6 month old taking catnaps all day

[Spandanna]

I agree, keep with the 2 hours for another couple of days. Maybe hold off on the w2s today and see how long she can do again. if she does a really short nap then tomorrow try w2s. Don't actually wake you LO just rustle them a bit like moving her arm just until she does a big sigh or shuffles a little bit.

hope today goes well

[rachelmomof2]

Well, last night was rough with 3 NW's but I discovered that one of her top teeth is breaking through (3rd tooth and not even 6.5 months!) So, this probably explains the odd nap/night wakings but I will continue to move the A times gradually to be in line with her age. Thanks!

[Jiinx]

 

[rachelmomof2]

Still having trouble. Should the first A time be 2 - 2.5 hrs? She is 6 months 2 weeks today. I can barely get her to 2 hrs and she seems OT/OS? and still takes a 30-35 min nap. There is a wild 3 year old boy in the house who definitely entertains her at every waking moment.

[Jiinx]

I think it's important to deal with the OT first as there's no point in extending her As too much as that will just drive her more into an OT hole. Are you able to extend her nap?

It's hard when there's another sibling in the house.

Ideally, yes the first A time should be between 2 - 2.5 but should be shorter than all the other As overall, usually.

[rachelmomof2]

Hi ladies,

I'm having such a hard time. My DD is still taking SHORT naps, always the first one of the day which just makes the whole day so messed up. yesterday, it was 18 minutes and today 32. I think something woke her up yesterday (outside) but I'm unable to get her back to sleep when she wakes up at any point. I have a 3 year old son at home and cannot spend the time I need to do PU/PD. I have tried W2S without much luck (have gotten a 1 hr nap later in the day at the most using this). 

She is staying awake 2 hours in the morning (up from 1.5 hrs a month ago?) and is utterly exhausted by that point. I can't seem to get her past that point and it seems like she's giving OT naps. She is just about 6.5 months so I know this isn't enough but I don't know what to do. In addition, her feedings aren't spread out enough which I know factors into it. I'm working on that as well but now she is waking during the night because she's hungry and I'm not feeding her as often during the day. She is a 20 lb 6 mos old so she's big!

I don't know what to do, I'm spending parts of the day in tears and I feel like I'm working so hard at this and failing. I know I could do it if I was home alone with her for a couple of weeks or if she was my first born but that is not the case. Where do I go from here?

[rachelmomof2]

p.s. the 3rd tooth isn't coming thru afterall...guess I was seeing things that morning!

[Idahomom]

((((HUGS)))) to you hon.....remember, this too shall pass!  and as for the teeth - they can come on and then back off....very frustrating!  It seems your LO may be sensitive to the stretching of the A times, so keep going slowly and watching your LO for her needs.  Are you BF or formula?  If BF are you feeding both sides or 1?  If you think your LO is hungry or not getting enough food, try to up your BF supply or add a couple ounces to formula.  Go to the feeding boards for more info on this.  DS is 6mo today and he eats soooooo much.  He's now on 3 meals of solids a day (not that he actually swallows much.....) and drinks about 34oz of formula a day.  We've been having NW probs from needing more A time and GS.

[rachelmomof2]

Thanks for the hugs, Jen. I need em. Happy 6 mos to Aaron! I am BF and feeding solids, although I was adding them slowly because she was pooping up to 4x a morning (during naps too!) Today, I gave her 3 pretty decent meals because I'm not sure if that's why she is NW right now. She woke every 3 hours last night which is unusual for her and screamed until I BF her. So, it seemed like she was hungry. I was BF every 2-2 1/2 hrs until last week when I upped it to every 3 and now every 3 1/4. So, she might have been getting more calories before (?) because I used to only feed her once a night and lately it's been up to 3x. Tonight, she seemed pretty full before bedtime but possibly constipated (a lot of grunting and clenching during her feed). We'll see how tonight goes.

I couldn't get her down for her last catnap this afternoon so did a car ride APOP and got her 35 minutes. If I could get her first nap figured out, I think that the rest of the day would go smoothly. She just seems "stuck" at 30-35 minutes for that nap. I tried W2S this morning at 22 min mark and she stirred when I walked in the room so I left and it was a 32 min nap. I don't know if I should keep trying 2 hours or go for less/more at this point.

