Hello ladies, I'm hoping you can reassure me that I'm on the right track.
My dd will be 5 months old in two days. At the 4 1/2 month mark she learned to roll from back to tummy (she's been able to roll tummy to back since one month old!). She also got two bottom teeth at the 4 month mark. Needless to say it has been a HARD month for us! I think that DH and I may have added some accidental parenting do to extra cuddling etc. We did EASY from DAY ONE. Got off track in month 2 and found it was reflux (EASY helped us make a quick diagnosis). After getting treated for that properly (medication and thickening formula with cereal) she started sleeping through the night from 7:30 pm to 7 am (I actually had to wake her up!) and no DF! It has been great! Now she is only taking 45 minute naps.
She was such a good napper, taking 2.5 hour naps, twice plus another 1.5 hour nap in the late evening before the last feed. She always seemed to need all that sleep in addition to the 11.5 of uninterrupted sleep at night. Now its a complete 180! I'm afraid that our extra attention during her teething 4 weeks ago has established a pattern. When she was teething she would wake up SCREAMING from her nap. We would go in and at first we didn't know what was wrong, a trip to the Dr confirmed that she was teething at 4 months. So we treated her with Tylenol, ora gel (she hates that), and an ice cube in a washcloth (she could not master getting a teething ring in her mouth just yet at that young age). And of course lots of extra cuddles from mom and dad. Well she popped two teeth through and then seems to get back on track. Then she started to roll over, then everything went haywire.
She doesn't roll in her crib (on occasion but doesn't wake her up) she just takes 45 min naps.
Schedule:
E - 7 am (she now coos at 6:50 in the morning, I still don't get her until 7 am) all smiles
A - 7:30 - 8:30 (at home) 8 - 9:15 am (at sitters during the week, more kids to play with)
S - 8:30 (at home) 9:30 at sitters. Either way it is only 45 minutes now at our house and the sitters
A - At home 9:30 until she eats, sitters I don't really know but I do know the first nap is 45 min
E - 11:30 or Noon (she has no interest in eating before then)
A - Noon - 1:30
S - 1:30 - 2:15 45 min at home recently, the sitter says this is her longest nap, could last until 2:30 (not sure when she goes to sleep before that)
E - 3:30 (no interest in eating before then)
A - 4 - 4:30 she is in meltdown mode
S - 5 pm - 6: 30 (because we pick her up at 4:30 we don't get home until 5 and its right to bed) lately this has turned into 45 minutes
E - 6:45 medicine and bottle
A - 7 - 7:30, pjs, book
S - 7:30 - settles right to sleep and will sleep until 7 am
Before the naps in the morning and afternoon were 2.5 hours each. Now she wakes up crying and cranky at the 45 minute mark. Yesterday she took a good morning nap for 1.5 hours and woke up cooing and talking to herself. Oh also, before with the long naps I always had to wake her up for a feed, she NEVER woke up on her own.
Changes, as I mentioned, rolling over, two teeth and the sitter just started watching a newborn so now she has more kids to watch. Obviously she cannot do PU/PD with her and when she does cry from her nap she just goes in, picks her up and brings her out to play. Now Sarah will stay up and play as long as you entertain her. So its possible that she is really overstimulated.
Yesterday was TERRIBLE, she took at good 1.5 hour nap in the morning, but the rest of the day was all over the place. Lots of fussing and crying. She seems to need alot of attention when playing. She will screach at the top of her lungs (not crying, high pitched cooing) while she plays then you come over and she smiles and laughs. It is very annoying! Before she could entertain herself for a good 1.5 hours all by herself so I could get stuff done. Now she constantly needs attention. I think that maybe there is over stimulation because what else has changed is her interest in playing with toys. So I've been putting her under her play gym for the full hour.
Okay enough rambling, here is my plan after consulting these boards and Tracy's books:
Extend her naps using WTS or PU/PD (I tried WTS this morning and so far she's been asleep for an hour!!!! woo hoo!)
Refine the activities, reduce overstimulation
Define a wind down nap routine. I've never had or needed one, but now that she is more alert I think she needs something predictable and some time to slow down from playing. If she is tired lately she is so keyed up and even though she is clearly tired she is still flailing her arms and laughing and squealing in your arms as you put her down.
After naps are tackled slowly work to extend her awake time in 10-15 minute increments.
I only have two days with her to do this before she goes back to the sitters. I've given her all this information but with 5 other kids to watch I know she won't be able to do it.
Well I'm sorry this was so long but I need some reassurance. I know the method works and I'm not going to let some set backs get us off track! The good thing is her nighttime sleep is not being affected but I don't want this daytime stuff to last so long that her nighttime sleep is taken off track too!
Thanks!
