30 min naps ... cant be OT??? Advice PLEASE!!

[campbellchick]

Hi Jacqui - I am sooo happy for you and to hear that the worst of the OT is over  .  I remember the same thing happened with dd at first where she still did 30 min naps, but started having a few longer ones.  It really wasn't very long after that (maybe a day or two) where I was consistently getting 1hr naps.  You even sound so relieved on your post so you must be doing so much better.  It really is a long and hard road overcoming it. 

I had beaten the OT with dd a week or so ago, then about 1 or 2 good days where we were so close to the 4hr EASY, then something else happened and she started having strange naps, strange eating habits, being really fussy, not wanting me to put her down etc. etc.   I still have no idea what is going on, but it seems she might be at the tail end of it.  I am hoping we will get back to a 3.5hr easy soon (today so far so good, but after the first nap of late it has all been going to custard, so we'll see)...  I thought it might have been teething or a GS, but still not convinced of either (maybe she is just feeling a little off ).  Sooo, I'll let you know again in a day or so if she is still improving.  I've had success in cutting out one of the feeds during her NW, but she is still waking at that time.  The last 2 nights she has seemed really hungry though (well, last night she didn't seem that hungry to start with, but she fought going back to sleep for an hour, finally went back to sleep only to wake 10 mins later - given that it was 10.30pm anyway, I fed her then.  She didn't wake again until 2.30am, so was good.  Unfortunately she's been a little unsettled around 4am for some reason, (changed her nappy incase she had BM as she sometimes does at that time) then wouldn't really settle very well and proceeded to cry out every 15-30 mins for the next 2 hours    I think she was crying out in her sleep, but didn't help me to sleep very well of course 

Anyway, let me know how things are going for you in a day or two.  Will be thinking of you and am so pleased things are much better 

[proudmum]

Thanks for sharing my joy Kerrie  I do feel a lot better, we're not there yet but I feel more confident now than I did a week ago.  I've decided that tonight I'm going cold turkey on the dummy    NOT looking forward to it, but praying that it will make things better in the long run.

Sorry to hear things are weird with your LO ... they like to keep us on our toes don't they?  Do we EVER really know what's going on!!     I'm sure that it will all make sense in a couple of days.  Well done in cutting out one of the night feeds, hopefully it won't be long until she sleeps through that time and stops waking.  I was overjoyed when DD slept so well on Sunday night ... she only woke for 1 feed.  I put it down to starting solids and having a nice full tummy when she went to bed.  But then we were back to 2 feeds and numerous wakings last night, even though she'd had some food before bed.    Oh well, one good night's sleep is still better than nothing 

Hope you have a good night, think of me ditching the dummy {{{{{aaaaahhhhhh}}}}}}} I will let you know how I go.   

Cheers
Jacqui

[campbellchick]

I'll definitely be thinking of you - good luck with that dummy  .  I have also heard that solids can mess up some their sleeping too, but hopefully that won't be the case.  It is great that you got 1 good night - I would kill for one of those lately    I'll let you know what sleep deprivation is doing to me - I decided that I would try to stew some apples and pears to freeze for when dd starts solids in a few weeks and put them on the stove this morning.  Only to completely forget about them boiling away until I smelt something burning over an hour later and started searching around the house when I remembered the fruit on the stove.  Everything was black of course and the whole house has smelt all day  .  I just need some sleep to think straight  .  Anyway, good luck tonight, let me know how it goes 

[brenda2]

jacqui - so glad things are getting better for you.  you sounds much more positive now than last week.  what a difference some sleep can make!  have you been doing naps without the dummy?  i would start with naps before night time if you are going to wean the dummy, but glad to see you are taking the plunge.  it will be worth it!

renee - i would keep at trying to get him to sleep in the crib for naps.  you don't want to have to be tied to going out each time he needs a nap!  1 or 2 naps a day in the stroller is fine but he needs to be able to do it in his crib too.  good luck!!  one thing i've found with BW is that i tend to blame myself when my Lo doesn't sleep well.  "what did i do to make her wake up last night?"  this has driven dh crazy and i think is the main reason he has never really been supportive of this...it's a good thing to remember that sometimes it's nothing you did or didn't do it's just a phase or how your LO is.  we can set them up for good sleep and try our best to give them the tools but ultimately it's up to them and they'll STTN when they're ready! 

[Alex mom]

Hi all,

I am doing to sh-sh pat, but initially I have to take him for a walk in the kitchen near the fan that is running so he comes down and is ready for bed...  Thereafter I am able to place him in bed and put him to sleep... When I put him in bed he is awake and then I swaddle...  Then we start with the sh-sh pat and he starts crying / kicking his feet...

Brenda I have to say that after a couple of days his crying is becoming shorter... He still is awaking every 1 hour during the day until 24.00h, so I hope the trend continues since last week it was only 30mins... Today he slept for 1.5 hours naps but at 14.00 he woke up and fell asleep by himself 

Furthermore he is very sensitive to sound and reacts to almost every  noise that is louder than our kitchen fan... We use the kitchen fan to minimise the everyday sound of walking and doing normal daily tasks... Otherwise he would not sleep at all... I hope this will pass as well...

