I have an almost 4 month old baby boy (16 weeks), have been doing EASY routine since 1 week old, and we have been struggling with him waking after 45 minutes of his nap since about 9-10 weeks. I tried all the tips from the book and am usually always able to get him back to sleep but it is rare for him to sleep past the 45 minute mark without waking up (before 8 weeks he slept 1.5-2 hours without waking). I just sitting with him, give pacifier, and some shush-pat if needed (black out curtains also seemed to help). We were on a 3.5 hour schedule but his afternoon naps were getting harder and harder to get him back to sleep after 45 min so I started reading about transition to 4 hr EASY. We are now at 3 hrs 50 min between feeds for now and his awake time in 1 hour 50 min. My goal is a 2- 2 hour naps and 1 cap nap of 40-45 min in early evening which is what I read is normal at this age for EASY. He seems to do better with the extended A time but does get a little fussy but usually able to distract him, but still waking 45 min into naps. Also, he always goes down very easily for the start of his naps- sometimes sit with him but after doing swaddling often able to just lay him in crib and he falls asleep.
Any advice on helping him not wake up after 45 min? The past 2 days he woke up 45 min into 1st nap cooing and was able to put himself back to sleep without me going in, but his afternoon nap he gets quite fussy/crying some when he wakes at 45 min and has needed me to sit with him, give pacifier, and shush pat to calm down.
Also, how do you do the cap nap? I've tried to extend his A time to 2 hrs 30-40 min awake before the cat nap so he stays awake longer and then sleeps ~45 min so when he wakes up it's time to nurse. Is that too long for A time? Would you do 2 hr awake then 45 min cat nap then another A time of 45 min or so before time for next feed? I'm confused on this part and a friend is borrowing my books right now.
Here was our schedule from yesterday:
E 7:07 am
A
S 8:50 slept 39 min put himself back to sleep and slept another 1 hr 25 min had to wake for feed
E 10:55 am
A
S 12:45 pm slept 39 min and had to sit with him and give pacifier, went back to sleep for another ~1 hr 20 min and had to wake for feed
E 2:55 pm
A
S 5:35 pm 37 min (cat nap)
E 6:34 pm
A bath time
S 8:00 pm
(*I usually always do a dream feed between 10-11pm but honestly I fell asleep after a long day and missed it! Oops!
E 1:53 am
Here is our schedule so far from today:
E 7:18 am
A
S 9:08am slept for 45 min woke up and went back to sleep on his own - total nap 1 hr 45 min (woke on his own)
E 11:08 am
A
S 12:58 am slept for 45 min woke up very fussy/kicking and I went in sat with him, gave pacifier, put in crib, woke up crying/fussing immediately, repeated sit, shush-pat, pacifier put in crib and slept another 48 minutes (woke on his own)
E 2:56 pm
A- this is where we are now (this A time is where I'm confused if I extend it longer than 1 hr 50 min before cat nap; I know there is no way he can stay up 3 hrs to cat nap for 45 min, but I've been trying to keep awake 2 hrs 30 min)
Thanks so much for your advice and help!