Do you have any challenges with naps with having 2? I can't figure out how to extend her nap when she wakes early without it taking a long time. Any tips on that??? Another thing is she almost always wakes happy and/or is happy when she sees me by her crib which is a good thing I guess.

[Idahomom]

Luckily DS1 is 4+ yo and very independent.  He plays on his own and can get his own activities: coloring, legos, etc.  He also goes to preschool 2 days a week and I must say those are our best days napwise. Would it be absolutely horrible if you let your older LO watch some TV for a bit when you need to sort out the sleep thing?  I'm thinking it's only temporary, maybe 30mins at a time twice a day for a week or so? and it will keep them in one spot (at least it does DS1 - he watches Sesame Street in the mornings) or do you have someone who can come over and occupy him (older cousin, neighborhood girl wanting to learn to babysit?)  If you can get that worked out, study up on your BW "tools" (PU/PD, sh/pat, etc.) then maybe you could extend those naps. 

[MamaDrea]

Jumping in here, as I'm in the EXACT same boat!  My ds will be 6 mos in a few days, and I have a crazy boy who'll be 3 in a couple of months.  I'm experiencing the same nap issues, and am working with A times as well.

One thing I'm finding is that the morning A time is the shortest of the day.  I'd been putting her down after 90 min, then upped it to 2 hours, and that seemed like too much (still only 45min nap), so I've split the difference and am shooting for 1:45.  Sometimes it works, sometimes she still wakes up after 45.  She too always wakes happy.  I've tried to extend her naps, but it's never worked, and I also find it too difficult with the boy running around and wanting to see what's going on!  I remember too with my son that his first A time of the day was always significantly shorter than the others, it tended to get longer as the day went on.

I think it can be harder with us bf moms, as you need to increase frequency of feeds to increase your supply (especially if she's having a growth spurt, and I believe there's a good one at 6 months?), and that can throw off the routine a bit.  I would just be sure to make each feed a full on, so she doesn't get used to snacking.

Just my two cents, hope it helps.  If I have any breakthroughs I'll let you know what worked for me.  Good luck!

Andrea

[rachelmomof2]

Thanks for everything gals. Still having issues but I am really thinking her top teeth are coming thru and causing her discomfort. So many things have gone off course (naps, NW's, EW's, fussiness) and that's all I can figure. I'll just have to learn to chill out a bit and let things run their course. 

Would it be absolutely horrible if you let your older LO watch some TV for a bit when you need to sort out the sleep thing?

DS watches plenty of TV, that is my saving grace right now which is sad, but true.

[Jiinx]

rachel could you post your routine for today? or yesterday? I just want to see why there's so many nightwakings. How many hours of sleep does she get a night?

[rachelmomof2]

Let's see...
I don't remember yesterday's schedule exactly. This is what I do know...wake up was between 6-7am (I was so tired from the NW's I think I slept thru her wake up). She took 3 naps and the longest was 55 minutes. The last nap of the day was 40 minutes with a wake up of 4:45pm. Total naps were: 2 hr 15 min. Bedtime was 6:30pm. NWs - 10:07pm (BF), 2:30am - babbling for 40+ min when it escalated into upset crying (ending up BF), 5:22am talking/shrieking (went in to prevent my 3 yr old who sleeps in next room from waking up). Changed diaper, not interested in feeding, put back down. Fell asleep at 6:17am for 20 minutes.

Today:
Awake at 5:22am with a 20 min catnap - wake up at 6:37am
E 7:10 BF
A Solids 8:10 2 TB oatmeal
S 8:24 - 9:48, 1 hr 24 min (the LONGEST nap in a month?)
A
E 10:30 BF (trying to stretch out from 2.5 EASY to 3+)
A  2 hrs
S 11:48 - 12:23 (35 min - OT?!)
A
E 1:30 BF 
S 2:06 - 2:48 (42 min - UT?)
E 3:10 Solids 1 jar sweet potatoes
A
E 4:20 BF
S 4:30 tried to get a catnap in before bedtime but no luck
Early bedtime to avoid further OT - 5:45pm

Thanks for looking at this!

[rachelmomof2]

She will usually go a 12 hour night but sometimes 11. And prior to a few weeks ago, she would sleep solid from 6:30p- 2 or 4am (one feeding) and awake at 6:30am. I've never done a DF.