Increase A?

[Pipa]

How do I increase my son's activity time?  He is on a 3-3.5 hr EASY in terms of sleep but for eating he is ready for a four hour EASY.  Here is our routine as it stands right now, changes every day a little b/c I'm not sure how to handle it and sometimes feed him earlier than he needs so that he'll sleep and not wake up hungry.  I really don't like to feed him early though cuz we're struggling to get enough calories in him during the day so that he'll sleep better.  Does not respond well to clustering due to reflux which is treated but still he doesn't eat well if done early. I'm not happy with his routine but don't know what else to do?  The short A time in the morning means he has long A time in the evening unless I let him sleep a long final nap so I usually put him down after 1.5 hrs.  from the time we put him down until 12 he is up ever 30 minutes to hour.  Sometimes he is upset, sometimes hungry, sometimes happy, never the same from night to night and sometimes an intervention will work and sometimes it won't.  I know he has a paci issue but I feel like it's more than that.  I don't know if he is undertired or overtired but he generally averages around 4 or 5 hours during the day.  After 12 at night he goes down pretty solidly with only one or two wakes after that.  I've posted on a couple of other boards as I focus on different aspects of the problem (hunger, reflux, etc).  Now I'm wondering if the changes for good night time sleep need to start earlier in the day with the A?. 

8:00 Wake and E,
8:30 A and wd
9:00 (or 9:15)S
11:00 E then A
12:30 S
2:30 Wake
3:00 E, then A
4:00 S
6:00 E
7:00 pjs (sometimes bath), wd
7:30 Bedtime

If he doesn't sleep well during some of his naps then I have to give him an additional catnap in the evenings so he can make it to bedtime.  I'm so confused. Please advise!  Also, just in case you're wondering I really watch cues to find sleep time.  For example right now he's been up for an hour and half and now he's taking long pauses in activity and yawning.  Before long he'll just fall asleep on the floor if I don't put him down. 

[Pipa]

I should probably add that he always wakes after 45 minutes which is what made me think it is time for a change.  Also, he is 12 wks old. 

[mommy2mason]

It does sound like maybe he's in need of some more awake time. My ds was stuck on 45 minute naps as well at that age. He always seemed to rub his eyes and get tired at the same time...but when I put him down, he'd be up after 45 minutes. I just didn't get it...then I slowly increased his A time. Turned out, he was ready for some more. I actually think he rubbed his eyes out of habit! He is 7 mo. and still does it! To extend A time, if I remember correctly, I think it is best to do it slowly. For instance, for his morning A time, increase it by 15 minutes for 3 days in a row and see if there's any changes. What worked for my ds when we increased was to keep things very low key. We would lay on the bed and look at stuffed animals, walk around the house, look outside, look at books, etc.
When we were on a 3-3.5 hour routine, my ds also wasn't hungry then so we usually fed at the 4 hour mark and for quite awhile had A time before E.
Eventually the morning A time will get longer and it will definitely help stretch out the day so you won't have a long stretch in the evening.
I'm sure you'll get some great advice from others because I'm definitely no expert!