7 month old with short naps around school run!

[rla0402]

It's been a few years since I've posted anything on here! Thought I knew it all after my dd but its turns out that I clearly do not!

My ds is 7 months old and bf. He's very active; rolling at 3.5 months, crawling at 5 and is already standing and cruising around the cot - bit of a shock when dd didn't even roll until 8 months! His nighttime sleep is gradually getting there after illness, teething and learning new things (1-2 feeds per night) but the naps are awful. Once in a blue moon he'll pull 1-1 1\2 nap but they're mostly 30-45 mins. I have a feeling the school run (dd started when he was 6 months old) may have something to do with it. Here's what our day looks like roughly:
Wake: 6.30 ish (although he's going through a stage of 5am wake ups at the min!)
E: on waking up
A
E: 8ish - porridge
S: 9ish on way back from school run
Awake: 9.30-9.45
E: 10:30ish
A
S: 11.30-12ish
Awake 12.15 - 12:45
E: 12:45ish lunch (blw)
A
S: 2.30-3ish (around school run) for 30 mins approx
E: 3.30
A
E: 4.30-5 dinner (blw)
Bath: 5:45
Bed: 6.30ish

He settles OK generally (dummy and white noise) and we sometimes have to go in and resettle. I suspect that the 5am wake ups are because he's overtred from the day before?? But I have no idea how to break the cycle! I've tried setting my alarm at 40 mins to soothe him but in a matter of seconds he's awake, rolls over and is standing up in his cot. He's just so active and in to everything.

Forgot to mention that I do transfer him into the cot when he falls asleep in the pram on the way back from school because leaving him in the pram wasn't working either. He doesn't wake up if its within 10 mins of falling asleep.

Any help would be good greatly appreciated!

[lolsyb1982]

Hi there

Ita tricky isn't it when you have school runs to contend with and a younger child and EASY!

A 45 min nap is usually UT but if he's falling asleep on the way home there's not much you can do so until he can handle a longer A time and stay awake until you get home you'll have to go with it for now.

I would push the 2nd nap later. He's going back down 2hrs after the first one. I would aim for around 3hrs which will hopefully get you a longer nap. I think at the minute he might be in a bit of an UT/OT loop.

Then you could do a really mini cn before bed.

[rla0402]

Thanks for the reply! That makes sense - he did a miracle nap (1hr and 40) the other day after I tried my hardest to keep him awake on the way home. Still fell asleep but his A time was much longer this time.

Will try the later nap and cn before bed too.

So much trickier when you've got an older one to take to school!!