A time for 9 month old---HELP...I've got it all wrong!

[~Alexa~]

Hi Kara!! I would try 3.5 hr A before bedtime and see what happens.  So may be a 7.30/7.45 pm bedtime. 

Did your lo need you to get back to sleep when he woke up during the pm nap? Or did he go to sleep by himself?

I think your day went pretty well!! I wouldn't change a thing to it!! At this age you will have one long nap and one short nap.  Lots of moms like the longer nap in the pm b/c that leaves bubs more rested for bedtime.  So, I would try to repeat today's As for the next couple of days and see if you can get the same kind of naps. 

Hugs
Alexa

[babyboy26]

Thanks, Alexa!

Yes, he did need me to get him back to sleep for the pm nap...he woke twice and was sitting each time.  I laid him back down and put my hand on his back.  Both times, he went back to sleep rather quickly.  So, I'm thinking he was OT, but not so OT that he wasn't able to get back to sleep. 

He went to bed at 7:20 tonight.  He was very drowsy at 7:10, so I didn't try to keep him up.  He went down like a dream. 

Will try same A time in the morning tomorrow, and see what happens.  I don't mind one short and one long nap...I'd just rather if the long nap wasn't an OT one so I don't have to help him.  I think what happened this afternoon was that I initially put him down too soon (fearing OT), but he played and then got himself a little OT, even though I kept going back in to settle him.  If I get a short nap in the am tomorrow, I will not try to put him down as soon as I did today for the pm nap.  Maybe if he plays a bit more, then he'll be ready to settle to sleep and won't get OT for the pm nap. 

[~Alexa~]

Hi Kara!!

Will try same A time in the morning tomorrow, and see what happens.  I don't mind one short and one long nap...I'd just rather if the long nap wasn't an OT one so I don't have to help him.  I think what happened this afternoon was that I initially put him down too soon (fearing OT), but he played and then got himself a little OT, even though I kept going back in to settle him.  If I get a short nap in the am tomorrow, I will not try to put him down as soon as I did today for the pm nap.  Maybe if he plays a bit more, then he'll be ready to settle to sleep and won't get OT for the pm nap. 

I totally agree with you on this!! It seems your lo was a bit UT when you put him down, but then he got Ot b/c of the chatting and playing.  I would try to put him down 5-10 min later and see if that makes him sleep more.  So if yesterday you tried to put him down after 3 hrs A, then go for 3 hr 5 - 3 hr 10 min. 
Also, when did your lo start sitting up by himself? This could be disrupting his sleep. 

We will have to play with the second A so we get a long pm nap without OT! So if he needed you to resettle, then definitely try 3.25 hr A. 

[babyboy26]

Thank you!

He slept 7:20 - 6:35 this morning.

1st A was 3 hrs 25 min, and I got a 1 hr 10 min nap with a happy wakeup!  (10:00 - 11:10)

So, today's a little different from yesterday, since he had a long am nap today.  I will try 3 1/2 hrs A, and watch him closely.  (He gives me mixed signals sometimes!)  A couple of days ago, when I had a similar am nap, I tried for 3 hrs 40 min, and got an OT nap.

He has been sitting up by himself for about 2 months now, so I don't think that was it.  I always find him sitting when he wakes from a nap.

[~Alexa~]

Ok, so try 3.5 hr after a long am nap.  I think your lo should be fine with that A!

[babyboy26]

I tried for 3.5 hr, but it ended up being 3 hrs 40 min.  He seemed too awake, so I kept on with my wind down (read few more books to keep activity low).  He fell asleep beautifully and slept for 1 hour!

So, today was great!!!  AM nap 1 hr 10 min, PM nap 1 hr! 

He just went to sleep at 7:10...he seems to like his last A time the shortest, no matter what the naps were like.  He does give clear sleepy signals for bedtime...too bad he doesn't do it like that for his naps!!!

Will do same again for tomorrow!!! 
Happy Kara!

[~Alexa~]

Hi Happy Kara!!  I'm so glad things worked out!! Keep those As as they are b/c they are working really great!!

I hope you have a great night!!

[babyboy26]

So far, today is different...he slept from 7:10 - 6:10 this morning.

I was trying to keep 1st A the same, but he played for a while, and I had to go do part of wind down again.  He ended up getting 3 hrs 55 min A...I was fearing an OT nap, but it didn't happen!  He slept from 10:05 - 11:20 (1hr15m).  I thought for sure that was too much A, but he didn't make a peep the whole nap!  Maybe it was because he only slept 11 hrs last night, instead of 11hr15-11hr30 like he's been doing the past week???  A couple of days ago he got an OT nap from a similar A as today, so I have no clue!!!

