losing Bed Time...

[nursemeg01]

Ok here's what I think I'll do...

Cut the 1st A time and if I get a shorter nap (fine, roll with it). If she sleeps for 1.5 hours, wake her---no more than that?

Try to extend the A time between nap 1 and 2. Hopefully that will give us a good 2nd nap but not too long. Don't let her sleep past 4:30 (shouldn't be problem ha ha!). Make BT at 7:15 (her usual time).

does that sound like a plan? I'll go back to the transition FAQ. I quit reading because I thought it was talking about dropping down to 1 nap and she certainly isn't ready for that...

[*Liz*]

Sorry I have been scarce - had a baby  

Waking from naps seems a shame but does become necessary and they get used to it. I used to just make noise in the house to purposefully wake him. Now he seems not to mind. Wakingat a natural point in the sleep cycle is easier as well.

[nursemeg01]

Congrats on the baby Liz! I think I can forgive you for being scarce I mean you have a pretty good excuse

I'll wake her tomorrow if need be---you guys are right. Better to wake her to preserve the day than to have her sleep too long and be unable to sleep at night!

[Canadian_Mom]

Meg - its scary to say but you actually are starting the transition to one nap!  But don't worry this is just a first very small step, you aren't nearing actually having just one nap yet

[danas]

Nursemeg01- do you have a link for the 2-1 nap transition that you could share?  I can not seem to find it on this site and we are starting to be in the same boat!

Thanks!

[nursemeg01]

Hi danas,

Here is the link: http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=41952.0

I tried 'my plan' today and I ended up with a 40 min nap for the 2nd nap. She woke OT. She's currently upstairs for her BT and kicking her feet in the crib. She's not crying. Not sure what is going on...I guess tomorrow I'll try the same thing but not push the 2nd A so much.

[danas]

Hi there,

If it of any help, we have started with a set nap schedule for the past week and it is working well so far.  Our DD is 7 months old...  Our sleep schedule is:

Wake- 6:30-7:00 (if up earlier, in crib talking)
Sleep- 9:00
Wake- 10:30-10:45
Sleep- 2:00
Wake- 3:30-3:45
Sleep- 7:00-7:15

Having the shorter first A seems to set the day up well.  Good luck!

Dana

[huby]

the only thing is, I find they change so quickly and can stay up longer as they get older, but set times do work for some lucky ones, just not mine.
Hey Meg, I find if I keep AM A time shortish, and push the PM one verrrry slightly, you will get a longer day and longer til bedtime and hence maybe a later wake-up without stretching the final A so not OT by bedtime...that's what I'm trying anyway.

[nursemeg01]

well here is another issue I have---DD wakes sometimes at 6, sometimes 6:30. Most of the time when she wakes early she just plays in her crib with her lovey. I don't go and get her until 7. The WEIRD thing is my DD counts her A time from the moment I get her in the crib. She could have been up for hours (and who knows since she's quiet) but if I try to put her down from when I hear her (and not when I get her) I get an UT nap. Weird right?

I guess I'll try to put her down early since the UT nap isn't a bad thing for the first nap (since I'd have to wake her anyways). Is that a good idea or am I setting myself up?

Apparently DD didn't read the BW as she doesn't count her A from eyes open but time out of crib...but hey that's my girl!

[nursemeg01]

oh and Dana, that was my schedule about 2 weeks ago...

DD seems to have lost her sleepy cues so I am going by the clock now (which is why I seem obsessed with A times). My poor DH got her out of the crib over the weekend and he made a point of telling me the exact time he got her (and the clock he used). This is what we've become.

Huby: what is your A time throughout the day? What time does she wake now?

[*Liz*]

Oh that is quite common Meg - just that the time in the crib is so low key that you don't need to count it. I always used to count it as 'half A' with Jacob.

I always stretched the day by pushing the first A out and keeping the final A sensible. Otherwise he would be OT at bedtime and would EW again.

A UT nap for the first one is actually pretty sensible as it will help you get it in later when they are further along the road to 1 nap. You kind of need them to be willing to accept a UT nap at that stage, and they will only do it if their body clock has been set to it from earlier on.