What do I do first?

[Vieira]

Hi all,

I'm trying to do a couple of things with Carter but I don't know where to start. I want to transition him from a three hour to a four hour easy.  I also want to continue extending his naps and I want him to stop waking up at 5am and finally I don't want to have him use the paci to fall asleep.  (He wakes at the half hour mark from all naps and doesn't have the ability to put himself back to sleep)  The problem is, I don't know what to do first.  WIth the paci and me holding him for a couple of minutes when he wakes from his nap early works but I know that he isn't falling asleep on his own.

What order should I do all this in.

Thanks,
Tina

[MJMom]

How old is your LO?  Also, what odse a day look like these days?  This would help.  Some of them you may be able to do simultaneouly

thanks

[Vieira]

Hi MJMOM

Carter is going to be 4 months on the 18th.  Here is a typical day.

5am wake back down with soother
E 7am
A 7-8:30 with a wind down
S 8:30-9 (with extention 10:00)
(W2S @ 20 minutes into sleep)
if it doesn't work I go in and hold him for a few minutes or plug him and he'll extend his nap for around another 45 minutes
E 10am
A 10-11:30
S 11:30-12 (with extention 1:00)
(W2S @ 20 minutes into sleep)
if it doesn't work I go in and hold him for a few minutes or plug him and he'll extend his nap for around another 45 minutes
E 1:00
A 1-2:30

[Vieira]

Sorry I accidently hit post

Going on from 1pm
E 1:00
A 1-2:30
S 2:30-3 (with extention 4)
E 4:00
A 4-5:30
S 5:30-6 (7 with extension)
E 7
S catnap
Bath, Bottle

Another day he'll get up at 8 so it's a little inconsistent
Tonight I tried bathing him at 7 and putting him in bed by 8, big mistake!  He was not tired so after fighting with him I decided to get him up but keep him in his room , he was fine until 8:30 camd and then when I tired to put him back down he slept for a half hour like it was a nap and rewoke I tried to do PU/PD but knoew it wasn't the best time so I plugged him and out of exhaustion I'm sure, he fell asleep.  I'm going back to bath at 8 and bottle at 8:00.

Thanks

[MJMom]

I would start with extending to 4 hr EASY.  This should be done gradually over 2 weeks.  Do you have Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems?  There is a sample plan in there.  Although that is not exactly how we did it.  Having the extended A times will help them become more tired and sleep a little longer.


Just a few other thoughts/questions:
30 minute naps are indicative of being over tired.
45 minutes naps are indicative of needing more A time.

On the paci use- does he wake up when it drops out of his mouth?  And does it seem like he really needs it? 

Am I right in seeing that he doesn't go down to sleep until about 8:30 or so?

have you tried pt/sh or some derivitive of that in lieu of the PU/PD?  Sometimes PU/PD is too stimulating for little ones.