hard time settling 8.5 mo for naps...but nap length good???

[nona]

I'm having a hard time settling my 8.5 mo for naps lately. He has recently starting sleeping thru the night or has one NW. he doesnt' seem tired enough for his naps...here is our schedule on a good day (but lately wake up time is earlier (eg 8pm-6/6:30 since sleeping thru):

7 wake/bf
8 solids
10-11:30/12
12 wake/bf
1 solids
3-4:30/5 nap
5 wake/bf
6-7:45 solids/bath/pjs
7:45 bf/bedtime

The second nap tends to be harder for me. I'll admit, I don't have much of a wind down routine b/c never really needed it. Lately, he cries w/ such anger and then it makes it harder to get down. This AM, he wanted to nurse around 9am and he ended falling asleep so just let him nap. I do nurse before naps every once in a while but usually not. This afternoon nap, he was not acting tired at all - tried to put him down and he was so upset. We went back down stairs and then he wanted to nurse (one of the few tired signs he has). (I did not nurse.)Finally, after 45 min, he fell asleep on me rocking singing a lullaby. Everytime I tried to put him in the crib he freaked out. Also, my husband has an easier time getting him to nap than I do.

So, could this be SA or he just wants to keep playing with me? Lately, he seems to get really bored quickly and wants my attention a lot. In general, he seems kinda whiney with me, more so than my husband (kinda hurts me feelings  ) He is cutting a tooth but doesn't seem too bothered by it. We have been busier this summer and sometimes I time our activities so we are heading home around his PM nap. He usually falls asleep in the car and most of the time I can transfer to his crib. However, this does not happen everyday just 1-2 days a week. 

Also, when do most babies switch from 2-1 nap? We switched from 3-2 naps kinda early. 

TIA for any tips!

[malialeanne]

Hi Heather,

Most babies don't switch to 2 naps until between 12-18 months, but a LOT of babies start having issues with naps around 8-9 months as they get ready for the switch. Some moms start doing a shorter a.m. nap in order to preserve the p.m. nap. There is a ton of info in the 2-1 switch thread.

There is definitely an 8 month fussy phase--whining, short attention span, and generally seeming bored and fussy describe it perfectly! Also, babies usually act out for the person with whom they feel most comfortable--so don't be insulted when he fusses for you. It's really a compliment!

[nona]

ok you've just describe Cade! he has started this whining thing and it can be annoying (and funny).  i thought i was doing something wrong so that makes me feel a lot better.

 i hate waking him up from the AM nap to preserve the PM nap but maybe I should try it???  i'll check out the board but how long should I let him nap in the AM? what a bummer...love those long naps.

[rayne]

Hello,
I'm completely new at this so hopefully i'm doing things correctly .

I have a 8.5 month old daughter as well (9 months next week) and am having real difficulties with napping.  Unfortuantely I had to return to work for three months when Lila was 5months.  Fortunately my parents were able to take care of her during that time.  Unfortunately, Lila now has two huge nap "props" that I can't seem to shake.  She needs a bottle to go down and she also needs to be held!!!  I've tried the PU/PD for four days.  It worked for 2 days (1 hour to get her to nap for each nap) and then yesterday she didn't nap at all (except for a 30 min nap in the car to our doctor appointment) and today she is just extremely frustrated and crying as soon as we walk into her room.  I felt terrible so I rocked her and she is now napping. 
Currently, Lila is teething, her fourth tooth is coming in (already broken through) but we haven't had too much difficulty with teething.  She is also a very active baby.  She has been crawling since June 1 and she is also now crusing and standing. Sometimes standing for short periods of time on her own (very short periods).  Lila is also sleeping through the night - going to bed at night isn't much of an issue.  Sometimes she does fall asleep during her last bottle but she will mostly wake after and go down without many problems. 

Our schedule is:

730 wake - half bottle

830 solids

930 other half bottle

Nap sometime before 12 if we are lucky usually 30-45 minutes.

1230 solids

130-230 bottle

nap sometime before 430 usually a longer nap someitmes 2 hours.

500 solids

7pm bottle and bed.


What are we doing wrong and how can we help our little one:(

Elizabeth

[nona]

bump...

i'm bumping this up.....

ok, so my LO is no longer crying before naps but he is babbling FOREVER. he may fuss a little but then it quickly turns into babbling which last up to 30 min. he is doing this more often before bedtime as well. he is now 9 mo - should i extend A time in the morning? is it way too early for 1 nap? what if the one nap is 3 hrs in length? (just curious have not tried one nap yet).

i know you directed me to the 2-1 thread but it is a lot of posts to skim thru. it isn't very organized. 

TIA, Heather

[nona]

i wanted to add that this morning cade fell asleep approx 40 min after i put him down for a nap.

he has been sleeping thru the night but last two nights had NWs (one each night). this am, we woke him at 7ish and i put him down at 9:55am.

unfortunately we have to be somewhere at 11:45 so i'll have to wake him up.

is it unreasonable to start pushing back this nap and having an earlier bedtime?

also, we switched from 3-2 naps kinda early around 6 mo. cade refused the cat nap and was very difficult to settle for naps so i increased A time.

[malialeanne]

Hi Heather,

I do think it's too early for one nap at 9 months. However he could definitely be ready to reduce daytime sleep. Have you tried waiting until 10:30 and trying for a one hour nap, then putting him down for nap 2 (1 to 1.5 hours) around 3.5 hours later?

When cutting back his daytime sleep it might take a few days for him to adjust and for everything to even out in terms of A times and naps. If a one-hour a.m. nap doesn't help, you can continue to shorten it by 10 minutes or so. Some people do 40-45 minute a.m. naps.

Elizabeth, I'm sorry I didn't see your reply before. I would try for a similar schedule to the one described above. But it also sounds like you are dealing with a prop issue, which can cause more problems for daytime than nighttime (at night, babies are more naturally tired and ready for sleep, but in the daytime they'll often fight sleep harder). Have you been continuing with pu/pd? Many babies go through a period of crying when you enter their room during pu/pd, but that passes. Let me know how you're doing.

[nona]

that sounds great! i'll start trying that tomorrow! today is a mess already....

h-

[malialeanne]

Just to clarify, when I said nap 2 3.5 hours after the first nap I meant 3.5 hours after he wakes from his first nap. Hope this helps things, I usually find that longer A times do help in these situations. Also giving lots of physical activity, bouncing, crawling, etc. After lots of time in her carseat my baby is harder to get down for naps, I think because she hasn't done anything physical and isn't as tired.

[nona]

i understand and agree! after swimming lessons, etc, cade is easier to put down for a nap.