6 month old, 3-2 naps

[Ethan's Mom]

Hi everyone, Im also have a problem with my DS's 3-2 nap. He is currently 6mo and his routine generally is ( I mention E as BF, while solid is an hour after E ) :

Notes : there are some days when he took 2h am nap & 1.5h pm nap or both 2h naps

Wake up : 6.30am
BF  : 6.30am
E  : 6.30am
A  : 6.45am
S  : 9am
E  : 10.30am
A  : 10.45am
S  : 1pm
E  : 2.30pm
A  : 2.45pm
E  : 5pm
S  : 5.40pm

My DS always gets sleepy at 6am, therefore mostly he has go to bed latest at 6.20pm. When he takes 2h both AM & PM naps, then things are no problem. At least if he takes 2h am nap and 1.5h pm nap, he would have latest activity time of 3 hours before going to bed.

But things get worst when he takes both 1.5h am & pm naps cause he would have activity time of 3.5 hours before his 6pm nap. I tried to put him down to sleep at 5pm, but he didnt drop off to sleep.

Im just worry if this could lead overtiredness. Specially this past 1 week he starts to wake up at 8.30pm & 3am which I still discuss in Night Waking Board what lead this problem. Any advice would be appreciated.

[~Alexa~]

Hi hun!! So how long are your lo's naps in the routine you posted? Could you add the nap lengths? Something like this:

Wake up 6.30 am
E. 7 am BF
Solids 8 am
A. 7 - 9.30 am
S. 9.30 am - 11 am

And so on?

May be your lo is not ready for the 3-2 nap transition.  Babies should be able to handle 2.75/3 hrs A to drop the catnap and move to 2 naps.  Have you tried offering a short catnap (30 min) from 4.30-5 pm, so you can have a later bedtime, may be 7 pm?

Hope this helps,
Alexa

[Ethan's Mom]

Hi Alexa, thanks for the response. My DS's routine is below ( solid is always one hour after BF )  :

Wake up : 6.30am


IF MY DS TAKE BOTH 2H AM&PM NAP
E  : 6.30am ( BF )
A  : 6.30am - 9am
S  : 9am - 11am
E  : 11am
A  : 11am - 1.30pm
S  : 1.30pm - 3.30pm
E  : 3.30pm
A  : 3.30pm- 6pm
E  : 5.30pm
S  : 6pm

IF MY DS TAKE BOTH 1.5H AM&PM NAP
E  : 6.30am ( BF )
A  : 6.30am - 9am
S  : 9am - 10.30am
E  : 10.30am
A  : 10.30am - 1pm
S  : 1pm - 2.30pm
E  : 2.30pm
A  : 2.30pm- 5pm
E  : 5pm
S  : 5.40pm

IF MY DS TAKE BOTH 2H AM&PM NAP
E  : 6.30am ( BF )
A  : 6.30am - 9am
S  : 9am - 11am
E  : 11am
A  : 11am - 1.30pm
S  : 1.30pm - 3.30pm
E  : 3.30pm
A  : 3.30pm- 6pm
E  : 5.30pm
S  : 6pm

IF MY DS TAKE 2H AM NAP & 1.5H PM NAP
E  : 6.30am ( BF )
A  : 6.30am - 9am
S  : 9am - 11am
E  : 11am
A  : 11am - 1.30pm
S  : 1.30pm - 3pm
E  : 3pm
A  : 3pm- 5.30pm
E  : 5pm
S  : 5.45pm

If I give him catnap at 6pm, he is still not sleepy yet. Should I resist on putting him on a catnap for though it would only 1.5h - 2h since his last wake up ( currently he is able to stay awake for 2.5h ) ?

[~Alexa~]

Hi there!! Your routine looks pretty good to me! Your lo is taking long naps (1.5 - 2 hrs) which is GREAT!! 

So, keep doing what you are doing b/c it seems to be working.  I guess the only thing you could do when your lo takes 2x1.5 hr naps is to offer a short catnap.  So he doesn't go to bed at 5.30 pm.  So something like this:

IF MY DS TAKE BOTH 1.5H AM&PM NAP
E  : 6.30am ( BF )
A  : 6.30am - 9am
S  : 9am - 10.30am
E  : 10.30am
A  : 10.30am - 1pm
S  : 1pm - 2.30pm
E  : 2.30pm
A  : 2.30pm- 5pm
E  : 5pm
S  : 5.40pmOffer a short catnap from 4.30 - 5 pm, and then have bedtime at 7 pm.  Or you can even have the catnap a bit earlier and have bedtime earlier too.  May be from 4 - 4.30 pm and then bedtime at 6.30 pm.  Remember he catnap is a freebie, so you can do some APOP to get your lo to sleep.  So rock him, feed him to sleep, walk him, go for a walk in the pram, a car ride, whatever works so your lo sleeps 30 min.  Your lo doesn't need to be too tired for the catnap, just a bit tired b/c we only want a short catnap.

How is it going with the NWs?

Let me know how things go
Alexa

[Ethan's Mom]

Hi Alexa, thanks a lot for the advice. I'll try to put my LO for a catnap today. Sorry, what is APOP ( btw is there any board in this website about all the abreviation mostly used ? ) ? Ok, back to the NW, today is the 12th day of the NW. At the beginning, I thought it was a growth spurt / development milestones, but it last more than a week. Mostly he wake up somewhere at 8.30pm and 3am. Could he be overtired due to not taking a catnap ? I wonder if it is teething, but I couldnt see any white bumps on his gum. Mostly he would wake up crying / screaming, then I feed him and he back to sleep ( he has started solid for 12 days ).

[~Alexa~]

It could be a GS.  There is usually a major growth spurt at 6 mo.  So try to tank him up during the day.  He is having 4 BF during the day, so may be fit one more in between of those BF.  Remember that milk is the main source of nutrition for babies until 12mo.  Solids before 1 yo are just for fun. Milk has much more calories than any solid, so milk is what makes babies STTN.  So try to tank him up with milk during the late afternoon.  May be offer a milk feed at 4 pm, and then offer another milk feed before going to bed for the night. Just for a couple of days to see if that makes him sleep better during the night, so instead of 4 BF have 5 for these next days.

APOP = Accidental Parenting on Purpose   Here's the site with the acronyms.  http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=51772.0

Hope this helps
Alexa

[Ethan's Mom]

Hi Alexa, thanks for the advice. I'll try to give him extra feed by tommorow. Thanks for the acronyms site info !

[Ethan's Mom]

Hi Alexa, I put him for 2 naps & 1 X catnap at 4pm yesterday. He back to STTN last night. I dont know if the 3-2 naps was the problem, I'll put him for a catnap again tonight and see how it works. Talking about APOP, what kind of AP could I implement for his catnap ? When he was younger, he had nurse to sleep association. Then at 5mo, I did PU/PD. Currently he sleep easily with some pat ( after long longggg journey :-) ). But I found that sometimes he resist having a catnap for though he seems a lil bit tired ( he would screams and protest ). Can I nurse him for a catnap ?

[~Alexa~]

Do whatever works for him to sleep 30-45 min.  So, if nursing to sleep works, then go for it! The catnap is considered a freebie, so you can do whatever works!  When it comes to APOP for sleep, I rock my lo, b/c that's what works with Patrick.  Some moms go for a walk in the pram, others go for a car ride, whatever works....I know that a walk in the pram doesn't work with Patrick b/c he wants to stay awake for watching everything that's going on around him, so do whatever works with your lo.