Please help me figure out my TOUCHY 8 month old

[momto4cs]

I'm still missing something because today was a wreck!

I think that I didn't push him quite long enough for nap #1 and he ended up waking after 50 minutes - but he woke crying which is unusual for him.  Slept from 9:20-10:10. 

For nap #2 he was rubbing eyes at 2 hr 20 min, but I thought that even after the short nap he could probably go 2 hr 45 min.  So I took him upstairs to feed him at 12:45 and he freaked out cried as soon as we went into his room.  I got him settled down and fed him and did w/d with him and tried putting him down for nap at 12:55.  He cried and cried - not a fussy mantra cry but a CRY.  I tried settling him but knew that there was no way that he was going to settle easily.  i really didn't know what to do because he was upset unlike he usually is.  Anyway, I went ahead and took him out of his bed wondering if he just wasn't ready for his nap and decided to try more quiet time and then give it another go.  We did about 15- 20 min. of quiet time - he was happy, playing, not at all looking tired but I thought that I should try again and the same thing - screaming when I put him down.  Of course this coincided with brother #3's nap time so I tried doing w/i w/o with Camden while trying to put brother down - but he continued to just cry and cry.  At this point brother (who is potty training) had a poop in his underwear so knowing that I wouldn't be able to clean him and help Camden I got Camden back out of bed.  After brother was clean and in bed I fed Camden again at 2:40 and put him down dozing.  He slept from 2:45-4 with me HTTJ at the 35 min. mark.

He is WAY fussy today - not his usual happy self - maybe teething?  I just don't know how to experiment with A times when it seems like no matter when I put him down he is kicking and screaming.  It makes me feel so bad for him! 

Any ideas on how I SHOULD have done nap #2?

THANKS!
Christine

[becky1969]

Boy, it's unclear on nap #2 what should have happened. In *my* house, that reaction would have meant he was probably UT to start with.  Then all the crying/carrying on wipes them out so then they get OT by the time the business is all done.     I can't be sure that's the case, but that's just how I would have interpreted events here.

Aw, Poor DS#3! poopy in his underpants! don't you love those moments? And they only come when there's chaos everywhere else. 

However, if teeth are on the move then he could be more tired because of it.  Just keep an eye out.  If it *is* teeth, then we'll have to wait to push.  But I also want to say that anytime you're changing routine you're going to have days like this when it all falls apart.  It's usually followed by a series of successes.  So I think you should keep with your current A time goals unless you see some definitive signs of teeth.


And can I just say how envious I am? You have the family I always thought I'd have! And as crazy as it gets I"m sure you wouldn't trade a minute.  I love boys so much, and if my body would have cooperated I would have had a whole baseball team!  (told that to DH 3 weeks into dating; it's a miracle he didn't drop me right there!)

[momto4cs]

You are so right - boys are a wonderful blessing!  Life with four kiddos is definitely crazier than I ever imagined it would be, but I feel so incredibly thankful for each one of them!  Having the fourth be a touchy LO certainly has changed how our family functions, but it is teaching us how to band together and care for each other!

So I'm not sure what was up with Camden yesterday, but thankfully he was back to his happy self today!  It's been several weeks since his first two teeth came in though, so I would guess he will be getting a couple more sometime soon. 

Today we had good luck with nap #1 - yeah! 

woke just a bit after 6 and went down for nap #1 at 9 and slept from 9:10-10:40.

Unfortunately nap #2 was a flop, but he went into his bed happy - and at this point that is as good if not better than a good nap to me .  I tried putting him down at an A of 2 hr 50 min planning for 10 min for him to fall asleep with the goal of an A time of 3hrs.  But I must have put him down too early because he played in his bed for over 20 minutes then he fussed a bit before falling asleep.  So it was in bed at 1:30, fussed a bit starting at 1:50, asleep at 1:55 or so.  And then he woke up crying at 2:35.  I was able to resettle him, but then he cried as soon as I left his room.  This seems like another down UT but got OT by the time he fell asleep nap.  I guess that I need to stretch the A time for this nap - maybe by 10 minutes or so?

[becky1969]

I think you're spot on with your assessment.  Give that a try.  You're making progress!

[huntersmummyinoz]

keep up the good work hun, you're doing great

[momto4cs]

Thought that I would give an update and say "thanks again" for all of the help!

I think that I have discovered the correct A times for naps now and most days we are getting 2 good naps of 1 hr 15 min or more...even some 2 hour naps - woohoo!  On days (like today) when one nap doesn't go so well I am trying hard to remind myself that in the end things will work out!  I keep hoping for predictability, but my husband keeps reminding me that maybe that just isn't life with Camden!

Do any of you know if there is a general pattern to most babies sleep at this age - as in 2 naps a day of x length and nights of x number of hours? 

Going back to the predictability thing - with my other boys I have always had them on fairly set nap times at this age (8 months), but I've been scared to try this with Camden.  Now that I have figured out some fairly reliable A times for Camden (for now!), it seems like having set nap times is a longshot.  Any ideas or did you just keep adjusting naps based on what they could handle for A times?

Thanks again!
Christine

[becky1969]

With Touchies set nap times don't usually work, at least until they get older (like after they've been on one nap for a few months).  I'd stick wtih using A time and adjust that length as he is able to stretch!  Your DH is right -- he must be wise!    Camden is different from your other children; perhaps the Universe sent him to help you learn to roll with the punches! LOL! 

Glad things are going well! As for what the 'average' is: At 8 months we typically see two 1-2 hour naps and 10-12 hours at night.  So we're looking at 12-16 hours of sleep.  Big range! I'd say most are doing about 3-4 hours daytime sleep and about 11-12 night.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

We are only just getting close to a set nap here, Spencer has been on one nap for about 6 weeks or so, but since her wake up is usually spot on, her nap falls at the same time because of that, not because I picked a particular time. (and she's only partly touchy and the older she gets the more that spirited side is coming out!)

At that age I think we did 3 - 3.5 h of naps and a 12 h night, so 15 hours about, which funny enough is exactly what she does now, just with one 3 hour nap instead! Glad to hear Camden is getting some good naps in, that's so great! 

Heidi

[huntersmummyinoz]

so glad to hear there is some good napping going on

A times always worked best for hunter until he started the 2 to 1 nap switch at 10/11mths (he started early!). then he settled into more predicatable times. even now tho i use a 'nap window' as i still need to consider his A time a little. so nap is usually at 1pm, but will range from 12.30 - 1.30 depending on if he woke early or late.

at 8mths old, hunter was on 2 naps (2hr + 1hr15 to 1hr30) and 11hrs night sleep, so about 14.5hrs total.