Short naps due to dirty nappies!

[Cnireland]

Sorry about the nature if this post (!) but my 8.5 month old had previously been taking 3 good predictable naps but now wakes in less than an hour each time with a dirty nappy. His routine is also changing (maybe dropping third nap?) and I don't know what to do! He's gone from being really easy to put to bed to a real nightmare! Any suggestions?

630 wakes (used to sleep past 7 up until 2 weeks ago)
7am milk feed
745 breakfast cereal
850-930 sleep. This nap used to always be 1 hr 30 but now always wakes with dirty nappy
11.30 lunch. Usually something like chicken and rice.
1230- 130 sleep. This was always at least 1hr 30 but is now 1 hr max. Nearly always wakes with dirty nappy.
230 milk feed
4.30-5 sleep
5 dinner
615 milk feed
7 try to put down to sleep but often takes until 745.
10.15pm dreamfeed

[Kellyjs]

Hi, the first thing that strikes me is that he's still on 3 naps whereas many have dropped the last CN by 5/6mo.

I'm thinking that a whole shift in your routine is needed hun, that might also help with the earlier than normal wu in the morning too. He's looking like he's having UT naps irrelevant of the dirty nappies tbh. Average A times at this age can range anywhere between 3-4hrs and he's getting a lot less than that. I would immediately push the A times closer to 3hrs so you can get rid of that CN then I know BT will be less of a hassle too.

[Cnireland]

Thanks for the reply. I have been trying SO hard to get him to go longer between naps but he gets really agitated and overtired. One day last week we left three hours before bedtime and he was a nightmare to get down and woke four times that night! Any tips? Are there some babies that are just unable to stretch their awake times??

[Kellyjs]

They can all do it, he's already telling you he needs to with those short naps. A lot of the time it can be learned behaviour going down at a particular time.

I used to do something low-key with DD. I used to carry her around for those extra 15mins pointing things out in the house I needed to clean whilst she was asleep  . Sad, I know! Change of scenery worked well later on, such as going outside if the weather was ok.

The key is to stretch them slowly. So 15mins, holding for 3 days then extending again if needs be. A big jump will often result in an OT bubba and that's never fun! OT before BT is a big no-no in this house. Results in multiple NW's in the early part of the night even now. So I'm always wary of stretching the last A. Hth x