Getting Sleepy Too Soon...Please Help!

[Jillianleaparsons]

Hello All,

I just read Tracey's book last week and i'm hooked!  I have a 4.5 mo little boy (textbook/spirited).  He was badly tongue-tied at birth and we didn't discover and correct this until 6wks.  By that time he was not gaining weight properly and my milk supply was severely diminished.  He is now happy and healthy and we have just gotten the OK from the doc to stop feeding on demand.  Unfortunately now, because of what was required up to this point, we had a lot of bad habits.  He had never been on any sort of routine, he was a snacker (including every 1.5-2hrs through the night) and he would only fall asleep on my chest.   

In the week since reading Tracey's book, we have gotten him on a 3.5-4hr EASY, he is no longer snacking and he is sleeping through the night in his own room after being put down awake. I am thrilled with the progress we have made in such a short time and am proud of my little guy for being so adaptable!  However, we still have some areas that need work.  His daytime naps are shorter than I think he needs, but he wakes up so happy i'm not sure how to get him to sleep longer.  This wouldn't be an issue, except he is only awake for 45min or so before showing signs that he is sleepy again.  If I put him down for another nap, then he's awake way before his next scheduled E time if I want to keep him to 4hrs (which I know he can manage!). I figured I must be OS him which is why he gets so tired so quickly, so i've dialled way back on our activity level, but he still seems sleepy way before the typical 1-1.5hrs.  Our EASY looks something like this...

E - 7
A - 7:20-8:15
S - 8:30-10 (stays in crib until ~10:30 with me in and out of the room and reading to him)
E - 10:45
A - 11:00-12:15
S - 12:30-1:30 (stays in crib until ~2:00 with me in and out of the room and reading to him)
E - 2:30
A - 3:00-4:00
S - 4:00-4:45
A - 4:45-6:00
E - 6:00
A - 6:15-6:30
A - 6:30 bath, read a story
E - 6:45 Bottle
S - 7:00
E - 10:30 dreamfeed

I am breastfeeding throughout the day, then we give a bottle of formula before bed.

Any thoughts???

[creations]

Hello and welcome to BW forums

I just had to post a massive whoop whoop for how well you've done in the space of a week! Fabulous!

Your EASY actually looks great to me. I would probably just get him up when he wakes after the 1.5hr rather than keeping him in bed, the 30 mins relaxing could be impacting on his next nap. If you get him up when he wakes from nap 1 he gets an additional 30 mins active A time rather than relaxing dosing A time, this could help him take a better nap 2 which is coming at a reasonable time but he could be a little UT (under tired) for it due to that 30 min relaxing. Make sense?
Keeping him in his crib for the additional 30 mins at the end of nap 2 is slightly different as here it would be great if he learned to sleep a little extra, to get to the 1.5hr mark. Although it is your choice really, there's no great harm in getting him up after the 1hr nap and just getting on with your day.

At this age he can be showing those sleepy signs for reasons other than tiredness. A well slept LO can yawn soon after a decent nap (do you remember what a lie in is like? You get extra sleep and then when you wake you keep yawning?) and it's actually because they slept well. Also at this age he is becoming more and more aware of his surroundings and more active, a yawn can be a sign of needing a change of scene or different activity (ie boredom) rather than only tiredness which you'd be likely to see in a younger baby.  I wouldn't put him down for another nap after only a short time - the times in your EASY above look good really!

WRT feeding. It's worth knowing that some babies can't get to a full 4hrs, don't feel like you failed if you need to feed at 3 or 3.5 hrs. My DS needed to take milk every 3hrs until he was 6 months old when he was able to move to 4hr E due to having a solid feed between.  It's fine for there to be some A time between S and E (so more like EASAEAS) if he can wait the 3.5-4hr for E. Also just watch out for any E times bumping into naps and feed a little earlier or later as needed.  And watch out for growth spurts, he may still need some extra feeds when he is having one.

I hope now that your DS is healthy and sleeping better you will make the most of a little Y time - I think you have thoroughly earned it with all those night feeds through his first months

[Jillianleaparsons]

Thank you so much for the quick reply!
I took your advice today and have done longer A times and both naps have been a bit longer and he has slept more soundly!! Thank you hopefully the trend continues

[creations]

Wonderful news
Hope it continue to go well, but do post any time you need help or have another question
Hope you settle into the forums and feel as 'at home' as the rest of us very soon.