Not sure what to do with him anymore??

[Lilasmom]

DS is a week shy or 1 year old and is waking more at night then he did as a newborn    I've posted before and we kind of came to the conclusion that maybe he still needed one feed a night.  Well he is now waking like every 3 hours!!  Also in the last 2 weeks he wants to feed all the time during the day!!!  Like every 30 minutes-1 hour!! I really don't think it's for hunger (perhaps in the beginning it was), I just think it's a habit/something to do with separation anxiety.  I try to distract him when he comes to me and wants to nurse AGAIN, but he often screams and cries and will not relent.  Prior to two weeks ago, he was only nursing 3 times a day and we were actually working on weaning him from his afternoon feed.  I was giving him formula in a cup for that feed, but the formula caused him a lot of discomfort (++gassy).  So, we decided to back off until he turns one and try him with whole milk.  This past weekend, I returned to work (12 hour shifts) and I had to come home on my breaks to feed him.  In between this time DH gave him water from a cup if he wanted a drink.  He did fine with that.  In addition to all this, it's becoming a struggle to put him down for naps.  He was going down easily after 3 hours of A time, and sleeping 1.25-2 hours twice a day.  I figured he was just ready for an increased A time, but even with that he just screams and cries then wants to nurse and 'sometimes' after I nurse him he'll go to sleep, sometimes not.  Like today he fought sleep for 20 minutes in the morning but then slept 1 hour 15 min.  This afternoon, he would not sleep at all!!  I know this is the age where they often start that 2 to 1 nap switch, but it seems strange that he would jump right to that when a few weeks ago he could only tolerate 3 hours of A time??  Anyways, sorry this is all over the place.  Things just seem to be going down hill and I'm hoping to figure it all out.  Any suggestions???  

[*Nicola*]

Aww so sorry to hear you are still having sleep issues, and that they have gotten worse

Can you post your current EASY for us in the EAS pattern with nap lengths and feeds.  If you could also post the NW's for us, what he does when he wakes and how you intervene/resettle.

It does sound like there are some SA issues going on there and also like the 2-1 transition is rearing it's head.  Babies can make big jumps in A time so I wouldn't be surprised if this is what you are seeing. 

Have you seen these FAQ's

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=62612.0

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=95670.0

((Hugs)) hang in there x

[Lilasmom]

This is our current routine (with the 3 hours of A time):
0630 Wake & BF
0715 Breakfast
0915 Snack (fruit)
0930 Nap #1 (from 1.25-2 hours).  Now with everything a little wonky, it usually takes him 15 minutes or so to settle to sleep )even if I extend his A time a bit).
1100 Wake
1130 Lunch
1330-1400 BF
1400 Nap #2 (again from 1.25-2 hours.  However lately we have been stuggling for quite awhile before he'll settle - if he settles at all).  Even with an extened A time, he still is fighting this nap.
1530 -1600 Wake from nap.
1645 Supper
1900 BF & Bed
As for NW's it's usually around 2300, then 0230, then between 0530 and 0600.  Last night he did 2305 and then not again until 0500, then up for the day at 0645.  Really he's all over the place with NW's.  The 2300 has been the consistent one over the last few nights.  When he wakes, DH goes into him and tries to resettle him by laying him down and tucking him in.  Then he does WI/WO for 15-20 minutes with never any successes.  DS just gets himself into a hysterical crying fit, then DH brings him to me, I nurse him and he'll take a full feed and go back to bed easily.   

So this is the day that we aim for.  However, lately like I mentioned he's wanting to nurse all the time (I feel like I'm nursing a newborn)! 

p.s. I've looked at these links before, but I think i'll take another look.  Thanks!

[*Nicola*]

Thanks for posting that for us.

I'm going to move this over to Toddler Sleep for you as I think you will get the best support there

Hope things improve for you soon x

[mari]

I am wondering if you need to start reducing the am nap a little.  Perhaps then you could get a better pm nap in and that is the all important one for a good nighttime sleep.

Haven't had chance to really read you posts but how does he actually fall asleep?  Are there any props?  Do you intervene or is it completely independant?

[Lilasmom]

Thanks girls!!
DS falls asleep completely independent.  No props at all!!  We just do winddown, put him in his crib and leave.  Sometimes we do WI/WO if he's crying but that's all!

[Lilasmom]

Bump.  Any ideas?? 

[mari]

Well, I'd say to reduce  and delay the AM nap a little and hopefully his pm nap will get better.  Perhaps, as he gets older you could start working towards 4 hours of A time, then eventually 5 hours when you transition to 1 nap.

[Lilasmom]

Do you think this will help with NW's??  He has never slept a full night.  It's so strange, yesterday he had two 1.5 hour naps and went down easily for both (after only 3 hours of A time) and only had one NW last night.

[mari]

What do you do during the nightwakings to get him back to sleep?