? naps too quickly

[stanleys mum]

I have so many questions but will start with this one as I think if I get extended awake times and full naps everything else may slot into place.........My 3 month old is on a 3 hour easy, he is rarely able to stay awake past 8.15 am after waking at 7.00 am (or us waking him if he's had a feed at 4.00am) He then crashes out to sleep very quickly with nothing stopping this, I've been really careful on some days to limit the amount of stimulation and it makes no difference, even just lying on our bed watching his daddy get dressed for work at this time seems to get him really excited, i have avoided all play gym and bouncy chair toys too. He then naps for 45mins to 1 hour, I've tried getting him back down to sleep but this doesn't seem to work too well with the next half and hour to one hour with him having a fitful sleep. When I've tried just getting him up he is very happy and smiley but this then has a knock on effect for all other awake and nap times. with him needing more sleep before his next activity time and falling asleep half an hour after feeds, because he's already been awake for an hour. Any advice or suggestions gratefully received.

[jana224]

Hey - I can't at all answer why this happens, but I wanted to share that I noticed the same thing with my DD at 2 months of age until 4 months... needed to be back in bed within an hour of waking, no matter what time she got up.  Then, the rest of the day went normally following a 3 hour EASY.  Ultimately, you do have to follow your LOs cues -- and then design your EASY routine around him.

That might mean that E and S will run into each other at least once in the cycle, so you may have to feed him and then put him down for his nap - just make sure you aren't feeding to sleep.

How are his other naps?  Can you post your EASY day?

[stanleys mum]

other naps are pretty much the same, have had some sucess with one nap today getting him to have the full 11/2, just now though it's been a struggle to put him down even though he began to get sleepy as usual - tried to put him in his cot and needed to stay with him holding hands till he finally went off to sleep. our EASY seems to be changing by the day. Generally though it's been something like this.

7am feed takes anywhere between 4 and 7 oz
8am sleep
9am wake up and activity generally if I can get him to sleep for an extra 1/2 hour hes a happy lively soul if up 1 hour before next feed he's a bit cranky
10am next feed

and so it continues........

last daytime feed at 7.00 then bath time
in bed by 8pm

only just managed to get him to take the dream feed over the last week.

wakes 2am ish but easily put back to sleep holding hand or using pacifier

wakes 4am - 5am ish - sometimes hungry and needs feeding sometimes just needs re-swaddling - although i'm thinking are we expecting too much at this age.

wakes up 7am later if he's been fed at 4am although we have been waking him at 7am.

I'm driving myself a bit crazy and am sleeping less than him!

[jana224]

If he's starting the day at 7am, I'd start aiming to be in bed at 7pm.  I know it sounds a bit counter-productive - that he'll just wake more, but usually babies do better with earlier bedtimes, and 12 hours is the general "goal" for night sleep.  If he eats at 4am, and you want to keep your 8pm bedtime, then maybe you should let him sleep past 7am until 8am if he will.  He may need more nighttime sleep and that's why he's tired again so soon in the morning?

At his age, 1-2 NWs to eat is not uncommon.  That's great that you can get him back to sleep at 2am, but if he's up again at 4 or 5am, personally I'd just nurse him and put him back to bed.  Eventually he'll outgrow the need for this feeding.

It's not uncommon either to adjust your EASY day by day -- there can be alot of variables at play, so that's why it's more of a routine than a schedule.
Jana

[stanleys mum]

thanks for your helpful reply......so do you think we should we be bathing him before his 7pm feed and then putting him to bed?

[jana224]

That's what I do:  bath, then nurse, then bed.  I always make sure she isn't dead asleep when I put her down, but she usually gets a bit drowsy while nursing, and then I move her into her bed and kiss her goodnight, give her her lovie (a stuffed pony) and leave the room.
I'd aim for bed at 7pm if that suits you.  Keep the DF as long as it works for both of you.