Hi...I read the FAQ's and I think I know what I have to do but this is my first baby and I would like some clarification on whether I'm doing the right thing or not...
Here's Ashton's schedule (he's 6.5 months old) ...
7:00 - Awake and 6 oz
8:00 - Breakfast (usually doesn't eat much)
9:00 to 9:45 - Asleep (morning nap is usually a short one but always wakes happy)
10:45 - 5-6 oz
12:00 to 2 or 2:30 - Asleep (he will usually nap the longest in the afternoon)
3:00 - 5-6 oz
4:00 - supper (usually eats the most solids here)
4:30 to 5:15 - catnap (wakes up pleasant)
6:00 - bath, bottle, in bed by 7:30
Dream feed anywhere from 9:30 to 11:00 (5-7 oz)
Ashton always goes to sleep on his own in his crib...thanks to BW I stopped nursing him to sleep and got him on a schedule...
He has a lovie but I try not to give him a pacifier if I can help it....
I just recently switched him from the 3 to 4 hour schedule but I haven't increased his A time - which is 2 hours (you can almost set your watch to it...) After 2 hours of awake time he'll rub his eyes and yawn. I take him to his room, close the curtains, give him his lovie, sing him a song and put him in the crib. Usually he’s asleep in less than 5 min.
My problem is that the last two days he’s not doing the catnap. His morning and afternoon schedule has stayed the same so that means that he’s awake at 2/2:30 and then wants to sleep at 6. I’ve been keeping him awake until 6:30 until I have to give him his bottle (which he normally doesn’t get until 7) and then he falls asleep eating. That’s a bad habit I really don’t want to start ...Plus then he wakes up early for his DF... I only recently got him to drop the middle of the night feeding and I'm afraid that if his DF is too early he'll start wanting to eat during the night again...
These are my questions:
1. Should I start extending his A time? Do I extend it 15 mins every 3 days until he can stay awake 3 hours?
2. Is the reason that his morning nap is short because he's not staying awake long enough before it?
3. What should I do if he wakes up at 2 and won't catnap? Do I put him to bed really early or try to keep him awake until his regular bedtime of 7/7:30?
4. Also, because of his short morning nap and wanting to sleep around 12 I’m not sure when to give him lunch?
Whew..that was long...thanks for any advice you can give me!
