Is it worth it?

[Mrsappleton]

Hi everyone,

After a few rough weeks with my little man, I posted on the easy forum to get tips on how to sort out his routine.  With things now changed and him moved onto 3.5hr easy, we are still getting 30min wake ups at each nap. 

He is 20weeks today, easy routine right now is:

E -7am
S - 9am (wakes at 9.30, can resettle easily)
A - 10.30

E - 10.30
S - 12.30 (sleeps for half an hour, wakes and almost impossible to resettle.  If he dozes off, I have to stay next to his cot or he hears me leave.  I'm quite literally trapped!!)
A - 2pm

E - 2pm
S - 4/4.15 attempt a cat nap, takes a long time to fall asleep.
A - 4.30/4.45

E - 5.30
6pm bath, 6.30 bottle, 7pm bed.  DF at 10pm, 4am nw and feed.

My issue is the lunch time nap.  After 4 days he's not settling any easier and my question is, seen as he's right in the middle of this 4-6 month sleep regression stage, should I just get through this nap by apop (buggy, sleeping on me, sling). Is it worth the trauma of sitting in room for an hour just so he sleeps....

With 2 other children, I can't really afford to lose that hour if you see what I mean?  Every other aspect of the routine is working well, just 1 nap he struggles with extending.

Hope someone can help.

Gemma.x

Oh I've just realised my easy routine is written all back to front!!  I do apologise....  Hope it makes sense.

[nozzel]

HI Mrsappleton,
My DD is almost 19 weeks and her A time is 1 hour 40 mins, which I only got correct this week. I am only after starting to get her to take long naps in the afternoon, only this week so I am no expert. What I have also started doing is playing white noise for 60 minutes in her cot, so when she wakes after 45 minutes, the white noise is still going and she re-settles.
So, you could try and reduce your A time by 5 minute increments and see if that helps to get longer naps. Hope it helps! Obviously a mod will be able to give better advice.

[amayzie]

Babies will often sleep for less time in the afternoon period. It might be a good idea for you to do some APOPing to extend that nap. WHen you have other bubs in the house you often have to prioritise your sleep training efforts. If you can spend the time on the first napmaking sure your LO 'banks' a good long nap (at least 1.5 hours) then you can afford to have a shorter nap after that- or to use some APOP methods to get their sleep quota over the line. I would think you need to do SOMETHING to extend that nap from 30 mintues or your LO will end up too tired. But that could be in the carrier, car or buggie.