Kind Regards,

Karina

[brenda2]

sounds like you are making some progress!  keep going at it and it will get better.

i used a rain noise machine from about 3 to 6 months with DD and it worked wonders!  instead of me doing the shhh part i just turned on the rain noise.  a lot of other mums on here have used similar type things - white noise, womb noise etc.  it seems to help soothe them.  might be an idea instead of the kitchen fan!

[proudmum]

Kerrie, loved your story about the burnt fruit ...  I know exactly how that feels!!  I find myself having a conversation with DH only to be told "we spoke about this yesterday"! No wonder sleep deprivation was used as a form of torture!  I'm sending all my good nights sleep vibes your way ... maybe tonight will be the night 

So I went cold turkey with the dummy last night, and it went better than I expected.  She cried and fussed for 35min then fell asleep .... and I didn't hear a peep out of her until she woke for a feed and 1am, then again at 5am.    .  Her naps this morning took 15 min, and 25 min for her to fall asleep, (but the second one my mum started while I was taking DS to kindy) So all in all feeling quietly positive about it, not that I'm saying anything out loud - every time I praise her it all falls apart soon afterwards! 

Brenda, thanks for your constant support.  I'm definately in a better place this week, I know we still have a ways to go but we're getting there. 

Karina, sounds like things are slowly improving for you, glad to hear it.  I use a sound machine for my LO and couldn't do without it.  May be a good investment for you.  I bought mine at a electrical appliance store, it's a spa sound machine and plays nature sounds like rain, waves, thunder etc.  I know how tough it is when your LO keeps crying and everytime you put him down it's a struggle and you just want to give up.  Try to be as consistent and you can, if you do the same thing every time, he will learn quickly that this is how I go to sleep.  Hang in there, and keep us posted at to how you are doing. 

Just wanted advice on one more thing ... the 5am feed is ruining our routine.  do you think I should try W2S to change this.  Its always around the same time each morning.  I'm nervous to do it now that we've got rid of the dummy, if she wakes up it won't be easy to settle her. Do you think I should wait a few days before I tackle anything else?? 

Thanks again 

[campbellchick]

Jacqui - I am in the same boat as you with that 5am waking.  My dd does it most mornings, although some mornings she doesn't, but I am now trying my hardest not to feed her because it throws her eating off for the whole day!  I left her this morning as she was just squawking and she just cried out every so often, but stayed in bed for another hour.  I got a bit of sleep on and off.  Would definitely be interested to hear if Brenda or anyone else has any advice for this one.

[brenda2]

we've had EWs on and off.  they either mean OT or ready to extend A time.  conflicting advice i know!!  i never tried w2s, the routine change did it for us (extended A time and limited naps...not the same thing you're going through at all  ) and she started sleeping later after that.  5 am sucks...i found it really hard!  it may clear up on its own if you get over the OT and keep putting to bed early.

[proudmum]

thanks Brenda, so I will just put up with it for now and see if things eventually change  here's hoping!

Have to report all good on the no-dummy side of things.  Her last nap took only 7 mins to fall asleep, and she slept for 45 min  .  slowly but surely !

 

[campbellchick]

Jacqui - that is great new on the dummy so far 

[Alex mom]

Hello

i have good news my baby today slept 1.5 hours each nap i hope the OT is finished or maybe it was just a good day  :(will see tomorrow Thanks for the idea i m going to see where i can buy it, Where did u buy it?

I have to say thanks all for the support and help thank u very much.
 
thanks karina

[brenda2]

karina - that's wonderful!!  hope it continues for you!  just keep doing what you did today and if you get a short nap reduce the A time.i have seen different kinds of the noise machines at various baby stores, mine is quite cute - it is a little speaker with the sound track of rain, babbling brook, whales etc concealed in a plush toy lamb.  but i have seen others that attach to the side of the crib.  maybe try a "high end" baby store??

[proudmum]

    I am a weak, pathetic, terrible mother 

I gave her the dummy back today       

I had a terrible night last night with her because it took so long to get her to sleep for her naps yesterday , and she totally refused a last catnap, so she was waaaay OT.  I was going the same way this morning, first nap took over 30 min to sleep, then only slept 30 min.  Second nap after 35min I gave in and gave her the dummy (5min later she was asleep  )

I was just so scared of going through the OT thing again, I couldn't face it right now, when things were just getting back on track.  Before I ditched the dummy, she was going to sleep virtually independently, with a little ssh/pat, and her naps were slowly increasing.  I know I've done the wrong thing. I feel so bad ....

I don't suppose it's possible to use the dummy for naps, and not night time?  Would be too confusing for LO? 

Oh I feel hopeless 

[brenda2]

  HUGS  you are not a bad mom at all!

it's hard to wean the dummy...i know what you mean about not wanting her to get OT.  you were doing so well without the dummy though...why do you think it took her a long time to fall asleep yesterday and today?  there is usually regression with dummy weaning on about day 3-5.  could that be it?  or maybe her A times were wrong?  if you decide to go without the dummy you really need to commit to not going back to it otherwise next time you wean will be harder.

some moms do use dummy for naps only.  you could try it and see, but i think she'll probably want it at night.

if you decide to get rid of it again throw them away so there's no temtatioon!!

  :-*i hope tonight goes better for you!