18wk sttn but short naps and will only sleep in cot!!

[Ilmb]

Lo is 18weeks old, bf with one ff at dream feed.
She sleeps brill at night, generally 7-7 (wakes for df and change at 10.30).
She self settles by sucking her fingers and wont take a dummy.

She used to take ages to get to sleep at naps and would scream for up to an hour each time. After extending her a time and working on a wind down routine she now gets her to sleep by about 15mins (quiet&dark room, rock, ,sing, mobile, shh/pat) and this has been working well (she still cries out for a few mins just before sleep) which I'm delighted about.

She used to have two 2 hour naps a day and then a cat nap (45mins-hour), but for the last week she has been waking up after 45mins or an hour or hour 10. I've been going into her before these times and shh-ing and putting hand on her to try and ease her through transitions with some success. If she doesnt get through transitions and wakes up cranky then i try and get her back to sleep -most of the time have resorted to finishing her naps with a walk. If she wakes up smily then we just have a time, but she is generally more cranky throughout the day if she has shorter naps. If she wakes at 1h20 or later I just appreciate that as a full nap.

I'm wondering if anyone has ideas for getting my lovely lo to sleep longer at naps... Is it to do with her day timings??! Or should I not be trying to get her to sleep longer? Should I just do easa instead?

This is today's easy (this give or take a bit has been the last few days)

E 7
Wind down 8.45
S 9
went in to try and ease her through 45min mark but at 9.50 she woke up, shh/pat her and sleep again at 10.20
E 11.20
Wd 13.00
S 13.15
went in to try and ease her through wake up but at 13.45 she woke up, shh/pat her and sleep again at 14.00 but she woke up after 10 mins screaming.. Couldn't calm her so resorted to walking her to sleep until 15.00
E 15.15
Wd 16.40
S 16.50
A 17.35 (woke her up!)
Wd 18.15 bath every few days
E 18.30 (she normally falls asleep whilst feeding,  sometimes awake so shh/pat to sleep-doesn't normally take long. Normally feed her bit later but she was very grouchy tonight so fed earlier.)
S 19.00
E 22.30 (ff)

My other issue is.. I can't get lo to sleep anywhere other than in her cot. I know this is generally what people strive for and it is great. However, it would be good if I could get her to sleep in other places.. She'll sleep in pram/car seat but as soon as I stop she wakes and cries. She won't sleep on me. It's making it hard to get out of the house and i am feeling quite isolated currently.  But if I go to a friends and lo gets tired she just screams. Any tips on encouraging sleep in other places? We are in the process of encouraging a lovey, but at the moment it just seems to distract her!

Final question... Do babies ever just fall asleep? Will she always scream before a nap/sleep?

Thanks very much in anticipation. I think this board is fabulous!! Xx

[*Kara*]

It sounds like she needs a little push in her A times.. she may be a touch higher than average for her age, as some babies are.

Waking at the end of a sleep cycle and eventually going back to sleep after some time generally means she is still tired, just not tired enough to transition on her own... maybe try 2 hrs 10 mins as her first A time and see how she does?

What do you think?

[Ilmb]

Hi, thanks so much for your response. Increased a time this morning and she went down like a dream-first time ever of no crying!! Thankyou! Unfortunately she woke up after 30mins.
Think she was teething this afternoon as very grouchy (ftm so am guessing this!)- could this be a reason for short naps?
Would you suggest having 2h10 a time for each waking. Here is today's easy. Thanks again.

E 6.45
A
Wd 8.45
S 8.55 (no fuss!!)
woke up 9.25 fine so left her to it hoping shed get back to sleep. 9.35 fussing so put her back on side and shh pat and she calmly went back to sleep
S 9.40
E 10.40
A
Wd 12.35-total screaming melt down (I think bcos I'd just had to do full change from accident). Ended up rocking to sleep
S 12.50
A 13.50 woke screaming. Inconsolable even when on walk (screaming in pram down street!) think must be teething (dribbling lots!) just tried to comfort through the tears
E 14.45 fell asleep whilst feeding (don't generally do this during the day but there was no stopping her sleeping!)
s 14.50
E 15.20
A very grizzly
Fell asleep in carrier on walk (for 5mins), woke as soon as got in at 16.45 and very unhappy. Pat/shh to sleep
S 17.00
A 17.45 (woke her up)
Wd 18.15 bath
E 18.45
S 19.10 (fell to sleep on me.. Oops!)

[*Kara*]

Oh dear... first nap was likely OT though teething pain will cause LO to wake as well... more common to wake at 45 mins with pain though...  Could just be OT from a longer A time so stick with it for a few days...

As for the rest of her day, yes, keep A times at the same as first A time...

BUT - If LO takes a nap less than 90 mins, you absolutely need to reduce her following A time to keep OT down.  She needs a nap of 90 mins to be fully restored and able to do a full A time.  If she naps for an hour or a bit more, reduce her next A time by 20 mins or so... if she naps 45mins - 1 hr, reduce by about 30 mins. if she naps less than 45 mins, keep a very close eye on her for tired signs as she likely won't be able to handle very long at all.. max 1 hr 30 mins.

Good luck hun!

[Ilmb]

Oh wow-what a day!! Thankyou so much for your help kara. I know it's only only one day and could all change tonight/tomorrow  but today was fantastic. She has settled down to naps with very little fuss (compared to the screaming I had been having) and with a little help and lovely long naps.. Hurray! With a little luck this will continue.. Thankyou! Just thought I'd post today's easy too just incase anyone else has been having similar issues.
Fri
E 6.50
A
Wd 8.50 bit moany in mobile
S 9.00 sat with her with light pressure and shh from 10.10
E 10.30
A
Wd started at 12.25 (after change) but could see ready for sleep didn't do mobile
S 12.30 pat/shh through at 13.25
E 14.30
A
S 16.30 went down with very little crying (30s)
A 17.15
Wd 18.  15
E 18.35
19.00 put in cot and shh/pat
S 19.10

happy mummy!! (Just hope she sleeps through again now!)

[*Kara*]

Good news!  Fingers crossed for you hun!