I wrote in again and another moderator suggested I cut awake time to 1 hr10/15. I think this too early as it was the issue we had before.
Did she mean to cut it to that after a short nap, perhaps? Both my kids were short nappers until 5.5-6mo, it's very normal and often developmental. I do think the 1:45-2hr A time is appropriate for her, but not likely after a short nap. Typically, we recommend to pull the A time back a bit (by maybe 20-30min) after a short nap so that LO isn't OT for the next cycle. At this age, I rarely did an A of less than 1:30, even after a short nap, but it depends on the baby.
Do you attempt to extend the naps with shh/pat when she wakes? If she is waking happy, then I'd be tempted to try the 2hr A time and see if it doesn't get you a longer nap. The other thing you could try is wake-to-sleep at about 25min. You'll go in and rub her cheek or twitch her ear to cause her to stir and start a new sleep cycle. You then keep a hand on her through the normal 45min transition (I stayed until 55min) and shh/pat if she starts to wake. The hope is that if you do this for a week or so, she'll start to sleep through the transition on her own.
How do I address habitual wakings? (wake-to-sleep and other methods)D you suggest we do the fifth nap and put her to bed later so she's not overtired?
I do think that last A to bed is often too long and likely contributing to the NWs with some OT. Rather than doing a 5th nap though, is there a way you can AP just one nap a day, so she gets at least one restorative nap? Something like a swing or wrap/carrier (if you're willing to have her on you for 1.5hr or so) or carseat? That's what I did with my DS until he was 5mo, as I just needed that break (esp with another LO) and it seemed better to get some consolidated sleep rather than so many little, frequent naps. It never hindered his self-settling skills.
she has been waking more at night and really crying. We try shush pat but she gets so worked up so I have been feeding her. It's confusing because I know they go through a growth spurt at this age so they might wake for hunger but I know everyone says at 4 months they should drop night feelings. She eats pretty good at night- not a woke feed but feeds for about 15 minutes and falls asleep. I am afraid she is using nursing to help her fall back asleep at nig. She has been waking about every 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
TBH, if she's waking every 3-3.5hr, I'd just feed her at this point. There is a pretty good growth spurt around 4mo, and that's not out of the question for waking times. I've always favored feeding over resettling if there's a question of hunger and while you're working out the daytime routine. If she wakes before that interval, I'd definitely resettle her as you don't want to create a prop, but for now, I think it's fine to feed.
As for the daytime feeds, you do have to wiggle them around a bit with a short napper. Try to not get into a snacking routine, but fit them in where possible, keeping the A time in mind the most, so that she's not getting too OT for the next sleep cycle.
