Bed at 7:15

Basically, I'm wondering if I should be consistently shooting for a 3 hour A time, even in the morning?  I've been trying to just go with the flow with my short napper (since he's been that way forever), but once these long naps popped up, I would like to make them more consistent!

Thanks bunches in advance for anyone's advice.

[claires mum]

Hey there..he's a cutie pie!

I would definitely be extending his A time towards the 3 hour mark - and hopefully getting 1.5 hour naps *2 per day.  Catnap shouldn't be needed at this age.

Do you think he could handle 3 hours A time?  If not...just try to increment A time 15 minutes every 3 days and see how he handles it.  I would definitely not go below 2.5 hours A time.  Use a little distraction to get the longer A time ..but keep it to quiet time. 

Another tip to prevent being OT by bedtime...make sure that there isn't too much A time before bed..so if he can only handle 3 hours...then early bedtime.  Ok!!

[Aly Mac]

oh, and remember too, that if you get a short nap, don't do the 3hr A time after, as you will get an OT baby.  try at 2hrs and see how you go!

[momtothomas]

Thanks for your help.  I have learned that about being OT... It's just such a fine line between not enough A time (waking at 45 min) and too much (waking at 35 min).

This morning, he decided to wake up at 5:10 in his crib and just sit there (no whining, just sitting and chewing on his blanket).  He dozed off for about 5-10 minutes around 5:50, but then was up again at 6.  I got him out of bed at 6:10, and immediately thought, "OK, now what time do I consider him to have gotten up?  And what time can he last until before his first nap???"  I first thought I'd try to let him go until around 8:30, but at 7:20, I knew he was too tired.  He went to sleep at 7:25 and this will likely be a short nap, so I suppose today is not the day to try for 2 naps all day.  I guess he'll do 2 in the AM and 1 in the PM.

This being a mommy stuff can be tough!  My "real" job is an engineer, so I'm much more accustomed to things working exactly like I plan them to - which rarely happens with my stinky baby!

[claires mum]

Yes I know what you mean...gone are the days where you can control the outcome .. and the process to get to the outcome!

If you have off days...just try and get the same hours of daytime sleep into the remaining hours of the day.  If you can't do that...then early bedtime to prevent OT building up.

It is a fine line, I agree!