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

[babyboy26]

He got to sleep at 5:30, and slept until 6:00.  Then, he went to bed at 7:30, but woke at 6:05.  He actually started moving a bit at 5:50, but didn't make any noises until 6:05.  I tried to APOP him back to sleep this morning, but it did not work, as usual.  I have not been able to APOP or extend naps for days now!!! 

I have realized that I am dealing with an extremely OT baby.  He used to sleep 11 1/2 hrs at night without a peep, and take good naps!  I don't know how to get him out of this OT cycle. 

Will try to have him asleep by 3 hrs A this morning and see what happens...*sigh*

**Update:  He went to sleep at 9:05, which was 3 hrs A, and woke crying at 9:50 (45 min.) 

I am wondering if that late catnap is messing things up even further.  I am thinking of earlier bedtime today, depending on how the rest of today goes.

[~Alexa~]

Oh Kara!! I'm sorry things are going wrong! For getting him out of the OT cycle, you need to do whatever is necessary to make him sleep longer.  So any APOP or whatever works for getting your lo to sleep longer naps.  Have you tried w2s for extending naps? http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64168.0  So may be for the next couple of days, try to use w2s (applying pressure on your lo's arms and legs to get him through the jolts) so we get him out of OT!

The catnap sometimes can cause EW, so instead of helping bubs sleep longer, it just robs sleep from the night.  For some babies, having a CN works pretty good, but for some babies it just makes it worse.  So may be try an early bedtime tonight and see what happens. 

Definitely try the 3 hr A or 3.25 hr A to see if we can get longer naps!
Alexa

[babyboy26]

Thank you, Alexa, for all of your help!  Here's a recap of today:
wake:  6:05
nap 1:  9:05 - 9:50 (45 min)
nap 2:  12:15 - 1:00(45 min)

Do you think he was UT for the 2nd nap?

Tried for cn at 4:00.  At 5:00, just gave up and got him up.  I am putting him to bed at 6:45.  A really long A, I know, but with feedings this is the earliest I can get.  I will go for the 3 or 3.25 A in the morning.

I have tried w2s in the past, around 4 1/2 months.  It never worked for me, he always woke up, and once he saw me it was over.  Do you think it is worth trying again now?  Sometimes, if I just walk in his room, it wakes him up!

**He slept from 7:00 - 6:35....the longest night all week!!!!  Now I'm wondering, since he had 11hr35min sleep, should I still go for the 3hr or 3hr15 min A?

[babyboy26]

Here's an update on today: (after sleeping 11 hrs 35 min last night)

Wake:  6:35
Nap 1:  9:50 - 10:40 (50 min, happy wake-up after 3.25 A)

So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a long pm nap...going to try 3.25 A, which puts nap at 1:55.

[~Alexa~]

Woooohoooo!! So he had a loong night! that's great!

So, 3.25/3.5 hr before the pm nap should work!! Fingers crossed
Keep me posted

[babyboy26]

Nap 2:  1:55 - 3:25 (1hr30min)WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! 

I know a 50m nap and a 1hr30m nap aren't the best in the world, but they sound great to me given these last few awful days!!!

Also, I was just able to see that a tooth is coming...maybe this has been the reason after all!!!

[~Alexa~]

Woooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

I'm so happy!!

I know a 50m nap and a 1hr30m nap aren't the best in the world, but they sound great to me given these last few awful days!!!

In fact, I think 2.5 hr naps is great for a 9.5 mo!!! So give yourself a hug b/c it seems your lo got the sleep he needed today!
So now we know that after a 50 min am nap, your lo needs 3.25 hr A time! Keep this mix in mind!

Poor guy, I hope he get that tooth soon! Fingers crossed for tonight!

[babyboy26]

Last night he went to sleep at 7:05...but woke at 5:55!!!!!  That was 10hrs 50 min.  He went down for nap 1 at 8:45...only 2hrs50m A, but I could see that he was very drowsy.  He fell asleep almost immediately when I put him down.  He slept until 9:50, so 1hr5m.

Why do you think he had the EW this morning?

[~Alexa~]

Hugs hun!! It could be teething!! I've read lots of moms say their los have EWs when they are teething!

[babyboy26]

Ok...I was just wondering if you thought I put him to bed too early.

[~Alexa~]

Nope! I don't think you put him to bed early! I hope he gets that darn tooth soon!

[babyboy26]

Yes, me too.  I *think* one is coming, as I see swelling on the gums, but you never know!  As for the pm nap today...the strangest thing.  He went down at 1:05 (3.25 A from this mornings 1hr5min nap).  He woke at 1:40, and I tried to resettle him, but he was rolling around, but still def. looked tired.  So, after about 3 min, I just picked him up and rocked him for about 5 min, laid him back in the crib, and he went back to sleep!!!  Can't believe it!!!!!! 

[Isabellasmummy]

Hi,

Just read your whole thread, as my dd is exactly the same with naps no day is the same.

I am on the lower A times as we are in the over tired cycle and night wakes have just started again.

Does your little one sleep peacefully all night even of he has bad naps?

Toni x

[~Alexa~]

Hi KAra!! It does sound like teething! Remember that teething makes babies really tired, so they are not able to handle their usual A times.  So try to put your lo 30 min earlier for naps and see if that helps!

[babyboy26]

Hi Toni!  Glad to know that I am not in it alone   Strangely, yes, he does seem to sleep peacefully at night for the most part even if he has bad naps.  NWs are pretty rare with us, fortunately.  If we do have them, he settles back very quickly...wish I could say the same for naps!!! 

I think we are *starting* to get out of this nasty OT cycle, and I think shortening his morning A definitely helped with that.  Still not sure about the teething, I guess I'll know for sure if a tooth pops out!  Yesterday was pretty good, actually.  AM nap was 1 hr 5 min, PM nap was 1:05 to 1:40, but then back to sleep at 1:55 and slept until 2:45 (so, close to 1 hr 25 min if you add it up).  Last night he went to bed late, at 7:40, because we were out visiting, but it happens sometimes!  He did sleep until 6:45 this morning, so 11 hrs 5 min is ok by me!!!

Here's today:
6:45 wake
Nap 1:  10:00 - 11:20 (he did wake at 35 min, but right back to sleep after I laid him down and patted for a minute) 
                               This was 3.25 A, so maybe I should have stuck with the 3 hr A!

Nap 2:  CRAZY!!!!  Just went to sleep at 3:55!!!  I planned on 3.25 hr A, but since he had over 1 hr am nap, I should have
           tried 3.5 A instead, I think.  He had a crib party, and then got absolutely WIRED!!!  Bouncing from one end of the crib
           to the other I tell you, and singing all the way!!!  Oh well, I'm sure it will be a little 30 or 35 minute nap, but the
           bright side is at least it gets us to bed time!!!