Short naps - how do I make them longer?

[mymay1]

Hi there,
DS is now 6.5 mo.

Just a bit of background
* We are on EASY since birth
* We started solids about a month ago
* We are now weaning him off dream feed - so far he is doing fine with it
* We are not STTN - the last few nights it is a single wake at 3 or 4am asking for paci (he falls asleep using paci, it is definetly a prop but he so need the sucking time so I'm not weaning him just yet)
* A time is shortest during the morning A. It is 2-2.5 in the morning while it is 2.5-3 at noon/afternoon.
In days when I can't [ut him ack to sleep - the catnap will be longer (usually 45 min and can reach up to 1:20).

My problem is his EW during day naps.
He has 3 naps a day (2 + catnap).
I would like him to sleep for 1.5 hrs during each of the naps (and then I might be able to skip the catnap)

His naps looks like that:
Falls asleep easily when I put him down (I slow down the A time a bit before naps) - using a paci
Then about 30-45 min. after he falls asleep I hear him turn in his bed and I find him awake.
Usually I'm able to put him back to sleep by gently holding him head down (he sleeps mostly on him tummy) and stroking him on his cheek and back of the neck.

This is not new. We've been having EW during day naps for a very long time . It was fine for a short while about 1.5 months ago but in the last few weeks I'm constanly struggling.


any ideas how I can make him sleep without waking up in the middle?
(sorry it is so long...)
Thanks,
My.

[mamatolevi]

Hi there!
Could you post your routine in EAS format so we can have a closer look? This is a tricky age - my DS was dropping the catnap at this age and things tend to go a bit wonky. Do you know if your LO might be teething? This caused short naps for us some days. The paci could also be a problem. If it falls out during the nap, transitioning can be difficult because he's used to falling asleep with it, kwim? Some mums choose to wean the paci when it becomes a problem, and others choose not to. I chose not too (I was too scared!). Now that DS is almost 11 months, he's got no problem transitioning and no problem at night because he can find it himself. I can't tell you which path to choose, it's totally up to you. It was a long few months, though!
Here are a few links for you to read through, let me know what you think!
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=186622.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64158.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65443.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64837.0
I hope you find some info in there that can help. Come back with whatever questions you have and we'll try to sort thing out!
Nikki
xoxo

[mymay1]

Thanks!
I was thinking that the catnap might be the problem so we started a new EASY yesterday (I was planning on a slow change by DS just jumped right in...)

The new routine is:
6:30 wake up
7:00 BF
7:15 A
9:30 Sleep
11:00 BF
11:15 A
12:45 Solids (lunch)
14:00 Sleep
16:00 Solids (Fruits)
16:20 A
18:00 Cereal + BF
18:30 bed time routine, bath + massage + story
19:30 Sleep

Yesterday we gave him his DF at 21:00 - 90ml
He woke up during the second nap ut it was very easy to put him back to sleep and he slept a bit over 2 hours

Is this new EASY seems right? Do you think it will help?
Let me know if there is anything you think I should change a bit before I get him used to it

Thanks a lot!
May.

[mamatolevi]

That routine looks fab! Sometimes they really surprise us don't they! If it's a big change for your LO, keep an eye out for OT while he gets used to it. It looks a lot like my DS' routine did at that age. You'll love the freedom of NO MORE CN!!!! If he starts to show signs of OT (short, cranky naps or lots of NW, general unsettledness), it's ok to pop the CN back in once in awhile when you need it, it will avoid a big OT spiral. Some days if we had a short nap, I'd let him sleep for 10 min or so in the car just to carry him through. Other mums opt for an early bedtime on those days, it's a personal choice. Let me know how you get on!
Nikki
xoxo

[mymay1]

Today was great as well.
He slept very well during his 2 naps, 1.5 hrs each.

Thanks for the tip about the CN.