45 minute Nap success! But a few more questions.......

[babymunkey]

Hi All

Couple of things -

First I wanted to share our success in getting through the 45 minute nap stage (I hope i'm not speaking too soon!) We'v had lots of help and suggestions from people, so thank you.

Our 17 week lo is now fairly consistently getting in at least his 1st 2 naps of the day on a 3 1/2/4 hour EASY. And unbelievebly he is currently taking his catnap in his cot! 1st time ever I think. Added to which, its the first time I've managed to get him from his carseat where he fell asleep, to go back to sleep in his cot! Yippee!

Few questions though - although we are having consistent success extending his naps, he does still wake at the 45 minute mark. Will this eventually go? Will he just learn to sleep through it?

And also, are we creating a bad habit - we solved the problem in a fairly unconventional way - we turn him on his side or on his front and he goes straight back to sleep. But obviously he can't do this for himself yet, so will we need to keep doing it do you think? (don't mind if we do really until he learns to roll, compared to the 45 min nap monster!)

How quickly should we go in - we've tried leaving him to see if he can settle himself, but if it escalates past a certain point we lose any hope of getting him back to sleep. But if we get in there quick sharp on the first murmur, we can be 99% succesful of getting him back to sleep. But this goes against general advice on leaving them to settle.......

Plus also wondered - does anyone else's lo "sing" themselves to sleep?! Or does that sound like a mantra cry? I've never been sure what a mantra cry is.......sounds like our lo is kind of singing to himself.

And 1 last Q - should I wake him from his catnap (now at 50 mins - can't believe I'm having to ask!)


 

[{{{Angela}}}]

Congrats on your success!   You're doing a great job!   My DD is almost 6 months and occasionally wakes up at 45 minutes.  Sometimes she'll just sigh and moan a bit and go back to sleep, other times she'll be awake and babbling for a few minutes, then go back to sleep.  So yes, eventually they do learn to go back to sleep on their own if they need more sleep.  I usually give her 30 minutes max to see if she'll go back to sleep, if she's not upset (she never is).  Because he is so young and you feel that he can't get back to sleep if he escalates, I'd not give it more than a few minutes.  Have you tried W2S?  It worked for a little while for us but I wasn't very consistent with it.

I'm not sure about the other questions, I'm sure someone else will be able to help you.   DD babbles and squeals and growls herself to sleep, it's really funny and she's just experimenting with noises.  I wasn't able to differentiate between mantra cry and real cry until she was older; mantras don't escalate so she would go 'waaaah waaaaah' then stop and do the same cry again.  If there was no stopping then I'd go in.

Hope that helps!

[kateg]

Our 17 week old had been waking at the 45 minute mark now for the past 5 weeks or so.  I almost always have success going in and extending his naps.  But I'm still doing it, I think I just have to wait until he is developmentally ready to do it on his own which from what I've read is between now and 6 months on average.  But I don't think it is something that will be "fixed" in a week at least that has been my experience.  I also don't think you can set up a bad habit, my impression is that the waking is pretty much part of who they are at this point and whatever you can do to get them back to sleep while still in the crib won't set up a habit.  I go in pretty quickly too as I can tell that it will escalate.  Sometimes he has a good cry, but I've found he'll settle better if I don't pick him up, just let him cry a few minutes while I ssshh-pat him then pop the soother back in when he has calmed down.  I don't believe he will settle on his own at this point.  I have on a couple of occasions heard the "mantra cry" and he has gone off on his own, there is a definate difference, the matra cry really isn't a "hey I need some attention cry" it is more of a cry out that doesn't escalate.  You'll know it when you hear it I think.  Go with your instinct, if you feel his cry is one of help, then it probably is.  Whenever my little one stops needing help at the 45 minute mark I'll let you know.  Let me know as well and good luck, a little intervention at 45 minutes is better than a cranky baby that is up early I say. 

[babymunkey]

Thanks girls - good to be reassured. There are times when different "rules" work for different situations, and I guess the whole point of BW is giving you the skills to know which tools to use when........a bit trial and error to start with though!

Quick update - our little star has now slept through the 45 minute mark on his last 2 lunchtime naps. So I guess we're heading in the "typical" direction. Yesterday I think we had a textbook 4 hour EASY day from start to finish, which was lovely. (Well apart from a few NWs which have started since his last GS, but thats another story!)

Will update you if we start getting consistent sleep throughs, but could be a while based on what you say as he's only just 4 months now.......

Will look forward to hearing an update from you too kateg

H

[*Nicola*]

Great news!

Hope it keeps up!

[BensMamma]

Congratulations!  I'll admit I'm jealous, but your success has given me some hope to continue on.  It's hard, but I have faith my LO will eventually learn how to settle down too.  Have a great day!
~BensMamma