Transitioning between sleep cycles

[vero86]

Hi everyone!

My DD just turned 3 months old and naps have been deteriorating. This happened with my DS too but hoping to find a solution for her. She won't sleep past 40 minutes. I've played around with A times and all but I don't think that it's the problem. She really does have trouble transitioning through that first sleep cycle... because when I put her to bed for the night, she wakes after 40 minutes... it takes me a while to put her back to bed but after that sleeps 11 hours straight.

So for naps, I can get her to sleep longer if she sleeps in my arms. For her first AM nap, she can fall back asleep easily in my arms but wakes if I put her down. so... what do I do? I've heard that if you disturb their sleep cycle at the 20 min mark that it can help, is that true?

TIA!

[lolsyb1982]

Hi

It's very normal at this age to not be able to transition between cycles and if your EAS looks ok it's likely to be developmental and is a case of hanging in there until they suss it out. My dd2 didn't manage to sleep past that 40 min mark until she was 7 months but lots manage it earlier.

It's up to you whether you hold her for the rest of her nap when she wakes. I had to do most naps in a sling at this age as I had a 3 yo and couldn't spend time sitting holding the baby.

The waking at the 20 min mark is called wake to sleep (w2s). I never had any success with it but some do. I've attached the link for you to have a read which details how to do it.

How do I address habitual wakings? (wake-to-sleep and other methods)

Pleaae feel  free to post a couple of days sleep so we can see if there is anything to tweak 

[vero86]

Thanks for the quick reply! She slept two naps in my arms today as I could tell that she was exhausted. I know I'll miss these moments when she is older so I try to appreciate them as much as possible!

Her A times are usually around 1.5 hours at this point (less towards the end of the day if she just had short naps). Her last nap is until 7:30-45 at the latest and bedtime is around 9 (she wakes at 9:40 and it usually takes until 10:30 to get her back asleep) ...and then she wakes at 9 am (I am VERY lucky!)

[lolsyb1982]

How long has she been on 1.5hr and how does she settle for those naps? That is average for her age but if she's on the lsn side it could be she needs a touch more A... Or it could just be the dreaded 40min stage.

Is she able to fall asleep by herself or do you rock/ssh pat etc?

Sorry for all the questions!!!!

[clarem100]

My lo is 8m and still occasionally wakes after 40 minutes! Sometimes she will go back by herself, sometimes she needs a little help. It took until about 6m before she would sleep any longer and like yours also stirs 40 minutes after bedtime

[vero86]

No problem for the questions - appreciate all the help!

She has been on 1.5 for a few days only. She slept 1 h 10 minutes yesterday afternoon so I was happy about that!

What does lsn mean?

I put her in her crib awake but drowsy and she falls asleep by herself sometimes (but she has a soother). I figure she is able to fall asleep (or back asleep) on her own since she sleeps 10-11 hours straight at night.

Towards the end of the day when she is tired (or overtired) I tend to rock her to sleep. Last night, surprisingly she didn't wake after 40 min at bedtime. No clue what we did that was different... if only we could read their minds!!!

[vero86]

I should probably also say that she is swaddled (Halo sleep sack). She wakes constantly if she isn't swaddled.

[lolsyb1982]

Sorry lsn is low sleep needs.

Sounds like you're doing great so I think it's just one of those things you need to ride out 

[vero86]

Thanks for all your help!!

[vero86]

Maybe I should start a new thread and if so let me know!

She is still doing the 40 min nap unless she is in the arms (and sometimes I am able to put back to bed after rocking her). She has stopped waking after 40 minutes at bedtime though so... baby steps!   I'm just confused on time of last nap... She wakes between 7:30 and 9:00 am in the morning at this point.

Yesterday she was asleep by 8:45 pm (we thought for sure that she would consider it as a nap and not as bedtime but she was down for the night -with a brief wake up after 20 or so min) Usually, we start bedtime routine at 9:00 with her asleep by 9:30-45pm.

Today, she woke from her last nap at 5:30pm. I tried to put her to bed around 7pm for a mini cat nap.. but no luck (and with a toddler at home it's hard to be persistent). I therefore decided to try and start bedtime at 8. So she breastfed, was falling asleep but screamed the second I put her down. She is now finally down at 9:30. She was sooooo tired so I'm sure that was a factor... I just couldn't keep her awake any longer for her "usual" bedtime.

So, let's just say I'm aiming at a bedtime or 9:00-9:30 (with routine starting 30 minutes earlier). At what time should be her last nap and for how long?

Also, is it normal that A times shorten as the day goes along (even after a good nap)?

Sorry for all the questions!

[lolsyb1982]

The 40 min nap was the bane of my life for 7 months when my dd2 finally learnt to transition between sleep cycles!

Can you list your day's schedule in the EAS format so I can see wu time, naps and BT. Hopefully then I can answer your questions.
Usually LO of this age tend to do a 12hr day and 12hr night with 3 or 4 naps dependant on length. She might be needing shorter A times as the day goes on if she's not having any longer restorative naps (1.5hr +).
5.30 to bedtime of 8 is a long time for ber age and she would have been OT which is why she fought going to sleep. It's the worst time of the day isn't it when you're trying to get dinner done and have another child. Do you have a sling at all? Was a lifesaver for that last nap of the day!