Go to content baby???

[Mosh]

When my DS2 wakes up from a short nap I tend to leave him to settle for 10 mins or so (he is perfecly happy and never cries when he wakes) but how long should i leave him there??? I obviously have DS1 to consider and DS2 is perfectly happy, but when i do get him out he very quickly becomes grumpy (as though he was much happier milling around on his own).  he is in the living room at the minute but would not want to keep leaving him the way i do when he moves into his room (which i intend to do when i get back from visiting my parents next week - i do not want him to get used to the dark then find himself back in the light at theirs).

this may well be a theoretical problem as i am hoping the naps become longer once he is in his own room but how long would you leave them if they are happy??? advice would be much apreciated!

[Adaias mom]

I would just leave him as long as he stays happy for the duration that you would ideally like him to be napping so say 1.5hr nap, leave him there til the end of the nap. If he gets upset or distressed then of course go to him, but if he is content just leave him, he will be getting rest time even though he's not asleep as he will not be stimulated by all your normal daily activities.

HTH Helen xxx

[Mosh]

Cheers hun.  I have actually just tried getting him out after 10 mins, with a plan of waiting till he got tired and putting him back down...it did not really work and i ended up feeding him at half 9, three hours would have been 10.  he was grumpy as soon as i had changed his bum so he was up for about 15mins including another winddown then could not settle him in moses and fed him after another 15.  trouble is it is now just gone 10...he should be feeding and yet he is already back in bed!!!  think my days schedual may be out!!!

I def think you are right and that he is at least rested.  thanks again!

[Adaias mom]

Really sounds like he wants to stay where he is. It won't do him any harm so just leave him. He will sure let you know if something is wrong with him! It sure sounds like today is going to be out, but if you can keep his feeds at close to 3 hours apart that will ensure he takes full feeds so won't end up waking lots in the night hungry!

We all have (many many many in my case!) off days so don't worry about it. Just start afresh tom. If he is only napping 30mins sounds like he is a bit OT when he goes down. Have you tried putting him down a bit earlier to see if he naps longer?

[Mosh]

Cheers for replying again so quickly.

He tends to show signs so early, that is the trouble.  he sometimes even does the first yawn while he is still feeding!!!  unless he is really showing signs of tiredness i am trying to wind him down about an hour after he woke (he is 7 weeks and about 13lb so an hour should not be a problem for him!!!)  when i was winding him down at the 1st yawn he would take 30-45mins to go off so i was assuming UT.  he also (at about 4 weeks) stopped liking the wind down...it was like he was saying "alright put me in already" so our winddown is now short (he almost seemed to prefer to wind himself down in there for the 30 - 40 mins).  I am thinking about having a bit more of a ritual when we move to his room with curtain closing and a sing song etc, so he knows it is time.  i sometimes wonder if he does know!