9 wo not getting enough A time?

[sherylfarrar]

Hi wondering if anyone can help as I'm starting to feel this isn't working for us.
My 9 wo only seems to be up for between 30 and 40 minutes before the first yawn but I'm wondering if I'm misreading him as it's often 30 minutes before I can leave the room. In the middle of the night and his first nap in the morning he goes to sleep really easily with little help from me. In the day and going to bed at night I'm putting him down after the first yawn he gets swaddled then taken upstairs I put him down wide awake as I was letting get drowsy cuddled into my shoulder but then he would cry and it would take ages to settle him in his crib. Also for the first mayb 10 minutes he seems wide awake even thiugh he is yawning.
At the end of last week he was going down better in the day not as well as at night but better than now and he would go to bed at 8 no problems but I think he was overstimulated with the easter weekend and he's also had injections this week.
My main problem is I also have an 18 mo and I'm having to leave him for a huge portion of the day as I'm constantly upstairsresettling but hhe's a bit too loud and boisterous to take up with me.
Any advice on getting him down in the day would me much appreciated.

[jessmum46]

This might help - Is my baby ready to increase his ‘A’ time? (incl. 'A' times for younger babies). As you can see an average awake time at 2 month would be around 1h15-30, so yes if you are trying for naps after 30-40 mins that is likely too early.  For many babies by the time you see the first yawn it is already too late, but for us, if I put DD down at that point she was never actually ready to sleep.  Following cues is really important, but also keep one eye on the clock just to check that you're seeing sleepy signs when you'd roughly expect them.

Have you thought about baby wearing at least for some naps to give you time with your toddler?  You can still work on one or two naps a day in the crib, but that might give you more flexibility?

[sherylfarrar]

Thanks I have tried keeping him up longer still only manage about an hour normally, I've tried keeping him up slightly longer but then he starts getting fussy and he's just been fed and changed and doesn't want to engage in any activity so I put him to bd. Sometimes it only takes his dummy sometimes the shush pat but he more often than not goes down easily but is waking after 45 mins to an hour I have tried disturbing him slightly but either he's too asleep or whether I disturb him or not it sometimes takes 30 mins to drop back off then I'm having to wake him for his next feed. I think half the problem is when he disturbs he wants to suck on his dummy but he then pulls it out he tries sucking on his fists but he cant always find them. I'm new to the dummy as my eldest never had one any ideas how I can help him with this would be appreciated as he's getting so tired. At night he is fine will sleep between 5 and 6 hours.
Thanks
Sheryl

[jessmum46]

If he is managing an hour now, stick to that consistently for 3 days.  The next 3 days, push it to a consistent 1h05.  Next 3 days, 1h10 etc.....until you get longer naps . He doesn't have to be doing "an activity" - sitting looking at you or a cuddle/walk around is more than enough.  Perhaps you could put him in a sling or wrap for the last part of A time if he's getting fussy?  I have no experience with the dummy I'm afraid - never used one here.  I'm guessing if he can't hold it in himself you might need to be there at the transition point (45 mins or so) to hold it in for him?