Change in naptime routine at 10.5mo?

[transplantmom]

Is it possible that my formerly angel sleeper may need a nap routine change at 10.5 months?  Since he began napping in his own crib at 3mo, the only naptime routine he had was (1) change diaper, (2) lights out/shutters closed, (3) start mobile playing, (4) "have a good nap; I love you!", and by the time the mobile tune had finished, he was out like a light.  We have been enjoying great napping until very recently.  At 10.5 mo, he is on 2 naps per day for about 1.5-2hrs. 

Last weekend, he discovered that he can stand/sit/crawl in his crib.  I have read as much as possible on the boards about this milestone.  Everyone says it is a phase that will pass when the "newness" wears off.  I am beside myself with worry that if I let him play in his crib through naptime that he will become OT.  I screwed up the PD/pat approach almost every time by rocking him after about 45 min of crib play.  I knew it was wrong, but I wanted him to sleep so badly.  He had an EW this morning (usually up btw 7:30 & 8am, up at 6am this morn), and again, I knew I shouldn't rock him back to sleep.  I did it anyway though because I was afraid he would get his entire routine out of whack today.  It's my DH's bday, and we have a family dinner at a restaurant tonight that I wanted him to be happy for!

Yesterday, I started a slightly different naptime windown routine to a little bit of success.  We did a quiet activity (reading/puzzle) about 10 min before naptime, changed diaper, rocked through 1 song at which point he was drowsy but not asleep, and then I put him down.  He went to sleep, but he was up after 50min both naps.  This morning he has been down for 1hr20min so far with same routine (began crying after about 30min, did PU/PD and think it may have been bad dream from sound of his cries).  Is this ok or going to turn into a prop?  Is it normal to need a routine shake-up at this point in time?

Here is our EASY just in case:
E 7:30-8am wake & bottle (8oz), b-fast at 9am
A until 10:30/11am (was pushing this to 3.5hrs until the standing in crib began)
S until 12:30/1pm (usually 2hrs)
E bottle (5oz), lunch 45min/1hr later
A until 4/4:30pm
S until 5:30, sometimes as late as 6pm
E bottle (3oz), dinner at 7pm
A until 7:30
S walk, bath, bottle (4-6oz), vitals (DS had heart transplant & must have vitals taken 2xday), book, bed by 8:30pm; ***He has not had a problem with standing/playing at bedtime thus far.  Still goes down after book with some white noise and an "I love you."

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!  Since DS has so many medical issues, I tend to really overreact about "normal baby" stuff like this.  I haven't slept myself in days due to worrying about what I am doing wrong or how I may screw up his sleep with new routines!  Thanks in advance for any advice.

[brenda2]

hi
this is the age they start stretching their A time and fighting naps.  it happened for us at about 9 mo.  i think he's probably ready for a bit more A time.  most bubs at 10 mo can handle 4 hours A time and some do 1 long nap and 1 short nap at this point.  i would try stretching his A time out to 4 hours and limiting one of the naps so you keep your bedtime. 

the best way to deal with getting him down is pu/pd (and at 10 mo when he can stand up this is not pick up put down but just put down - they stand up you put them back down) and wi/wo, if you do it this way it won't turn into a prop because he's still going to sleep by himself and calming himself.  if you rock or feed him to sleep then it may turn into a prop.

sounds like you're on the right track.  don't worry about him suddenly needing you, he's been an independent sleeper for 7 mo, he's not going to forget about that overnight!!  it may be just a phase and when he gets over the standing up in his crib and with the slightly longer A times i'm sure it will go right back to normal.

[transplantmom]

Thank you for making me feel like I'm not crazy.  I think the new routine is a little too much "prop".  He has gone down both times today very well right at 3hrs A time.  Although, I think he's pretty tired because the heat is crazy here right now, and he hasn't slept as well as he's used to in several days. 

What do I do though if he seems like he's going to play all the way through his nap?  Do I let him and get him up after the appropriate nap time?  He does know how to sit back down on his own.