Will try to keep a close eye looking for cues for the pm nap, although cues are not always given, and not always accurate!  Since he took a 1 hr nap on 3hr40m A yesterday afternoon, I will aim for that again.

By the way, he said mama for the first time this morning!!!  Don't know if he means it yet, but he was saying it as he was whining from his crib this morning.  He did the same thing when he woke from his am nap! 

[mom of two]

Just a thought...but once you get him caught up on sleep and he is well rested he may increase his A time slightly.   So he couldn't do it the other day because he was ot but if he is well rested he can now do that amount of A time.  Make sense?

[~Alexa~]

That's so cute Kara!! 

So try a bit more A before doing the wind down routine.  It seems he is not tired enough so he is playing in the crib before the nap.  I would try a bit more A so he is tired and not playful for the nap.  Also, I don't remember if I have asked you this, but has he reached any milestone? Like standing, crawling, anything new?

[babyboy26]

Thanks, mom of two...yes, that makes sense to me that he can handle more A when he is well rested!

Alexa, as far as milestones, he started pulling up to stand about 3 weeks ago.  He does like to practice this...all the time during A.  And I think you're right about sometimes giving more A so he doesn't have a crib party before the nap!  I try to make sure he's drowsy before I put him down, sometimes he goes to sleep within a few minutes, and other times, he pops up laughing as soon as I put him down!  Maybe when he does this I should let him out for another 10 min or so, then do a short wind down again.

Yesterday was quite messy, as we were out and about with the family.  He was so tired that he fell asleep while taking his bottle at 6:50.  He slept through until 6:25 this morning (I think).  I heard him chatting at 6:25, then it was very quiet until 6:45...so I'm not sure if he was up that whole time or not.  I didn't want to peep in because when I do that, if he's awake and sees me, he wants out right away!  So, I counted A from 6:25...just in case!  He was pretty still and quiet for wind down, and I just put him down a couple of minutes ago.  He's not asleep yet, but just moving around pretty quietly.  We will see!

[~Alexa~]

Hi Kara!! Yes, I think it is a good idea to go out of the room if he is playful for 10 more min A and then do the wind down routine again. 

So keep giving him a lot of time to practice stading up during the day so he doesn't have the need to practice during naptime or night!

How did today go? 
Alexa

[babyboy26]

Well, nap 1 only 40 minutes...but it was the dog that woke him!!!  I tried to get him back down, but didn't work.  Just put him down for nap 2 (trying a 3 hr A, since he had a short am nap)  We will see!

[~Alexa~]

How did it go?

[babyboy26]

We have not been doing well.  I am frustrated and so obsessed with trying to get naps and A times right, that all I think about is what time it is all the time!  There is no illness, and I don't think teething is an issue either.  No new milestones. I will give the naps for the past couple of days and see if anyone has suggestions.  No two days are alike...sleepy signals unclear.  I always try to extend a short nap.  Sometimes it works, sometimes not.  I can't tell if I'm dealing with OT or UT sometimes.  Only positive is that nights are good.  Sometimes nights are 10 hrs 45 min, sometimes 11 hrs 30 min, and everywhere in between.  I don't see a pattern, maybe someone else does!  I try for the same As 3 days in a row, but he doesn't always fall asleep when I put him down, and sometimes he seems tired earlier than A from previous day.

Monday
Wake 6:25
Nap 1:  10:00-10:40 (40 min...I'm sure it was the dog barking who woke him.)
Nap 2:  2:25 - 3:10 (45 min...woke with a cry)
Night:  7:20 - 6:05 (10 hrs 45 min.)

Tuesday
Wake:  6:05
Nap 1:  9:35 - 11:00 (1 hr 25 min.  Had to extend at the 35 min mark)
Nap 2:  2:50 - 3:20 (30 min.  Woke up chatting)
Bed:  7:10 - 6:30 (11 hrs 20 min)

Wednesday
Wake:  6:30
Nap 1:  10:15 - 11:00 (45 min)
Nap 2:  2:05 - 2:40 (35 min)
Bed:  7:05 - 6:10 (11 hrs 5 min)

Today (so far)
Wake:  6:10
Nap 1:  10:00 - 11:10 (1 hr 10 min...the first "long" nap that didn't need extending in many days)
Nap 2:  3:45 - 4:30 (45 min...woke crying)

4 hrs 35 min was too much A from Nap 1 to Nap 2, I'm sure.  I did try to put him down at 2:55.  He immediately stood up.  I kept going to resettle every 10 minutes.  He FINALLY went to sleep, after  a little crying and me resettling him.

Now, I don't know what time to put him to bed, because he is usually not sleeping until 4:30.  If anyone can figure out what my problem is, please help!