back to short naps at 6 months

[mariarico]

so my LO just turned 6 months...

she's a great night time sleeper (8pm-7am) but i'm having problem again with the naps. 

she use to do 1.5hrs in the morning and in the afternoon with a cat nap at 5/5:30pm.  but for the past 2 weeks its been 30-40 min naps four times a day and i can't get back on track...even with longer A times...please help me get back on track.

she self soothes to bed, might be teething though i don't see any white on the gums.

her schedule:

7am-wake
e-7:45
a-total 2hr30min
s-9:15-9:50
I leave her in the crib to fall asleep again but it takes 1 hour...is that ok?
s-1050-11:20

11:20am wake
e-12
a-2hr20-30min
s-1:40-2:15
a-
s-3-3:30

wake 3:30
e-3:45
a
s-5:30-6

e-7:30
bt-8pm

dream feed 10:30pm

[lily_layne]

My LO is 7 months and we're having similar problems here (with NW and EW thrown in the mix).  It looks like your LO is ready for a big jump in A time.  How much have you added to her A times?

I leave her in the crib to fall asleep again but it takes 1 hour...is that ok?

If she's not crying, I'd say it was OK.

[mariarico]

Lily--it never ends, right!!
we went from 2hr to 2hrs 15min in 2 weeks.  then 2 weeks after that we went to 2hrs 30min...so it seems that i'm changing her A time every week or so. is that normal???

[lily_layne]

We went through a period like that and then it settled down for a while.

I think you just need to keep increasing her A time until you get longer naps.  Do you think she's getting OT from the short naps?

[mariarico]

to be honest, i don't know anymore...

she does cry when she wakes up in 30 min, but the cries get louder and worse. so when i get her, she starts to laugh.

sometimes she fights her naps until 3 hour awake time!! but still get a 30 min nap. i even tried 2hr 40min a time.

its been 2 weeks now...so i don't know...should i just leave her with the 30 min naps???

[*Becky*]

Hi there,
2.5-3 hours is the norm for her age although obviously it is just a guide. If she is sleeping well at night then it is probably not a pain issue although having said that DS's naps were always messed up when he was teething but nights were generally not too bad. Have you tried any meds? I would probably stick with 2.5 for a good 5 days and see how you go before extending it.

[mariarico]

i use teething gels and tablets that are homeopathic. 

so i guess i'll try more A time and see whatever happens.

hoe much nap time do 6 months old need??? is it 2-3 hours?

[lily_layne]

i use teething gels and tablets that are homeopathic.

I use those too but when it's really bad, tylenol works better.

At 6 months, my LO was getting 3-3.5 hrs on most days.  She did ok on 2.5 and more than 4 ruined her nights.

[*Becky*]

DD was getting about 3 hours but then she has always had less sleep than most.