Advice needed with naps for 4 month old

[newbiemum22]

I've been posting on another board and they suggested it might be better if I put my query here. So I wondered if anyone could help. Here is our current EASY routine although this can change a little from day to day.

How many naps should a 4 month old have and for how long? Currently my little girl only seems to be able to stay awake for 1 hour an then she is rubbing her eyes / ears and looks tired, so I put her down and she sleeps (sometimes for 45 mins and rarely for 1.5 - 2 hours). Should I be trying to extend her A time?

Here is what yesterday looked like...

E 6.30
A 6.45
S 7.45 (cot)
A 9.00
S 10.15 (cot)
E 11.00
A 11.15
S 12.00 (cot)
A 12.45
S 1.00 (short car ride)
A 1.15 (baby club)
S 2.00 (short car ride home)
E 2.30
A 2.45
S 3.20 (cot)
A 4.00
S 5.20 (bouncer, wouldn't go back to sleep in cot)
E 6.00
A 6.15
E 7.15
S 7.30 (cot)
E 11.00
S 11.15

[October]

Hi,

Seeing as no one has responded to you either yet (?!) I thought I'd pitch in. My LO is 5 mths old on Sunday and she is on 2 hr A times. She's been there for almost a month as well. Maybe you could try 1hr 30 mins. (you are strictly doing 1hr 15/20 at the moment anyway).

With my first I found sleep cues were a little unreliable.

You're also in the thick of 45 min. naps now anyway so you could try w2s or holding her thru the jolts to extend. My LO has done 4hr feeds, so ideally 2hr naps (we have the nap monster lurking here too tho') and 2hr A times, making 2x2  hr naps plus in our case a 30 min. catnap followed by bedtime after 1.5hrs. Some do 45 min. catnaps but we have only ever had 30 min. naps at the end of the day.

Is she angel/textbook/grumpy or spirited or a combination of some ? That can be a BIG factor when trying to shift routines/fix sleep issues.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mine is Textbook/SPIRITED and extremely ALERT !!

Yikes !

Good luck BTW,
Deb x     

[marensmama]

At 4 months, most babies can handle 1.75 to 2 hrs A time.  Babies this age will ideally have 2 2hr naps and a 45 minute catnap.  I agree with the PP that your LO is likely in need of more A time.  45 minute naps can indicate OT or UT, but likely in your case it's UT.  The trouble is that babies who short nap aren't well-rested enough to have longer A time, so it's a vicious cycle.  Start fresh tomorrow, keep in mind the first A time is shorter usually than others throughout the day.  So I'd try 1.5 hours first thing and then if she has a good nap keep her up 1.75 or so for each A time for the rest of the day, paying attention to her cues so you don't get an OT babe on your hands.  If she ends up with a 30 minute nap, then cut back on the next A time.

HTH!  Let us know how you get on! 

[brenda2]

hi
i agree with pp, it sounds like you should try to slowly extend her A time.  start with the first A time, aim for 1.5 hours to start and see if this gives you a long nap. try it for 3 days and if still no long naps then extend by another 10 min.  keep the rest of your A times the same, if you're getting a short nap the following A time has to be shorter because a short nap is not as restful and you don't want them to be OT.  but at 4 mo she should be close to being able to do 2 hours A time (if she's having long naps that is).  the first a time should be close to 2 hours so that is what you're aiming for...just do it slowly to avoid OT.

at 4 mo usually LOs are close to being able to do 2 hours A time and switch to a 4 hour EASY routine around this age.  some a bit earlier and some a bit later.  we were about 4.5 mo. when we switched finally to 4 hour EASY, before this she couldn't tolerate 2 hours A time.  i notice your E times are not consistent.  at 4 mo she should be able to go 4 hours between feeds.  the short naps may throw it off a bit, but this is what you are aiming for, definitely not longer than 4 hours between feeds.  at 4 mo they do 2 long naps and a catnap.

4 hour EASY
6:30 awake and E
8:30-10:30 S
10:30 E
12:30-2:30 S
2:30 E
4:30-5:15 S
6:30 E
6:45 or 7 bedtime
10 df

oops...nicole and i were typing at the same time, but same advice!

[newbiemum22]

Thanks everyone, I'll give it a go today (she's still asleep at the moment so probably start at 7am)

Perhaps I'm playing with her too much and making her overtired? Would this be possible? The trouble I have is that she currently can't play on her own for very long (maybe 5-10 mins max). Should I try doing quieter activities?

She's actually 1 week away from being 4 months so perhaps I'm just jumping ahead a bit?

Thanks
Marie

[newbiemum22]

Also... I should have mentioned this already... if I leave her to play on her own for too long (5mins plus) then she starts to suck her thumb and fall asleep in the play gym!

[newbiemum22]

We had 1 hour and 15 mins A time this morning (first of the day) and she has slept for 30 mins... so maybe 1 hour 15 was too much?! I've tried to resettle her but she's having none of it! Woke up in a good mood (chatting, babbling, smiling)...

[brenda2]

hi, yes you may be trying to get her to do too much too soon.  we weren't on a 4 hour routine until 4.5 mo because Lo just couldn't do 2 hours A time.  especially the first A time is often shorter. 

i'd say if she is falling asleep under the play gym this is a sign she's tired and you should put her to bed.

overstimulation can also cause difficulty settling to sleep and short naps.  is she always under the play gym? it may be too much right now for her.

so, reduce A times and try less stimulating activities.

[newbiemum22]

Thanks Brenda

She's normally under the play gym for approx 15 mins max - is this too much?

Today we have the first 30 min nap, followed by A of 30 mins then another 30 min nap. Next we had 1.5 of A time, with a 45min nap, then short A time in cot, with another 30 min nap...

Will try again tomorrow.