Can a 8 month old survive on 1 nap in the day?

[hilroy]

My daughter has been on the EASY routine since birth and all is well.  She thrives on routine.  She's still on EASY now, however, obviously it's a bit different b/c she's having 2 naps in the day and it's more like a schedule.

Here routine is usually (she is 8 months old, 1 week):

7:30am -10:30am awake
10:30-11:30 (11:45) - sleep
11:45-2:45 - awake
2:45-3:45 - sleep
3:45 - 9-10pm awake

She eats about 24 oz in a day (generally about every 4 hours).  We have been consistently doing 2 meals of food (just switched to 3).  She can't eat anymore than I'm already giving her.  She sleeps somewhat solidly til 7:30am (sometimes, we may have a night waking).  So, my problem is, I don't want her going to bed at 10pm at night but if she sleeps til 3:45, she seems to be able to handle being up for 5-6 hours in one stretch.

We have been very good along doing a bedtime routine, but now the routines seems useless when you are doing it for over an hour.  We try to put her to bed around 7:30-8pm but she just stands up, cries and wants out.  Her naps she goes down like a little angel.  I put her down and walk out of the room and she sleeps.  I don't know why bedtime is such a struggle.

Should I try one nap?  And then her one nap might end up being 2 hours?  I'm just concerned then she might get overtired at bedtime and really not go down.  I want her to bed early - I need some time to relax too!!!

I need help! Any suggestions how to get my child to bed earlier and sleep11-12 hours?

Any suggestions?

[skatty]

I think the bedtime problem is because she is OT, it sounds like you may be missing her window which is much more likely to be around 3hrs after she wakes from the second nap, have you tried a bedtime around 7pm? My dd would get really OS in the afternoon/evening and if we missed her window it was very easy to interpret her behaviour as not being tired than actually very much past it and not able to settle.

[Evgenia]

I think Katt is spot on with OT in the evening.

Have u tried adjusting her bedtime routine? Quite and relaxing bath? What are ur activities in the evening? What is the house like: daddy coming home from work and playing too loud games with her, tv on, rushing around to get dinner started etc. Could anything be OS her?

If her wake up time is 7.30 and bedtime 10 I really don't think she would manage with just one nap.

She is doing 3 hours A time the rest of the day and it seems to work well so as Katt said I would aim for 3hour A in the evening.

Hope this helps

[hilroy]

Ya, that's why i am so confused b/c she only stays awake 3 hours of A time during the day.  I would think for sure whe would be tired by 7:30pm. We were doing bath around 7pm, then bottle, then trying bed... but maybe that's just too late for everything and its stimulating her too much.  I think we need to start earlier (and not have her bottle while we are watching TV!!)

Evgenia - i think you are onto something (i guess i just needed to hear it from someone else... it makes so much sense).  that sounds like my evening - daddy coming home, getting excited, playing, the tv is always on - it must ALL be overstimulating her.

Thanks for your suggestions.  I think we need to do bath earlier, bottle, and then maybe quiet time in her room (where there is no TV), etc.

Don't get me wrong I try for the 7:30pm bedtime... but it always end up being so much later.  We will try keeping things a little less stimulating at night and aim for 7pm for a couple of nights and see how we go. 

As someone else mentioned, "she's OT and having a hard time settling"... .. that totally sounds like my nights! 

Starting tonight.... it's gonna be a whole new routine!!!  Thanks everyone!!

[hilroy]

My original thought was 1 nap in the day so sleep (maybe 2 hours) so sleep til 12:30pm but then a way earlier bedtime.  But I don't think that will solve my problem as I'll just have a very cranky baby.  I think it's being OT and missing her window.  Wish me luck!!!

[Evgenia]

Best of luck!

I think u r right about starting bedtime routine earlier, to give her pleanty of time to calm down and relax and set the mood for bedtime

Let us know how u get on!