[brenda2]

if he doesn't look tired i would keep him up a bit longer until he's starting to show tired signs, then put him down.  if he still plays that's fine, leave him as long as he's not crying.  hopefully he will go to sleep when he's ready. 

if he sleeps through his regular nap timei think it's fine and  i would let him sleep but wake him after he's been asleep for 2 hours - don't let him sleep past the 2 hour mark. 

what time to wake him up also kind of depends on what time it is and if it's the first or second nap.  if he plays for a really long time first thing and is napping well into the afternoon for example i might wake him sooner other wise you'll never get him down for nap #2.  and if it's too late for nap #2 then you'll never get him down for bedtime.  since about 9 mo we've had 1 x 2 hour nap and 1 shorter nap, sometimes just 30-45 min...which i wake her from...but it depends on what time it is, like i said.  kwim?

this is what we've been doing for a few months:
6:30 - 7 awake
10-12 sleep (sometimes this is 1.5 hours, sometimes 2)
3:45-4:30 sleep (if 1st nap is shorter or earlier this nap may be as long as 1.5 hours, but i usually wake her up at 4:30, and if she fights it and goes down later i wake her up definitely no later than 5 to preserve bedtime)
7:30 - 8 bedtime

[transplantmom]

I think we're starting to get back on the right track.  I had to work today, so my mom watched him.  She put him down for a nap after a little more than 3.5 hrs and was showing sleep cues.  She said she had to PD/wi/wo 4x before he fell asleep.  Unfortunately, we had some workmen at the house making too much noise after he'd only been napping about 50 min, and he woke up.  I got home just awhile ago, and he got very fussy right at the 3hr mark.  I sang to him for just a second to calm him, and he started to doze almost immediately.  I put him in his crib, and he's been asleep for about 20min. 

I hope he gets a full 2hrs this afternoon, so he doesn't crash before bed.  I can't really alter his bedtime because he has two medications he must take at 8:30.  Thank you again for helping me through this.  Like I said before, I get a little overwhelmed by the "normal" things I feel I have a little more control over, like sleeping/eating.  I want so much for him to have some normalcy since we can't help his medical issues.  Thanks again.

[brenda2]

you're welcome  it must be tough dealing with all the medical issues surrounding a heart transplant     poor bub...  i think you're doing great    after just a 50 min nap his A time should be less, so 3 hours is probably right and also means that following a longer nap he can tolerate a longer A time.

[transplantmom]

Brenda2,
Don't know if you'll see this since it's been awhile between postings, but I have kindof a followup question.  We've pretty successfully altered K's nap routine/times.  He seems to be a morning guy - 3.5 to 3hr45min A time in morning with waking him up at 1.5 hr mark of nap (sometimes wakes on his own btw 1 & 1.5).  In the afternoon between naps, he is only good for 3hr A time at most.  Then he again is taking about 1.5hr nap, which I sometimes have to wake him from.  The new winddown seems to be helping.  He doesn't seem to want to rock/sing for very long, makes it pretty clear he's ready for his crib (he used to do this in the ICU too - would stay awake until everyone finally left him alone!) 

My question is about his NW/EWs.  He has started waking 1 to 2 times at night, every night.  He is not upset, just awake.  A few times he's sitting up but still very much asleep, so we only have to PD and walk out.  Then usually at least once a night btw 3 and 4:30am, he will wake up.  No crying, just awake.  A few times, I've left him to go back to sleep on his own.  Last night, he crawled out of his sleepsack, and I was afraid he would freeze if I didn't get him back in.  He fell asleep after holding my hand against his back for about 5min.  He's never upset, and we never feed him.  He always goes back to sleep after some period of keeping a hand on his back.

I know some moms would kill to have this situation, but it's bothering me a bit since he used to be a rock-solid sleeper.  In fact, less than a month ago, he would sleep without even a single peep for 12+ hours.  Will this pass if we keep up the routine and watching his naps?

Thanks again in advance for any insight!

[brenda2]

hi
if you click on "show new replies to my posts" up at the top of your screen near your id all posts you have ever replied to will come up.

glad things are going better for you 

if he's waking up in the night and not crying i would leave him alone.  hopefully he will go back to sleep on his own.  if he cries go in, and do your PD with hand on his back or whatever works, but otherwise leave him to it.  waking in the night is pretty common for LOs - we all wake in the night and as long as he can put himself back to sleep then it's fine.  i always counted it as sleeping through the night if i didn't actually have to get out of bed and go in 

but...it may be a sign he's ready for slightly longer A time or shorter naps and you could fiddle with it if you wish, or just leave it and see if he adjusts and stops it on his own.  if in a week he's still doing it and it's for long periods in the night i'd stretch his A times a touch.

[transplantmom]

I guess I knew that was the answer; I just needed to hear it from someone else.  I think he may be able to squeak by with a little bit longer A during the day, so we'll see.  Thanks again!