Wake 2 sleep no longer working??

[Lilasmom]

DS is a week shy of 4 months old.  He has been doing short 30-45 minute naps since he was about 2 months old.  I also have a DD who is 26 months, so, I'm usually only able to work on extending DS's lunch time nap (when DD is napping).  I've been using wake 2 sleep for quite sometime and 90% of the time I was able to extend his nap (he'd sleep 2+ hours).  This past week, I haven't been able to extend it at all!!!  So he's been having 5-6 short naps to make it through the day.  Because of this he's been snacking (BF) every 2 hours instead of eating every 3-3.5 hours.  His sleep time runs into his eating time, so i'll feed him before a nap hoping he'll sleep longer and not wake from hunger....ahhh we're all over the place.  Plus, he should soon be going to eating every 4 hours, and we can't get past 2 hours!!!  PU/PD isn't really applicable because he doesn't cry, he just wakes up and looks around.  Any suggestions???  We're on a downward spiral 

[momofclaire]

Could you post what his daytime routine look like?  I know you say it is all over the place, but it will help to have a look. 

Here comes a ton of questions....
How much A time do you think he can handle? Short naps can either be a sign of OT (overtired) or UT (undertired). 
Does he seem hungry every two hours?  How often is he hungry? 
Is he waking at night for a feed?
Could he be getting sick or cutting teeth?
Do you have an ideal EASY you are aiming for?

What does he do when he wakes? You mentioned that he doesn't cry.  Do you give him time to settle himself? If he isn't crying I would leave him alone and see if he goes back to sleep on his own.  It is possible that he has gotten to the point that developmentally he is trying to self soothe and you going in trying to extend the nap bothers him more than it helps. 

Post back and I will try to help you get things under control.
Myia

[Lilasmom]

Our daytime routine has looked like this the past week:
Wake 7:30am and BF
8:45 Nap (seems tired before full 1.5 hours.  I swaddle him, shut off the light and lay him down.  I give him his soother, stroke his face a little until he stops whining.  Then I back away, and schh him for 2-3 minutes and he falls asleep)
9:25 wake
10:00 BF (he fussed until I fed him, but only eats a few minutes then refuses the breast.  A lot of times he's still cranky after I feed him.  It's like he doesn't know what he wants.)
10:40 Nap (couldn't keep him awake any longer)
11:15 awake
12:00 BF (same as above)
12:20 brought him upstairs for a nap but he was quite fussy and didn't fall asleep until 12:35pm)
1:20pm awake
2:00pm BF
2:50pm nap
3:30pm awake
4:00 BF
4:50pm nap
5:30 awake
6-6:15ish BF
7:00pm bed
Last night he did not wake until 3:30am, then slept until 7:30am (which was the pattern he was consistently following before the short naps started).  THe night before he woke at 1am and 5:30am.  Sometimes he'll wake sometimes between 10-11pm, then again around 3:30am.  Generally his NW's follow one of these patterns.
When he wakes from naps he usually spits out his soother (if he hasn't already done so while sleeping). Then looks around, kicks his legs and then will start to whine and fuss (as if to say 'Mom, I'm awake.  Come and get me.')

I think he can tolerate 1 hour 20-30 minutes of A time after a good amount of sleep.
Every two hours he fusses and whines and flails his arms and legs like he is hungry.  I feed him, but he only eats 3-4 minutes then refuses the breast but is still quite fussy.  He isn't interested in his boucy chair, and nothing I do will distract him without him getting more fussy.  He's usually sleeping for 10-15 minutes at the 3 hour mark, so that doesn't work. 
I don't think he's getting sick.  He's been drooling a lot and chewing on his fingers but I don't see anything breaking through his gums.  Also, this week he's started rolling up from side to side.  He hasn't quite made it all the way over but he's working on it  .  He also has really started grabbing at toys intentionally and bringing them to his mouth. 

An ideal routine would be:
7:30am Wake & BF
9:00am S (I want to start trying to extend this nap.  My MIL has started coming over in the mornings and can look after DD)
10:30am E (want to start transtioning to 4 hour EASY.  He was easily able to tolerate 3.5 hours between feeds when he was having longer naps.)
12:00pm S
2:00 E
3:30 S
After this I just know I'd like him in bed asleep by 7:30pm for the night.  I think all I could do in the late afternoon is give him 2 short naps (at 3:30 and 5:30ish for 40 minutes or so.)and do a little cluster feeding at 5pm and again around 7pm.  At least until I get to a place where we're at a 4 hour EASY.  As for night wakings, I'd like to see him go back to one waking between 2-4am, or no wakings at all would be ok too!! 
 
 
 

[momofclaire]

Do you think it is possible that he is having a growth spurt?
When he wakes at 9:25 is he still tired or does he seem happy?  Do you try to shh/pat him back to sleep?
Do you think his fussing and flailing is really hunger or could it be pain?  I wonder if somethig you are eating is bothering him. Does he seem extra gassy?  To eat for 2-3 minutes and then refuse seems to be either belly pain or teething...I think he is a bit young to be teething but do his gums look red or swollen?

I would do your best not to feed him simply because he is fussing.  You don't want to create a snacker.  He should be able to go at least 3 hours between feeds and feeding him more often is only going to make him expect that. 

As far as where to go with a routine. I would attempt to get your 3 hour easy working, or maybe even a 3.5 hour easy before you try for four.  Have you had a look at the naps board?  I know there is a support thread for moms of 45 minute nappers.