School run/routine for 7 month old

[teddy13]

Hi Kara,
I was just reading through this thread and I could really use some help with the 45 minute UT/OT cycle. My son is my second child. I had a lot more time with the first one and was able to have her napping 1.5 hours, twice a day at 7 months and 12 hour stretches at night. This is by far not the case with the second one. As a second child, he has to come to school with us in the am and this forces him to fall asleep in the car on the way to school. He barely gets a 40 minute nap in and then is trapped in the OT cycle. How can I fix this do you have any tips, all advice is welcomed. I am desperate for my LO to get restorative rest and sleep through the night soon.
Thanks so much

[*Kara*]

I have zero experience with school runs as my DD is an only child and I was a slave to her naps for the first year! 

Going to move you over to EASy to find a good routine that will take decent naps and school runs into account.

[teddy13]

Thank you so much. I was a slave to my first child's nap schedule too. But its impossible now. Thanks again

[jessmum46]

What does a typical day look like for you at the moment? 

What times do you need to be out of the house for school runs?

[teddy13]

HI a typical day goes something like this, but then again with two kids there is no set typical anything...lol but more or less this is how we go

7:00 wake up/bf/change diaper
8:00 fruit/rice cereal
9:00 nap in car on the way back from taking DD to school. Nap tops 30 minutes
9:30 up from car nap and in the house playing.
11:00 bottle 5 0z formula
12 noon nap 45 minutes
1pm veggies
2pm pick up DD from school
3:30 tired try to nap doesn't always work.
4:30 rice cereal
6:00 bath
6:30 breastfeed
7:00 bed
12 midnight wakes to feed
3 wakes to feed
6am or 7am wake up

[jessmum46]

Is there any way at all you can keep LO awake on the school run ie sing, chat, play games, give a toy etc?  That first short nap is really throwing off your day I think.  If you could hold off the nap until you get home LO could do a nap from 10-11.30/12 and then a second nap around 2.30/3 when you get back from picking DD up from school.  At this age most LOs are only having two naps and it looks like that would fit pretty nicely around your day.

Is your LO an independent sleeper? 

[teddy13]

Hi that's so funny,
I have been thinking the same thing all along. I am going to try that tomorrow. I am thinking that if I take my DD to school a tad bit earlier than he will not be so tired that he will fall asleep in the car. The whole trip is 30 minutes by the time I get home. I can try and keep him awake we will try tomorrow. Thanks. I will do this and see how the day goes. Today I kept him home, and I put him to bed at 10 and he still woke up at 40 minute mark. It's now 3:40 and he has only napped 90 mins today divided into 3 naps...
Last night he only woke twice which was great!
Thanks again

[teddy13]

Hi still struggling with the OT/UT its crazy. I feel like I am never going to be to able to beat it. I just can't get him the right kind of tired. He naps as soon as he is in the car, b/c he is OT. I will keep you posted of any good changes. Thanks for the support.

[jessmum46]

(((Hugs))), its tricky isn't it? 

If your LO does have a quick CN on the way to school, have you tried putting him down for his next nap a bit earlier, say 11.30am?  Just wondering if he's already OT by the time he goes down at 12 so the short naps continue?

[teddy13]

Hi there,
I have been trying everything for the past week. Nothing is working. He is always OT for his naps and UT for the first one. I have tried all sorts of things with his A time, it just seems to be that he is a 45 min sleeper. He goes down at night without nursing and without being held. I guess I just have to be patient and accept the fact that he may never be a long napper.
thanks so much

[jessmum46]

He will have longer naps eventually

Are you struggling to keep him awake in the car first thing?

Can you post what the day looks like currently?

(Sorry for slow reply - have been on night shifts this week so just catching up now) x

[teddy13]

Yes, keeping him awake even at home to increase his A time is super hard b/c he is always OT. The night before last he had his best night ever. He slept at 7:30 and woke at 5:30 and then again at 7:30 am for the day!!! I was so pleased. Last night he woke at 2am to feed. His naps are the worst part and whatever I try I cant seem to uncrack his A times. Thanks so much I will post his schedule in a few he is crying right now.