Also, I know that a mantra cry is the same sound over and over, but my LO yells several times before she goes to sleep. She'll go to sleep on her own, but she hollers, pause, hollers, pause. It's not crying. Should I let her do that?
This sound like a mantra to me
. I would defo leave her to do this if she is able to fall asleep. It sounds like her way of self soothing!!
About wake to sleep, I would do it at 25 mins and jsut until she stirred a tiny bit, like turned her head or breathing changed a bit.
It sounds like your LO is struggling to get into the deep sleep cycle initially though. For that nap, if she closed her eyes at 9.10 but woke on and off - then fell asleep properly at 9.24 - I would do it 25 mins after 9.24 (as long as she didnt wake again after 9.24).
I would also reduce the intensity of shhing or even stop the shhing and just pat after she is asleep. If she starts to wake, then start shhing again. I would keep trying to do it for the full 20 mins until in a deep sleep (sometimes they do wake and it is SO frustrating!!). Your LO is still so young, she is just leaning how to get to sleep on her own so will probably still need your help to get into that deep sleep.
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