nap

[ainsleys mom]

ok, so now my 4mo old is 2.5 hours into her morning nap.  She gets up at 7 am and her first nap starts at 8:30.  I realize she might think she is continuing her night with this nap, but how do i get her to change?  Right now her day starts at 7am and ends around 9pm.  How do I adjust her bed time up without her balking at it?

[gpmom]

My routine starts at 7 as well but we also end at 7.  What is your goal?  When do you want her in bed??
If you are on a 12 hour day, are you on a 3 or 4 hour EASY?
Whats your routine look like?
**Donsn't it seem weird to be compaining about to much sleep??

[ainsleys mom]

It is crazy to be complaining about sleep, especially since I bring her to work with me and I love the long morning nap.    We have been on a 3 hour easy but it looks like we are getting close to a 3.5.  I would like for her to be in bed by 8pm.  I know a 12 hour day would be ideal and I wouldn't mind her being in bed that early, I just don't think she will ever do it.  How should I move the bed time up?  Oh and since her eating schedule changes as much as an hour off a day, her bed times vary.  How am I supposed to get her down at the same time??  Any ideas?  It looks like my lo is only a month older than yours.  How is it going?

[gpmom]

It's going good for us.  Okay most days great, and on bad days (today) I feel very spoiled most of the time!

I used to let dd wake herself up, but then she was suffering at bed time because she was irritated or something, so we started waking her at the same time everyday.  I was so against this as I LOVE sleep, but it has worked out so much better for her.  We wake her at 7 and she goes to bed at 7. 
It took us a while to switch to the 4 hour but once we did it has worked great.  I did not think she needed it but I guess she did.  Have you tried watching the clock?   I would try waking at the same time, and napping etc to see where she is at and then you could move the bed time accordingly?  Dowes this make sense??
Good luck

[ainsleys mom]

We do wake her at the same time every morning but naps and bedtime vary.  Starting tonight we are putting her down between 7:30-8 instead of 9-9:30.  We will see how it goes.  I totally watch the clock, but sometimes her naps go too long or short.  What then?  Here is a typical day of hers.

7am wake and eat
8:40 sleep
anywhere from 10-11:30 wake and eat
then the whole day turns into usually a 3 hour feeding cycle with 30 minute naps thrown in until she goes to sleep.  Also she is a refluxer on meds so at 2 of her feeds we have to give her meds and hold her off 30 minutes before eating.  We hate giving meds, but they have really helped.

[gpmom]

I would think that her eating so eratically means she is ready for a change.  I would try for the 4 hour EASY.  I know when I changed dd was not napping well and I was worried she could not handle being up for 2 hours.  At first I had to hold her for the last 15 minutes before naps, but now she has no problem.  She started napping better agian, and was eating full feeds.
Do you think she wants to change?

[ainsleys mom]

I think she is ready and I am trying today.  However She ate 5 oz at 7am, was awake from 7-9 and has been asleep since 9.  It is now 11:15.  Am I supposed to wake her up to stay on the routine?

[gpmom]

Do what ever you think is best but if Daisy oversleeps I give her 1/2 hour extra then wake her.  I can always play with 1/2 hour and she must be tired.
Good luck whateveryou do/
Sounds like it is what she wanted!!

[ainsleys mom]

So I think the 4 hour easy would be ideal, but what do you do on days when she only takes 30 minute naps?  She did that on Friday and wasn't too cranky but she gets hungrier faster when she is awake so much.  Plus I don't think 2 hours total of napping is good for her.  She is having trouble staying asleep past the 30 minute mark now.  Any advice?

[gpmom]

How are things going?  Any better???