8 months what should be going on??

[Spandanna]

Hi all, me again!!

So we're still all over the place with short naps. Some days we get 2x 1.5 hour naps. Other days it's more like 3x 30 minute naps. My LO will be 8 months on Wednesday and I feel like the weeks are going so fast that whilst I'm trying to find the right A time and sort his naps he grows up a little bit and has new needs and I can't keep up!! Please can anyone share their experiances of routines at 8 months? so far this is how today is going:

Awake 6am
nap 1 - 9-9.35 
gone down for a nap at 12.40 will see what happens.

I also think he's teething at the moment which would explain the gargantuan amounts of sleep he has on saturday and sunday. He slept 14 hours through the night on saturday after 5.5 hours daytime sleep and then slept 3 hours in the day on Sunday! I'm so lost I feel like other than feeding times routine is out the window!

Help! Please!!!

[Tweakster]

Hi there, with teething it's really hard to tell where their A times lie.  Some LO's can handle close to same, others drop back much lower than normal.  If you think that first nap is OT then you can only put him down slightly sooner to see if that helps.  For us 35 min naps were UT - he woke happy and then deteriorated the rest of the day because he was in UT/OT cycle.  Could it be the same for your LO? 

At 8 mths Finn was fairly consistent with sleeping 11 hours at night and 2x 1.5 hour naps during the day.  Around 3 hours A time  - usually a slightly longer A to bedtime.

[Spandanna]

The short napping has definitely been a sign of UT before for us so I'm certain you're right. I just don't know where to go from here because I can't get any sort of consistency in the day even when he seems fit and healthy!

[Tweakster]

HI there, I know we have had the same issue all along.  Finn increases A time but I never get the memo.  He doesn't do it subtly, he just goes straight for total nap refusals and meltdowns.  He likes to make sure we get the point lol.

I would gently increase if you think it will get a better nap.  Give pain meds or teething remedy about 1/2 hour before.  So give the meds, then about 15 mins later start a gentle wind down and hopefully by the time he hits the crib they have kicked in.

Remember too at this age they pretty much have both day and night sleep worked out so they tend to self-regulate a bit, they might take a longer night and then not do as many hours during the day or vice versa, not that it helps our routines any because of lack of consistency but if you look at the overall 24 hour period you can see the average sleep and that is what you always want to keep in mind.

[Jiinx]

Hi S

 I'm reading your threads and following along as I think our babies share kindred spirits

 Spandanna, I think Wendy has hit a few good points.

At this age, I don't think our babies should really be OT at 3 hours of A time. My lo gets whiny in the morning around 2 hours and 45 ..and I just pick her up and walk around with her until 3 hours and 20. I put her in bed sometimes close to 3 hours and 30 minutes just bc, I -know- she sleep for those 1.5 hour naps and I know anything less than 3 hours she gives me 45 minute naps. If she does wake up at 30 mins, I just go in and extend her nap. If it doesn't work..meh..I'll try again for the next nap.

 The way I look at it - is he sleeping well at night? Yes? then that's a good sign that he can make up his sleep at night.
 Is he happy during the day? Yes? Awesome! short nap in the morning? then maybe you can go out for a quick errand and keep the rest of the A low key. To tell you the truth, even if she short naps in the morning, I still keep her A at 3 Hours and 10 minutes (she doesn't like going to sleep at anything less than 3 hours)..there's more of a chance she'll get a longer nap in the aft and that's key to getting her to bed rested.

 Sorry. I'm rambling. I think I'm just trying to say ..even if we don't have the set 1.5 hours x 2..it still can work. I'm really just trying to let her enjoy being awake rather than worrying about overstimulation and getting her to bed quickly.

  We can offer them the chance to rest..if they take it is really up to them, yk? Our babies are old enough, I think, to decide if they want to continue sleeping or go to sleep.

 *hugs* I really am rooting for you, S! We'll figure something out that works for you!!!   Hugs to  your lil angel.

oh. just a thought...do you take him for any activities? I find she gets really tired and has good naps if I tire her out a bit.

[Spandanna]

Thanks Wendy

So am I looking to try and get 3 hours in the day from him? He seems to have developed into an 11 - 11.5 hour night sleeper and, touch wood, the nights are good 90% of the time. Occasionally we have an hour long NW but I think this is when he goes to bed UT   not sure. Thankfully this isn't too common!

I guess I should be grateful that his nights are ok and he usually settles ok for his naps but just doesn't want to stay asleep beyond the 30 minute mark very often. Today at his lunch time nap he woke after 30 mins but by giving him a paci I got him back to sleep (doesn't have it to sleep in the first place and this also doesn't always work). Should I just give in and accept that I probably won't sort this out and hope that when he startes crawling/walking he'll just tire himself out sufficiently??!!!

This has been going on for so many months now!

[Spandanna]

Jiinx I think our posts crossed!! Thanks for the words of encouragement. I think you are right about the letting them get on with it part! It's so nice to have the support of this forum and thank you for all the ongoing advice and encouragement!

He slept like an absolute trooper for his grandparents at the weekend....I wonder why he wont do it at home?!! Right I'm going to go for the longer A time tomorrow and just see if he can do it, he's definitely capable of a longer A time. He did 4.5 hours at the weekend and then did a 1h45 nap!! 

Fingers crossed for tomorrow eh?! x

[Jiinx]

 

[Tweakster]

My fingers are permanently crossed for tomorrow lol  Tomorrow is always the better day in my mind.