7 month old starting to do 30-40 minute morning naps again

[CLJK]

My 7 month old DS had really started improving with his naps and nighttime sleep, but as of the past week or so he can't seem to take longer than a 30-40 minute nap in the morning.  I usually take him up for his nap about 2 hours after he wakes in the morning, give or take a few minutes, so I am wondering if maybe he needs a little push for more awake time in the morning.  He seems pretty ready to go down, but maybe he is not tired enough to take the 1.15 minute naps he had been taking.  If he gets a longer nap, he stays up 3 hours until his next nap.  If his nap is shorter, I can push it, but he really wants to go back to bed at 2.30 after being awake.  How long do most 7 months stay up before their first nap?  I just can't remember that far back for my now 3 1/2 year old!

Thanks!
Cass

[CLJK]

Wow - that might be a push.  But I had to push him to 2 hours in the first place about a month ago.

Thanks!!

Cass

[debo620]

Hi Cass, me again!!!!
Well my son is also having a terrible time with naps, again!!!! He is so inconsistent--it is driving me crazy and pupd is no longer working. Once he wakes early from his naps---he just won't go back to sleep. Today was just terrible!
Stacy, maybe you could have a look and see if anything pops out at you.

5:45am awake--out of crib 6:15am,
solids 8:15am
8:45fussy, and windown, asleep by 9am. awake at 9:30am,
tried pupd until 10:20 or so, gave up bf at 10:30am
out for walk with friend, fell  asleep from 11:45-12:15, I tried to not let him nap so that he would take a good nap at home but he got maad and kept sleeping.
solids 1:30pm
nap 2:15pm-3pm, tried pupd until 3:30pm
gave up, bf at 3:30pm
now what to do....awake from 3:00pm until 6:30pm bath and bed? or do I try to squeeze in a 15min nap when tired.

he is totally inconsistent, for example on Wednesday---took 2 great 1.5hr naps after 3-3.25hrs awake time.---when that happens our routine works great!
 any advice?
in regards to pu/pd-----he seems to start crying again when I start walking away from the crib or as soon as I get to the door? I feel as though he has learnt cry and I will come back!  This afternoons nap it seemed as though he was going to settle, started winddown crying and moaning---but then started up again---this happened three times.

Any advice?, I feel like a terrible mom b/c I know my son is just not getting enough sleep!

[debo620]

Thanks Stacy, yes Noah has always been an early riser! For about 1 month it was 6:30 or 6:45 but that corresponded with 2 night feeds. Now that he is taking 1 night feed (no df) somewhere around 2:30 or 3am---he is waking earlier. Most days it is 6am.

Are 30min naps--versus 45min---more an indication of overtired? If he was tired++++ and then only slept 30min, why won't he go back to sleep? pupd certainly isn't working. Although he wakes crying and sometimes cries in my arms, once he stops crying and I lay him down---he just looks at me. I turn around to leave and he starts screaming. PUPD used to work great at naps and still does for any night wakings. ie. he woke last night at 10pm--it took only 1 pupd, and he went right back to sleep.

At this age, how much day sleep vs. night sleep? I think he is averaging only 10.5hrs at night when I minus wake-ups etc.,and anywhere from 1.75hrs nap (like today) to 3hrs (on a good day).  That being said, he has always slept at the most 14hrs--even at 1 month old!

Thanks

[debo620]

Thanks Stacy, does our pupd sound like Noah is not tired enough and thus will not go back to sleep? Seems like he is just mad that I am leaving him in there!!!

[CLJK]

It sounds like our little guys are hitting bumps around the same time!  Gannon is starting to cut tooth #5 now, too.  My poor kids teeth early and teeth hard.  I am not looking forward to tonight, although now he is old enough for Motrin, which will help keep him comfortable for longer.

I never really did PU/PD for naps.  It's hard to commit to that when you've got a 3 1/2 year old running around and I think it gets a little stimulating.  If Gannon wakes early from his nap, I make a point to leave him in there for about 10 minutes.  Sometimes he will go back to sleep.  We have also found that PU/PD was not working well at night anymore - he just wouldn't settle down.  So we decided we would leave him go for 3 minutes before going in to get him.  Now if he wakes at night he fuss and even cries for about 1 minute and then puts himself back to sleep.  I think we were prolonging it by going in there.  You may want to try that for naps.  I do think at this age they are mad and frustrated because they want what they want, but they don't necessarily "need" your comfort.  Does that make sense?  Sometimes they need to work it out on their own so they know they can do it.

I'm going to try to keep Gannon up a little longer for that morning nap, and sounds like you might need to get Noah to sleep a little earlier for his.  It's all trial and error!!!  And then when you have them figured out, they go and change on you!!!

-Cass

[debo620]

Hey Cass,
wow--tooth #5, Noah has 2 right now!
I know what you mean about pu/pd being too stimulating.  What is your son doing during that 10min when he wakes early from naps? I do try to leave him until he starts crying---but quite often he wakes crying!

[CLJK]

It all depends.  Just now he was "fussing" after a 25 minute nap.  I let him go because, frankly, I was busy getting ready and not ready to get him!  And he fell back asleep after about 5 minutes.  If he wakes babbling and talking, then I figure he's in a good mood and has gotten enough sleep for him at that time.  If he is fussing/crying, I try to busy myself so I am not looking at the clock the whole time and try to let him go a bit to see if he can fall back asleep on his own.  If he is full on crying then I figure he needs me and is stuck in the crib or something, so then I go in.  I know it's hard, but I think you have to give yourself 3-5 minute if it's that "I'm ticked off that you're not in here" cry but not a "Mommy I am hurt and need you" cry and just let him try to fuss it out.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but the main thing is for you to do something so each minute does not feel like an hour.  Then see if you can go a few minutes longer the next time.  Some might say it's a form of CIO, but if you get them every time they make a peep, they will never learn to do it themselves.  Even Tracy has said that in her book.  I guess it just comes down to figuring out what their cries mean.

I hope it gets better!

Cass

[CLJK]

I've been waiting until he has been up for about 2 hours and 15 minutes and that seems to do the trick!  Thanks, Stacy!

[debo620]

Well Cass, my son seems to have exceptionally long A times, 3hrs and 15min, and then 3hrs 40min! approx!!!!---before I can get a good nap. All in all, I've been really watching him closely, usually I spend the last 30min or so before I think he'll be ready for a nap---really watching him. The first eye rub and were into his room for about a 10min winddown. I have noticed the last few days that he has been very relaxed as I'm finishing the winddown and doesn't cry at all when I lay him down and then sleeps much better.  I think a good windown is very important. He is becoming more accepting of this and actually sits still while I read him a book. Yey!

[CLJK]

Wow!  Noah is an alert little guy, I guess!  I know my older son never needed to go down for naps as early as Gannon.  It's nice when you find the right balance, isn't it???  But don't get too settled because he will change before you know it!! :-)  Maybe he will drop his AM nap earlier than most and then you can have one nice long nap in the afternoon (those are nice!!).

Gannon is now getting up just once per night to eat at around 4:45.  Then he will sleep until about 6:30.  Today he slept until about 7:30!!  My older son just got a cold from preschool, so I am wondering if the little guy is going to get it, too (they usually sleep more before as they are coming down with a cold).  And croup season is just starting up - joy, joy, fun, fun!!