9 week old short naps 2 hr feeding!!!

[Rachel600]

Ive been trying to put my dd on easy since birth but due to feeding problems, holidays etc it hasnt really gone to plan. Anyway now Im back focussing on routines it is very apparent that dd naps are short 30 mins, 45 mins sometimes even 5!!! This means that she is awake for long periods of time and wanting feeds more often  which then of course arent full feeds so its a vicious circle. I have been trying to make her wait until at least 2 and a half hours rather than 2 hrs but this can sometimes mean crying which isnt good. I have spent time shussing her back to sleep, it can take 30 mins and i can only do this on a sunday when dh is around. I have a 23 month old as well and she is very patient but can be loud and i cant leave her downstairs for long periods of time, I am using the tv when feeding dd2, so even more tv isnt going to work. DD2 sleeps quite well at night from 8pm ish to 12/1am then until 5am then maybe 6:30/7am but this varies. AT night though she is constantly moving her arms and legs violently despite being tightly swaddled, the swaddle is stretched and almost off and I find that id I hold her arms and legs it does help especially after the 5am feed as this is when I notice it is worse. I dont think it is wind as I spend ages winding and hold her upright for a while after a feed.

Here is yesterdays routine - well lack of -

E:8am
A: put down at 9
S:9:40 to 10:05
S:10:15 to 10:30
E:11
A
S:12.10
A:12:55
E:1.30
A:
S:3.15 to 3:45
A
E: 4pm
S: 5.20 in baby bjorn
A: 5:50
E: 6pm
A:
E: 7.20
S:8.20 due to jerky limbs she was trying to go to sleep at 7:30pm
E: 12.00
E: 5am
then slept cuddled tp to me due to jerky limbs until 7:30am


I know that she is overtired but I try to put her down for her first nap as soon as I can but she always seems to stay awake for 1hr 40 mins, I have spent time doing different things to work this out. But it just gets worse through the day as she is awake for ages.

She doesnt sleep that much in the car seat even and is beginning to resist the baby bjorn!!!. I dont feed her to sleep and she can put herself to sleep. we do the same wind down routine.

As you can see there is no routine well except going to bed around 8, i start this as soon as i have dd1 down which is about 7:15 to 7:30.

I dont know what to do, well except start again tomorrow. Oh the day I did manage to get two long naps, she woke very two hours for food at night. So maybe she is starving???

Any ideas will be greatefully received. 

[Shiv52]

Hi there

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64158.msg476652#msg476652

Awake time for babies
Newborn 50-60 mins
1 month 60 mins-hour and 15
2 months 1 hour and 15 - 20 mins
3 months 1 hour and 20 - 30 mins

I think you need to cut your A time down.  I think with the 1.40 she is OT from the outset (1.20 would be typical for 9 weeks).  Those 30 minute wakenings from naps would indicate she is OT.  Have you observed her wakening?  Does she jolt as much during the day as she does at night?  Have you tried  holding through the jolts (HTTJ) at the 35-40 minute mark to get her through to the next sleep cycle (hard I know with a toddler in tow). 

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64168.0

After a short nap you would need to cut the next A time way back so if 1.20 is the norm and you get a 30 minute nap that you can't extend, 50minutes-1 hour would be enough A time before going for a next nap IYSWIM? 

You are doing great!  It must be very difficult with a toddler too.  Is there any way you can read books or sing or offer snacks during feeding and leave TV until nap times? 

I have been trying to make her wait until at least 2 and a half hours rather than 2 hrs but this can sometimes mean crying which isnt good.

Are you bfing?  Some bf babies may be hungry at 2 hours so if you try and hold off and she is very upset I would feed and see does it help her settle.  Its not unusual for a 9 weeks olds EASY to be EAEAS so don't worry about that.  It will stretch over the next few weeks and there is a pretty big growth spurt around 3 months so you'll be there before you know it!

{{{hugs}}}

[Rachel600]

Hi

Thanks for your reply, I have been observing dd2 more closely and like you say putting her down quickly if she has had a short nap and i now think her a time is 1hr 10 mins, so with this in mind, although we still have short naps we are managing one long nap in the middle of the day for 2hrs which she put herself down for today.  This has happened for the past few days so Im going with this even if the rest of her naps are short. Her nap even sort of ties in with dd1 nap so works quite well.

The other thing I have tried is double sided feeding as I was only doing one side and maybe this has made a difference.

I also am making sure that I put dd2 in her cot for her second nap so she gets into this routine, maybe her other naps will start lengthening too, I have tried holding through the jolts but this is definatly something I can olny do when dd1 is asleep or dh is around. |For her long naps in the middle of the day she hasnt needed to be held through the jolts yet, so fingers crossed !!!!

Thakls for the advice and I will definatly watch those a times closely.

[Shiv52]

GLad you are having more success!  Hope it keeps going well.  She is still so little and things will fall into place xx