[hilroy]

Will do.  Thanks Evgenia :-)

[skatty]

Actually reading her A times are only 3 hrs in the day then maybe her last A time needs to be shorter, try aiming for in bed by 3hrs if the 7pm bedtime doesn't work! My dd always did a shorter A time before bed. Maybe part of her new routine could be doing some relaxing stuff with daddy, no TV just books and cuddling??? Anyway let us know how it goes, it may take a few days before you see any improvement but I am sure she will be much happier with an earlier bedtime  Does she STTN even with such a  late bedtime? If so you are really lucky!!

[hilroy]

Yes, I agree cuddling and books with Daddy.  We are going to spend that time in her room where there is no TV.  Our TV is always on in the evening (and it's 50") so big time stimulation.  Good point on the possibility shorter A time for the last one.  She STTN most nights but often get one wakeup which I think is due to the OT and OS.  If I can get her to bed earlier (with relaxing stuff), I think that will be the ticket to make her sleep the night through. I'd expect will it will a few days up to a week to get adjusted to this.

I will be much happier too with an earlier bedtime!!! :-)

[brenda2]

agree with what pps have said but just want to also point out that she is having 2 x  1hour naps on the current routine.  so she is not having a lot of daytime sleep in a day that is 15 hours long instead of 12 hours long.  so she may be already a bit ot from that. 

that said why is she only doing a 1 hour nap.  perhaps she could handle slightly longer than 3 hours A time for the first 2 A times of the day?  would this get you a longer nap?  maybe you are getting an ut nap for the first 2 and then she gets ot by bedtime?  she should be doing 2x 1.5 hour naps for her age.

if you kept her up for 3 hours 15 min A time would this get you a 1.5 hour nap which is better than a 1 hour nap?

my lo is on the low end of sleep needs.  she is 8 mo 2 weeks old and this is our routine if it helps you:

7 awake
10:30-12 sleep (3.5 hours A time leading to a 1.5 hour nap)
3:30-4:15 sleep (3.5 hour A time but she usually does just a short nap here)
7 to 7:15 bed (3 hour A time because second nap was short)

sttn until 7 am (12 hours sleep at night)

so my lo is having 2 hours 15 min of naps in a 12 hour day (this is low for the age) and over 14 hours in a 24 hour period, your lo is having 2 hours of naps in a 15 hour day and 10.5 hours sleep in a 24 hour period.  she must be ot...my 2.5 yo is getting more sleep than that in a 24 hour period.  sometimes it helps just to add it up and see what's going on.  hope the earlier bedtime works for you!!

[hilroy]

Good point.  She used to sleep for 2 hours both naps and then seemed to cut back but I think cuz of this whole night time issue.   Then i didn't want her to sleep too long for her afternoon nap b/c i thought it was affecting her bedtime... but i think I misread it all and was missing her bedtime window.

Today she woke at 7:45 and stayed awake til 10:30am (normally she does 3 hours but was so tired i think from her late bedtime last night).  She did sleep til 12pm.   We will see how the rest of the day goes.  It will take a few days to get adjusted. 

I think she could aim for longer daytime naps too.  You are right, she's simply not getting enough sleep for her age.  I think the 1 hour naps were a result of not sleeping enough in the night, being OT and then her naps just being harder to stay asleep. 

I won't be so concerned if she sleeps past 4pm if I know that three hours later will be bedtime. 

You've raised some good points.  She might be able to handle a longer A time but hard to tell right now b/c of our messed up bedtime and being so OT.

I've got LOTS to test out and try now.  I feel so relieved!  I kept saying to my husband... she's 8 months old - there is no reason for her to not be sleeping 12 hours in the night!!!

[brenda2]

there is no reason for her to not be sleeping 12 hours in the night!!!

you're right but just keep in mind that some los don't do a full 12 hours, some do 10.5 to 11.5 overnight and this is still fine.

good luck and let us know how you get on.

[skatty]

Hilroy you really sound like you are on top of it and ready to sort it out and that is 95% of it so that is great  She has some catching up to do so letting her sleep now sounds like a great plan, I hope you get her on a great routine really soon, please let us know how it goes