Does anyone else have the short nap problem or have a success story for 6 MO?

[LittleLegs]

Hi

My 6 month old DS is a chronic short napper, usually 30 minutes to the second!  At 5 months he started having longer naps to the point I had to wake him but he seems to have regressed again the last 1-2 weeks.  I don't use PU/PD with him as he is extremely nosey and attracted by anything so it was taking him longer to settle and resulted in much crying as he just wanted to sleep and it prevented that.

He can go to sleep independantly (straight to sleep at bettime with no NW) and has been in his cot since he was 6 weeks so there is no problem there??

Is there anything I should/should not be doing?  Has anyone else got any success stories?

Thanks in anticipation

 

[Shiv52]

My LO started napping much better at 5.5 months so there is hope.  Can you post your EAS and we can take a look? 

Did you notice your LO had a growth spurt at 6 months?  Often after that they need more A time and things need tweaking. 

[LittleLegs]

Hiya,

Thank you for your response...

EAS below obviously solid times are give and take dependant on naps.

Sometimes in the morning he'll nap for 30 mins other mornings 45 mins or 1 hr 30 mins so this predetermines naps and OT the rest of the day so for that reason I have not put S times.  In general I tend to put him down in the am about 2.5-3 hrs after he's woken, I tend to wait for the eye rubbing signs which is the only thing he gives away.

6:15 - 7:15 wakes (if wakes we leave him and 50% of the time he goes back to sleep or just plays in cot until 7)
7:15 - 5oz
8:15 - Solids (doesn't consume much - started weaning at 22 weeks)
11:00 - 7oz
12:30 - Solids
15:00 - 7oz
16:30 - Solids
18:15 - Bathtime
18:30 - 7oz
19:00 - BT (straight to sleep within a matter of minutes - swaddled)
10:30 - 2oz DF (in process of weaning off - morning intake of milk has increased as a result as was only taking 3oz previously)

Thanks in advance

[ZacsMumme]

When are his naps? We had a chronic catnapper until about 6 months (I spent months extending to get over the OT)and I have just noticed DS naps are starting to get a bit shorter again especially the AM nap. Do you think your LO may be ready for a wee bit more A time? -I am by no means an expert....but you may be in the same boat as us

I also found it hard to work out his A when he was left in the cot...but at the same time he wakes early so want to encourage him to chill out and sleep longer..it is a hard one isn't it!!! You may want to try getting him up when he wakes after say x time each day (unless he goes back to sleep) to at least have some consistency to help you work out when to put him back down if he doesn't give out tired signs (like my DS) 

[*Kara*]

Our LO started napping much better around 6 months as well.  Suffered for months with the short naps and then it was like a switch was flipped on day and she started napping so much better.  I honestly think there is a developmental component to napping in some babies more than others.    Hang in there!

I also wait for eye rubbing at this age since yawning can now mean boredom.  Do you swaddle for naps?

[LittleLegs]

Thanks everyone for your responses, it's much appreciated.

Kara - I don't swaddle for naps I just use a sleeping bag in the day.  I did this in an attempt to get him used to not being swaddled.  I have never swaddled in the day.  Did you do anything to ever extend her naps or just go and get her when she woke?

Zacsmumme - I have changed the first activity time and it doesn't seem to make much of a difference but I am worried that that is the trick that I am missing.  He gets really grisly when he's tired and as soon as he's rubbing his eyes I have trouble pacifying for long and extending A time by more than 15 minutes.  I put him down this morning in advance of eye rubbing, but after just under 2.5 hrs and only got 30 minutes still.

He is very inconsistent as shown today when he had a long afternoon nap (often that's still 30 mins 75% of the time):

6:35 Woke (stayed in cot until 7)
7:15 - 5oz
8:00 - solids
9:10 - 9:40 - sleep
11:00 - 7oz
12:10 - 13:20 - sleep
1:30 - solids
15:00 - 7oz
16:20 - 16:50 sleep
17:10 - solids
18:15 - bath
18:30 - 7oz
19:00 - BT (asleep as usual within minutes)

He can be very overtired for his bedtime and he still is asleep within minutes.  Overtired at naptimes however are a nightmare!  Is this because I don't have a consistent nap routine whereas at BT it's bath, bottle with lullabies, swaddle then bed?  By the time he's eye rubbing I can't do much wind down with him as he's whingy etc..

Thanks again guys :-)

[*Kara*]

I tried everything except W2S to extend naps... sometimes I was lucky and others not so much... I did find that no longer swaddling at night and for naps helped.  Turns out that Alexandra is a belly sleeper - who knew?! 

I really do think she just reached a developmental spot that allowed her to nap longer... I don't think it was anything that I did since extending was hit and miss most of the time. 

[LittleLegs]

Thank you for your reassuring words, I'll continue waiting for the developmental leaps.  I do feel that trying to extend has never worked and ends up in with an upset little one and a stressed out me but as time has gone on I've wondered if I should be doing anything.

He does surprise me at times so there has been some progression so I'll hope that that continues.  He does roll onto his belly but he can't get back so struggles to get comfortable some of the time and gets frustrated which isn't good just before a sleep.

Thanks again

[ZacsMumme]

Just re-reading your first thread...I think we had a similar thing, where DS regressed a tad around 6 months. Everyone used to tell me 'they grow out of it' and I didn't believe them...but now I really do think most tend too, especially if you are in tune with your LO which you sound like you are ((HUGS)) good luck!

[*Kara*]

We had the same issue with getting onto her belly and getting herself stuck there - just starting to get out of that now actually in the last few days.  It's tough, just try to allow lots of practice each day and your LO will be rolling both ways in no time

Hugs!