babbling before sleep - 5.5 mo

[pdx_mommy]

For the last several days DD is babbling during the wind down for up to 15 minutes!  Not sure what to do...  let her talk in my arms? in the crib?  When babbling she won't take a paci but when babbling turns to fussiness she will take paci and drop off to sleep quickly. 

For wind down we change diaper, turn off lights, shut the door, close the blinds and say goodbye to sunshine and day, etc, then sit in the chair.  This is when she talks up a storm!  We used to sit for a few minutes with a paci and her eyes would close and then I'd put her in the crib, swaddle and she'd go off to sleep on her own or with a little shh/pat.  But now she just babbles while in my arms. 

We've noticed that she babbles especially if OT.  The solution is not to let her get OT, I know, but sometimes it just happens, KWIM?  The babbling is now at almost every sleep time and today at the first nap so not really OT.   I want to avoid any bad habits and AP!   Help please!  Thanks.

Here is our routine, although it varies slightly day by day...
E 6:30
S 8:15 - 10 *am long nap, used to be 45 min, thanks for advice previously!*
E 10:30
S 12:15 - 1:00 *still with 2 short afternoon naps*
S 2:15 - 3:00
E 3:00
S 4:45 - 5:30
E 7:00
BT 7:30
DF 10:30
generally 0-1 NW, no feeds at night

[brenda2]

sounds like you are doing quite well!  great nights!  and good job on the first nap!

i wonder if you'd get more long naps if you increased her A time a touch?

babbling is ok.  if you put her down will she babble to herself and then go to sleep?  or babble and then cry?  my LO always babbles away for 2 -20 min and then just goes to sleep.

[pdx_mommy]

she babbles then gets fussy/cries.  sometimes we just let her babble then when she gets fussy we give her the paci and she falls asleep.  paci addiction at its worst.  perhaps we'll let her babble in the crib and see what happens?

[brenda2]

yeah, i'd let her babble in her crib and don't go in until she actually cries.  don't go in for fussy or mantra cry.  let her try to work it out on her own.  if she's not waking at night for paci and having good naps i doubt she's that addicted.  does she always need it to fall asleep in the first place?

[pdx_mommy]

yes she usually needs it to fall asleep.  how long should I give her of fussy or mantra cry before I step in?  It feels like it could go on for a long time...  30+ minutes...  she rarely has an actual cry.

[brenda2]

i wouldn't go in at all if it's just fussy or mantra cry.  (as long as you are positive it's a mantra cry).  this is from my experience - if DD was just fussing and i went in it very quickly escalated into an all out cry which was way harder to settle her.  most of the time she was just fussing even if it went on for a long time she would eventually settle herself.