Need nap advice-5.5 month old

[~Angie~]

Over the last few weeks my LO's naps are getting shorter and she is having longer A times. I have been trying to lenghten her naps back out, but have not had success. Here is what she has done for the last two days.

Yesterday
7:30 Wake
10:00-10:45 nap
12:35-1:20 nap
3:55-4:30 nap
8:30 bed-usually try for 8, but she wouldn't go down until 8:30

Today
Wake 7:40
10:50-10:35 nap
1:25-2:10 nap
5:30-6:05 nap

In the past when we have had short naps, I have just lengthened A time and the naps have become longer again. During her first A time today, I tried putting her down at the 2.5 hours mark and she just laughed at me. I waiited for her to fuss for sleep and she went down after 3+ hours. I am wondering do I need to keep increasing A time until we find her new length or do I need to set a time for two naps and work on extending those? She eats around every 4 hours. She has been averaging around 2-3 total nap hours the last few days and averaging 9-10 hour stretches at night. Overall, she is not cranky, I would just like to try to get two consistent naps each day.

Thanks in advance. 

[Mom to M&M]

Personally, I think that at 5.5 months, even 2.5 hours may be too MUCH in the morning, not too little. I found that it was only at 6 months that my DD would go 2.5 hours in the morning and even that was a bit of a stretch until a little over 6 months. Maybe he's overtired when you are putting him down - have you tried 2 hrs 15 min in morning and then 2.5 for other A times?

[tiki_mama]

my lo is only just coming up for 4 months so i guess there's a big difference (as she's still on 3 hour easy at the moment) but...

one thing i do know (from bitter experience) is that if i start winding her down at the very first yawn (in her case usually about 1hr 15 after she's woken) she goes down for her nap with very little fuss and will sleep well, but if i leave her playing and ignore the signs she can be awake and totally manic for at least another hour, then it will be a nightmare getting her to go for her nap!! 

i suspect if i wasn't on the EASY plan i'd probably think that my dd was quite happy playing for 2 hours even though her eyes are popping out of her head and she is acting like a crazy baby, then i'd wonder why she wouldn't go to sleep!!

it's hard becasue it means you have to be very aware of what your lo's doing as they play and if you leave them to get on with it (which ofcourse you have to do) then you can miss the signs  good luck. i'm sure it'll sort itself out 

[~Angie~]

Thanks ladies for your replies. Stacy, I hope you find a  solution to your lO's naps. When you do, let me know what works for you.   Marisa Mom, I have wondered myself if I am missing my LO's sleep window and she is getting overtired. She really doesn't show any tired signs, other than getting a little fussy. If I change the activity, then she is usually fine for another 10-15 minutes. I put her down at her first fussy signs this morning. Which was 1.5 hours of A time. She only slept 35 minutes, instead of the usualy 45 minutes. So, for tomorrow, do I need to try 1.75 and see what happens? How do you know when the short naps are due to overtiredness or undertiredness?

Thanks again.

 tiki_nightmare-You posted as I was typing.  I am also grateful for EASY. We were on a perfect schedule up until a couple fo weeks ago. I knew exactly when to put her down. But, now it just seems she plays for hours and hours and is not showing any tired signs-she doesn't even get too cranky after 2 + hours. Which is why our naps have gone crazy. Hopefully we'll sort it out soon. 

[Mom to M&M]

At 5.5 months, I find that short naps are USUALLY do to not being tired enough. But it also depends on quality of night sleep, etc.

I would think that if you can change your DD's activity and she still doesn't fuss, she could go a bit longer. But what temperament is she?

I'd probably try 2 hours (or 2.25) in the morning - just keep a close eye on her to make sure she's not getting overtired. Do you have a good wind-down routine as well?

[~Angie~]

I haven't done the BW quiz on her, but she is very easy going, happy, and very social. Never gets upset, just fussy if tired or hungry. She is getting good night sleep (11-12 hours, with one feed between 1-5 am, which she sleeps through). So, I feel she is well rested. I agree that her short naps are due to not being tired enough. We use to have 1.5 hours A time in the morning with good naps. When she started taking short naps again, I found that if I kept her up 2 hours in the morning she would take a 1.5-2 hour nap.

About two weeks ago is when her naps began to shorten again. The problem I am having is, I can keep changing her activity and she is happy for 3+ hours, which seems way too long for her age. Regardless if she has 2 hour A time or 3 hours A time, she still takes a 45 minute nap and wakes happy from it-cooing and smiling in her crib.

We have a good wind down. She doesn't need much. We go into her dark room, with white noise on, give her her paci and blankey, hum the same lullaby, rock until she closes her eyes (about  1 minute), and then in bed.

Thanks again. 

[Mom to M&M]

If she wakes happy and rested from the short naps - is there a need to change things? She may just be a short napper.

You might also try cutting back her night sleep from 12 hours to no more than 11 and see if that helps her nap longer if you want.

Edited to add: you rock until she closes her eyes? That may well be the problem right there. When she transitions from one sleep cycle to the next she likely notices she's no longer being held and rocked. I'd definitely suggest putting her down drowsy but eyes open and awake.

[~Angie~]

When I think about it, you're probably right about the rocking. We got into that habit about a week ago when she was sick. Although, we do the same at night and she will often wake, talk, and go back to sleep on her own. Although, I guess night sleep is different then day sleep. 

I know I shouldn't worry about the short naps if she is happy. I would just prefer that she take two longer ones as opposed to three short ones. I guess that might just take a little time.

Thank you so much for your advice. I really appreciate it. 

[~Angie~]

lol about sleeping in the closet.  I put abby down for her last nap yesterday, wide awake and she still only slept 30 minutes. So, the rocking is not causing our short naps. I think we just need to push her A time a little more. Yes, I agree not every baby can handle this. I know if my son's nap is even 15 minutes late, he is way overtired. We'll see how tomrrow goes. 

[~Angie~]

Just an update:
I figured out our short naps. I was extending the wrong A time. I kept the first one at 2.25 and extended the second one to 3 hrs. We got a morning catnap and a long afternoon one. Which workded at great since DS takes his long one at the same time.

Thanks again for all the advice. 

[~Angie~]

We're getting 3-4 right now, usually closer to 3. I like to keep it at three b/c then we don't have early wakings or an awake time in the middle of the night. I hope Kaleb's naps keep going good for you.