At what point do I accept DD is short napper and chronically OT?

[RothE]

Hi -

DD has been a BW for 7 months.  She is currently almost 10 months (almost 8 months adjusted age).  BW worked great for us until about 5 months ago.  She used to have great naps and STTN at a very early age.  Almost 5 months ago, her naps shortened to 45-30 minutes long and the EW started at 4:30. I used PU/PD to get her to sleep independently and for a few days got long naps again.  Then things went bad, so I tweaked her schedule and after another few weeks, got another few days of good naps and even 2 times an 11.5 hour night.  However, we are back to square 1...30 minute naps and 4:30 NW.  I'm not sure where to go from here.  I think the answer may be to accept that DD is a short napper...APOP where I can to get the sleep in her when I can, and just accept OT, NW, EW until she grows out of it.  So I guess my question is...is it time to accept this is who she is, enjoy the 30 minute Y time, and then move on with our day? Is there anything else I should try first? 

Thanks

[~Sara~]

Hmm, by this age, we normally see chronic short nappers starting to lengthen out their naps, too.  So, I'm not sure exactly what to say.  Do you mind posting her EAS for us to take a peek at?

[RothE]

Hi - Thanks for responding I've had luck extending 30 minute naps if I stay holding her hand for the rest of the nap time so am at least hoping to get rid of the OT through this method. Our EASY varies from day to day so I'll give a snapshot of the last two days.

Thursday:
EW: 4:30
E: 6:30
A: 6:30-9:30
S: 9:30-9:50 (extended by staying with her and shushing til 10:30, so eyes were closed until I left and then they'd open so I count it as S time)
E: 10:30
A: 10:30 - 1:15
S: 1:15-1:45 (I didn't shorten A time because am trying to go for a set nap type schedule at this point around 1:30/2)...stayed with her shushing til 2:30, then slept til 3:15!
E: 3:15
A: (inc. bedtime bottle)
S: 7

Friday:
NW: 12:30-2
EW: 4:30
Wake/Eat: 6:30
A: 6:30-9:15
S: 9:15-9:35 (stayed with her shushing til 10:30)
E: 10:30
A: 10:30-1
S: 1:15-1:35 (stayed with til 2:45...most of the time her eyes were closed if my hands on her shushing, when I tried to leave we'd start again)
E: 3
A: 3-6:30 (inc. bedtime bottle)
S: 6:35
One NW at 7:30 prob because very long last A but put herself back to sleep within 3 minutes so I know she can self-settle when she wants

I know there's a lot of OT in there the last 2 days, especially with a couple of rough nights recently. 

I know she can self-settle and when the routine was working for a few days we were doing 3 hours A time, maybe 3.5 at the end of the day. After a few days, DD was back to 30 minute naps...

I'm trying to introduce a lovey - no luck yet.  I really don't want to accept she's a 30 minute napper...but am almost at that point.

Thanks

[deb]

I honestly don't think she's really sleeping during those naptimes, at least not any kind of restorative sleep.

Our of curiosity, how do you handle the 4:30 waking? I bet if that went away she'd wake more rested. The naps you're describing seem to me like classic OT "power naps" only without the power.

Is she teething? Have you introduced solids? Does she use a pacifier/dummy? Oh, and do you know if she's gone thru Separation Anxiety? The only other thing I can think of is a latent ear infection or a developmental leap, but developmental stuff would throw off sleep for a few days, not make stuff like this be the norm.

[RothE]

Hi!

To answer your questions, at 430 i do shh/pat, replug and run, hold hand until calm and sometimes try feeding or rocking back to sleep. Usually around 530, i quit and bring her to bed to sleep trying to avoid anymore ot buildup. The few days we had good naps, the 430 wake up disappeared.

Teething...i don't see anything although she is chewing a lot...but ha been for months. I've tried medicating before naps just in case and no difference.

Solids. Yep we started at 6 months actual age/ 4 months adjusted. Shes eating well. I thought perhaps a digestive issue was to blame but saw ped for it other day who
 didn't see a problem. The ped also checked ears so i don't think an infection is to blame.

DD does use paci but spits it out pretty fast. I weaned it
when i used pu/pd but gave it back when she got sick a
while back.

Yesterday my mom babysat and didn't stay holding DDs hand to extend the 30 minute nap and we had a 3 hr nw that ended in her coming into my bed. How do i know if its separation anxiety?  What do i do if it is?

[deb]

The only thing you can really do for Separation Anxiety is wait it out. You'll know SA by the protesting and screaming the moment you're out of her sight. Some babies barely register it, for some it's severe, and it generally happens around the 9-11-month mark, and usually results in some APOP and subsequent weaning of the AP. *grin*

When J went thru a period of early wakings, one thing we had success with was literally holding her back to sleep. I had a chair next to her bed that I could sit in for nursing etc and when she woke and I wasn't ready, I'd hold her to try for one more sleep cycle for both of us. After a few days of that, she began sleeping thru that waking and it lasted till we literally HAD to wake her one morning to avoid being tardy for a rather late appointment. I was worried about it becoming a prop, but in our case anyway it seemed to give her more restful sleep for longer and helped sort out the napping blips and got her used to resettling right away when she woke between sleep cycles then.

Doesn't sound like any particular new foods are the issue if she's doing OK, and you've already ruled out ear stuff, so that's good.

What med are you trying for teething when you try pain meds before nap? Some do better with ibuprofen/nurofen, others with acetominophen/paracetamol, some like topical teething gels (while others can't stand them , and still others seem to prefer homeopathic.

[RothE]

I'll try that tonight...holding DD rather than spending an hour unsuccessfully resettling. Maybe she will wake more rested and that will help the naps. I do think the ew will resolve itself.

I've tried all the meds except the topical gels bc I'm too afraid DD will choke if her mouth is numbed (a crazy fear, I know!)

I don't think it's SA...it's been going on a while and she's pretty calm if I leave her to play alone while I prepare her milk or lunch or something.

My mil and mother just think I'm fighting her short napping nature, but I can see she's still so tired after a 30 minute nap.