15 weeks. Is LO ready to extend EASY already???

[musicgal03]

So I kept him up for a little more than an hour. Watched his cues real close. He was so happy when I got him after that 40 minute nap. Very strange. Now he has been asleep for almost 1 hour. Hoping for a 2 hour nap.

I think he was crying prior to the 2nd nap because my 2 year old was upset and crying too.....Maybe he got affected by that. Usually my 2 year old never really cries. He is such a good boy. So maybe DS 2 just got overwhelmed.

I will take your advice and keep it REAL low key next time he shows signs of being tired "too early". That is if my DS 1 let's me.....:-)

[*Liz*]

Probably was your 2 year old really - my mums puppy gets all upset when Jacob cries and Jacob cries if the dog cries  . Probably a good sign they will be friends later on  .

Using a baby sling can be a good way of keeping your DS2 calm while taking care of DS1 - often the closeness is calming even if the environment isn't iyswim? It IS tough to avoid OS with number 2 though - and with time they will just adapt anyway  .

[musicgal03]

Liz, the sling is a great idea. I have one but just never bother to use it unless we are out and about. It is hard making lunch with a clingy toddler and a crying baby in your arms. So the sling will for sure help when that happens!

Yesterdays ordeal:

1st A 1.30 hours
1st S 2 hours

2nd A 1.25 hours
2nd S 40 minutes

3rd A 1.15 hours (this is after being awake in the crib for 40 minutes too)
3rd S 1.40 hours

So this brought us to 4.50 PM. Way too early. By 6 PM, right at dinner time he was getting very upset so I put him in his crib with blinds closed like at nap time. He actually laid there without being upset OR sleeping. But I think he got some good down time because when I got him up 30 minutes later he was fine being up until 7.30! That I guess is an idea if I end up short after all the naps. I could put him down early but I much rather do a 7-7.30 bedtime if I can.

He then went on to sleeping 9.10 hours straight. Fed and then back down until 7.30.

Today I kept him up for 1.45 for the first A time. The last 30-40 minutes of it though is a bit rough. Have to distract and hold him a lot. I guess that will change once he gets a bit older and can handle it better right?

He has now been sleeping 2 hours and I just about to go get him. Seems like the morning nap is for sure established. Doesn't that nap usually establish first?

[*Liz*]

Yes LO's do seem to prefer that first nap  .

Let me know how you get on 

[musicgal03]

OK. Just wanted to update and let you know what is going on.

I decided pushing A time was just too early for DS. He was usually crying fir the last 15-25 minutes of being awake which just didn't seem right. The little man wanted to sleep. So I now put him down when he is tired and starts to cry. Usually between 1.25-1.50 of A time. He has settled into a 3 nap routine which is as follows:

1st nap 8.30-9.00 for 2 hours (This one is so great and predictable)
2nd nap 12-12.30 for about 1.30 hours (This varies now. Usually 1.20-1.50 long)
3rd nap about 4 PM for 35 minutes-1 hour (I guess this is now the cat nap???)

He is then awake until his 7.30 bedtime. Sometimes I will lay him in his crib around 6 PM for 30 minutes or so while we eat for some down time in the dark. He never sleeps but seems refreshed when I get him up.

He is sleeping average 11-12 hours at night with a break to eat after about 9 hours.
This seems to work for him now and it is so much less stressful. The crying was getting crazy!

Does this sound like it might be a good routine to work from Liz?

[*Liz*]

I would fear OT at the end of the day as that final A time can be quite long really - but if it is working for him then it is working for him  .

So I would say continue as you are and see if it continues to work  .

We essentially just use 'averages' to help with routines and of course not all babies want to do the same as all the others - I think body clock has a lot to do with it really.

But following a babies cues is the essense of BW, and also if it isn't broken, don't fix it  .