How long do I wait??!

[Eggimou]

I know the BW book says that if baby doesn't settle to go in and help him...my son will roll around his crib doing his mantra cry on and off for 20 minutes before sleeping or escalating to full crying. Should I go in sooner if he doesn't settle faster? Sometimes when I go in, he gets more wound up and I end up wondering if I'd just left him, would he have slept on his own.

[nevinsmama]

If this were me and it was just a mantra cry I would just leave him. How old is your LO? I am finding with my LO ( 9 months) that less is more, even patting seems to be too * invasive* for her at times. Do you want to post your EASY, maybe he needs a bit of a change in A? Hope this helps!!:)

[jessmum46]

If my LO was taking that long to settle it would generally mean she was significantly UT or OT - happy to take a look at the routine if you'd like?

[Eggimou]

EASY
7am wake and BF
8am solids
920ish tired signs and sleep
1030-11ish wakes (stopped napping more than 1-1.5 hours) is this normal??
11am BF
Sleep 120ish
3ish BF
Etc etc
Bed at 630-7ish

DS has also starting waking after 20 mins and plays in crib crawling around and is completely awake. He's so happy and doesn't cry until about 20 mins after waking.

[jessmum46]

It sounds very much like some UT at play.... How old is he?  Does he have a third nap in the evening or just the two?

[Eggimou]

7 months. Is 2 hours 20 mins not enough awake time? He does start yawnin and rubbing eyes at this time.

[jessmum46]

Definitely UT then!  2h20 mins is really low for 7 months - most would be doing at least 3h by now and having two solid naps . The tired signs may just be that he is used to going for a sleep at that time, or that he is getting bored.  I would start adding 10mins to your A time every 3 days until you start getting longer naps of 1.5h again

[Eggimou]

Ok today I kept DS up a wee bit longer and he fell asleep right away! Bonus...however he woke 20 mins later he wakes screaming hysterically and won't be calmed. I got him up after 40 mins.

[nevinsmama]

Hmmm. 20 minutes is "usually" discomfort...ANything else going on? Maybe just hold the new A a few days and see how you go?

[Eggimou]

Yes teething! Ill continue with this plan...thanks for helping!

[Eggimou]

Very strange but this morning I told myself I'd just put baby to bed when he showed tired signs. He was awake for exactly 2 hours, fell asleep instantly and has been asleep solid for the past 1.15 hours....I'm confused now with the suggestion that he needs more activity time??

[jessmum46]

I'd have thought that was a catch up nap.....you've had some short naps recently?

[Eggimou]

Yes for about a week now. So this long nap was catching up from the previous weeks short naps? Wouldn't the 12 hours at night be enough rest for him to catch up?

[jessmum46]

I don't find that good nights are enough to catch up if naps are consistently bad.  We often need the combination of good nights AND shorter A times (to give longer catch up naps) before we can get back on track.  But you know him best - if you think that's all he can handle, then go for it.  If you start getting short naps again or EWs, you'll know you need to push the A time.