45 MIN CATNAP QUERY

[kittycase]

I do have a portable dvd player, but again the problem is still strapping a spirited toddler into anything is just about a nightmare.  She's been go go go since she learned to crawl at 5 months.  She will have structured quiet time, but it can't ever be forced or she spazzes out. 

Barbara, I do swaddle my lo.  I just started doing a double swaddle since she could wiggle out of the just one.  It has helped some, but she still wakes at the 45 min mark.  I was reading in the BW book that at the 45 min mark is a transition in the sleep cycle where everyone even adults wake up (though some might not even be aware that they woke up).  Yet usually babies and adults fall back asleep without difficulty.  So if it's a transition problem, I'm wondering how to fix that.  I'm going to chart her sleep for a few days and throw a post on here when I narrow down any other contributing factors.  Thanks all

[Barbaara]

True, at 45 mins they transition from one sleep cycle into the next.  At this age almost everybody struggles with it, as they're apparently working on sorting out naps, so it's also developmental.

That being said finding the right A time can also help, too short and they're UT and will give you a 45 min nap.

You could also try W2S (wake to sleep) and HTTJ (holding through the jolts).  Do you know how to do that?

[kittycase]

I tried WTS for the past few days and it didn't go well.  It resulted in her waking up and not being able to go back to sleep.  I didn't even touch her.  Just the noise from the door opening was enough to cause her to stir and wake up by the time I made it over to her crib.  I have held through the jolts (which are more squirms or head tosses in her case) and she usually gets to sleep quickly that way.  But once she wakes up at the 45min mark I can't hold/rock/do anything to get her back to sleep.  I am trying to extend her A time to see if that will help.  She usually does a fuss at around 1hour/1hour 10min of being awake (A time including drinking her bottle and diaper change).  So today we were actually out of the house at the 1hr mark...driving home.  We arrived home w/in 5min and I changed her diaper since she was wet again.  She started to coo and talk on the changing mat so I just let her vs. swaddling and puting her down.  She did that for about 15-20mins and then started to fuss.  I swaddled her and brought her to her room.  I rocked her (I know...AP, but she REALLY likes it...it's hasn't been part of our usual routine, but it might become part of it since she's still SO young...if it does the trick), humm lullaby and pat her bottom.  She was asleep, put in her crib and me out of the room w/in 15min.  Now 15min away from the 2yr old I can spare...but 45min of shhh pat is just out of the question (not to mention she hates it).  She's been asleep for almost 20min now...so we'll see how it goes w/the extended A time.  Somethings got to give, because the 45min napping causes her to eat earlier (and less...since it's earlier)....causing her to wake more frequently at night...it's a crazy domino effect that is exhausing.

[Barbaara]

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time! Hugs.

When did you do W2S? Maybe you were going in too soon or too late?

I was reading you're posts again and I'm totally mistaken about the age of your LO!  I thought she was 3 mos, but she's only 3 weeks, 4 now.  Okay, that changes everything!    Could it be your LO is OT?  At 1 mo they do about 1h of A time, but maybe it's a tad too much for your daughter.  Have you tried to put her down sooner, before she starts to fuss?

If she hates shh/pat then stick with the humming and patting her bottom.  Many people do some kind of variation.  Is it possible to get her to sleep just humming and patting?  Rocking might work well for now, but it won't in the long run and it's a hard habit to break.

Also try to have her in her cot before she's actually asleep and very gradually put her in her cot sooner and sooner until you're able to just put her in her cot and walk out. 

If I were you I'd only feed her when she's hungry, even if that means you end up with EASAE.  Just try to make sure you're not feeding to sleep, because that's another hard habit to break.

HTH

Barbara
x

[b0nni3]

Hey Krista, fwiw, when my LO was 1 month old his first A time was only 30-45 mins. Then for the rest of the day, A times ranged from 30-60 mins. He just needed a lot of sleep. Some days he still sleeps right after feeding and then wakes up, so it was like E(shortA)SAE. I found it best to just put him down whenever he showed tired cues, rather than be too strict about BW schedule. At that age I was nursing him every 3 hours, whether it followed the EASY pattern or not. So even if he fell asleep very soon after a feed, and woke up before another feed was due, I would not feed him until it was close to 3 hours. I'm a big fan of cue watching (particularly when LOs are really young) because it helped me realise that my baby was not a machine! Also, until about 8-10 weeks of age, sleep is very disorganized, so the best you can do is to encourage healthy sleep habits (i.e. not to depend on props, etc.). There is just SO much going on in their bodies and brains at that age!

My LO didn't do proper naps until about 2.5 or 3 months old. He is now a wonderful independent sleeper at 8.5 months.

[kittycase]

Think it might be silent reflux...going to urgent care today to find out.  DD#2 had reflux as well.  So after racking my brain last night and being frustrated with lo decreasing the amount of formula she's drinking in one sitting and watching her cues it hit me...she might have reflux too!  DD#2 started showing "silent reflux" symptoms at 3 weeks...which is how old this lo is.  Last night I paid extra attention to her feeding...at the 2oz mark she started squirming real bad.  I thought it was just a burp...yet she would NOT burp.  I offered her the bottle again and she aggressively tried to take it.  Had one sip and started crying and squirming again.  I have previously tried to give her gas relief drops, but it didn't help.  I know w/reflux they can't eat lots at one time and wake frequently from naps...and prefer to be upright when sleeping.  They also prefer a EAESY schedule, which she has tried to put herself on.  Previously she could eat 3-4oz...now she can only manage 2oz...and an hour later 1oz.  Which is what DD#2 did.  Considering dd#2 had it and showed these same symptoms at 3 weeks also, I think it's time to go to the dr. to check into it.  I don't know why I didn't see this a few days ago.