trying to cut the CN - 8 months

[creations]

Sounds like you're on top of it.
With a slightly longer first A and maybe a couple of days of helping her transition to extend that first nap she could well start getting a nice long nap there quite soon.  Fingers crossed for you

[*Becky*]

I feel very despondent.

Today
A - 6am
S - 9.15-9.55am
S - 12.45-2.10pm

what do I do now???

Can you see something I can't? Should i be pushing that first nap out more? With a 6am wake and a short first nap I find it so hard to get to a reasonable time for the second nap.

[*Becky*]

well she fell asleep next to me from 4.25-5pm.

Creations hun, what do I do?? Am I missing something? I don't really know what my plan should be with her and i need a plan!

[creations]

I know it's hard, it's going to take a little time and a little assistance for her to adjust and get into a new routine.
If you want to push her harder so it goes faster then do so.  There's a risk of OT, you know that, but she'll adjust to it.

The first A needs increasing (go up to 3hr 30 tomorrow if you think she can manage it)
The first nap could do with some assistance extending if you are able to leave your DS whilst you do it (I'd go in at 35min and hover over her ready to shush/pat or whatever your adapted version is so ease her into the next cycle as quickly as possible).

You might be looking at something like this:
WU 6.00
A 3hr 30
S 9.30 - 10.15
A 3hr 15 (or push harder 3hr 30)
S 1.30 - 3.00 (or 1.45 - 3.45)
A 3hr (reduces this A to BT to help bypass the CN. 2hr 45)
BT 6.00

It's only a guide.  Remember all LOs are different and you're the only one who knows your LO, what she can handle, when she is getting grouchy and tired etc.

You are on the way there.  There's almost always some CN days during the drop from 3-2.
((hugs)) for you Becky.  I know it seems like it takes a while, it just can't happen over night but you are making headway.
xx

[*Becky*]

thank you. We got a 1.20 nap this am but we did not have a great night. Just put her down for second nap now at 2.40pm. We worked on a 3.15 A time this am and 3.15 after that. The only reason I did not push for 3.30 is because M often wakes before she calls me in the am - maybe i just need to go from when I hear her though. what do you think?

[*Becky*]

so this was today
A 6.45am
S - 10-11.20am
S - 2.40 - 3.20pm ??

Do you think I should have pushed the A time more??

[creations]

Did you help extend the first nap up to the 1hr 20 or did she do it on her own?
Second nap is short, looks possibly UT but you need to take into account what else is going on too, for example was there anything external that might have woken her?  Or discomfort from teething or a cold?
I think it's important to look at the bigger picture and not just A times alone when deciding to increase the A time. Really only your can judge if she is ready or not although it does look like you might be able to go up to the 3hr 30 (see guidance reply 14 for example day).

Are you more often going without the CN now?

[*Becky*]

She did the 1.20 on her own.

I am pretty determined not to do a CN after 2 nights ago which was dreadful and can only really put it down to that. Yesterday we did a 6.30pm bedtime and she STTN until 6am so it does seem she is just going to be low sleep needs really. She seems to handle the longer A times well.

I would love to get bedtime to more like 7.30pm as it would mean a wake up around 6.30am hopefully but for now that is just not possible.

[*Becky*]

This is today so far....

A - 5.50am - got her back to sleep until about 7am (asleep by 6.30pm the night before)
S - 10.15-11.30am
S - 2.40 - 3.25pm

It is weird as she seemed tired for that second nap for sure. I am going to keep working on this until one of her naps is 1.5 or more - I can accept one short but I don't think it is too much to ask for one decent nap a day seeing as her nights are also not the longest. Sigh - tiring!!

[*Becky*]

I think after all that she did fall back to sleep but I got her up at 3.50pm for her feed otherwise it would get too late.

I was gong to say that we can probably lock this thread as I think we have managed to drop the CN

It seems she does not sleep any better if she has one, in fact it messes up the nights now so even with short naps I think it is best to not do one.

I am going to spend a week just seeing if/how we can lengthen that second nap a bit and if no joy will post a separate thread about it.

Thanks so much for all your help - if you have any final thoughts it would be great but otherwise see you soon no doubt!

[creations]

Well done Becky - yes it looks like the CN is gone

I would still push the A a little further but you do it at the speed that you and LO are happy with.  I think you ought to be able to get both naps longer.
As for the night, well for his entire first year I didn't get more than 10.5 to 11hrs out of DS and just had to suck it up
But when we dropped to one nap at 11-12ish months (it took a while to drop) the night extended and we now have 12.5 - 13 and sometimes a little more!

xx

[*Becky*]

oh how lovely - we have also never had more than about 11....thanks for all your help. xx

[creations]

No problem