the beginning of the 2:1? very early! help!

[Jiinx]

45 mins would enough restorative sleep for her to probably do a full A time. You could cut her nap by 30 minutes and then follow it with a 3 hour A time or somewhere around that?

ugh..I know how it is. I never did a short nap. Just let her do what she did..and then had a 4-4.5 hour A time and had to wake her up so there was enough A time between the nap and bedtime.

It's a blah period of 2-1

[nursemeg01]

Thanks for hanging in there with me ladies. I truly appreciate it. I just feel bad for her---I kind of feel like I'm confusing her. I want her to take a long nap, yet I wake her up when she does---ykwim? She actually seemed quite mad that I woke her up this afternoon, which made it worse. AND I am now trying to figure out how to get the feed in with this weird nap. It will all work out. I think a 45 min AM nap will do ok--IF she'll fall asleep---that's what happened today. I put her in her crib thinking it would be ok if I got an UT AM nap but she didn't fall asleep until 45 min after being in there which pushed the whole day later. ugh, it's like a HUGE A time puzzle that I'm constantly trying to piece together.

I like the idea of a normal (don't wake her up) AM nap because the AM really sets the tone for us. I could then just extend my A time and wake her up as need be. Would that mess up the transition when it's time---aren't I supposed to be 'teaching her' that the PM nap should be the long one?

blah is right.

[Jiinx]

Hi hun,
 You can teach babies to sleep independently, which is what you did Meg. You put in the hours and now you have a baby who sleeps fantastically. what I don't think you can teach them is for how long they'll sleep for. Meaning, when you or I take an afternoon nap, we would wake when we're rested (or with an alarm). I don't think you have to worry about her not learning how to take a long afternoon nap.

A lot of moms on here do the short AM/long PM. With my lo, she just wants her nap asap ..and would go down even if I put her down after 3 hours.. Some moms have to do a 20-40 minute nap to allow for a decent afternoon nap. I know you've been at it for awhile She just probably just needs an increase in A time and lots of activity perhaps?

I just did long AM/short pm bc I didn't have the patience. Also, I did my errands between these naps bc I couldn't do them in the morning (she would so fall asleep in the car) and after her second nap would be when her dad came home or when I would take her swimming etc...

Hang in there..we'll get you through it. *hugs*

[Canadian_Mom]

I, like Sarah, do the long AM/short PM route, because I find it easier to let him have a longer AM nap (which I do wake him up at 1.5hr) so that he is happy for the afternoon during which time we do most of our visiting, errands etc.  Then the PM nap length varies from 20min-1hr depending on how the day is going, and the last A time varies as well.  I figure that his first A time will keep getting longer and longer until his first nap moves itself into the afternoon (and let him sleep for as long as he wants) and the last CN phases itself out.  And if things aren't working out down the road I am not opposed to trialing short AM/long PM!

Its all about what works best for you and your LO though...

I put her in her crib thinking it would be ok if I got an UT AM nap but she didn't fall asleep until 45 min after being in there which pushed the whole day later.

Does she do this often?  As she is a little older now, she just might be too UT to nap with that A time!  There certainly is a fine line being tired enough for a nap and still having that little bit more energy to burn off.  I certainly have no experience with actually doing a short first nap though, so maybe I am off base here.

As for the "E" I guess you need to be a little more inventive with doing a short AM.  Don't forget about using snack time, or that the "E" can be moved around now a little that they are older!  As long as you have a bit of time (20min) between E and sleep you should be fine!

[empowered mama]

Hi Meg,

I'm going to agree with Sarah on the 30 min nap cut.  When we finally cut from 1 hr to 45 min AM nap, DS was still doing a 3h40min 2nd A time off 45 min, so we cut to 30 (and are still trying to find our magic #).  I could have left it with a 45 min AM, as he was giving me a long 2nd nap - but our day ended being over 13 hrs and still a cause for EWs so I had to bring our day back down by shortening the first nap some more.

We literally were on a 45 min nap for about 2-3 days before I cut it again.  So it could be possible - you may look to try it and see what happens?

[nursemeg01]

Hi Ladies,

We went out of town so these got all crazy but she didn't really well. we had a few EW but I think that was mostly due to the fact that it wasn't her own bed---it was a pack-n-play. So after 'adjusting' to being back home here's what I've done:

cut the AM nap to 1.5 hours---she usually wakes on her own but I enjoy her having this long nap as it really sets our tone for the day.
A time between nap 1 and 2 has been increased to 4 hours!
With the A time adjustment she is taking anywhere from 45 min to 1.25 h naps. So hopefully this will work (for a few weeks at least)

I'll keep you posted!

[Jiinx]

sounds good, Meg. I hope it works for you

[nursemeg01]

well no sooner did I write this post as she is refusing the 2nd nap again. She's at 4.25 of A currently and has been in her crib for 35 minutes. She is practicing sitting up. I've gone in there twice to lie her back down as she is sitting up but now she seems to think this is some kind of game. I guess I'll just leave her to do her thing until she starts fussing. sigh.

[nursemeg01]

Quick question ladies---is this a coincidence or could it be something?

DD refuses her 2nd nap if I wake her up. If I let her sleep and she wakes on her own for the first nap, she'll take a 2nd nap. This is with the same amount of A time AND the same amount of sleep for nap 1. I'll only wake her if she goes past 1.25 of sleep. Weird huh?

Also bigmomma---is the 20 min really necessary at this age? She's always awake when I put her in the crib.

As long as you have a bit of time (20min) between E and sleep you should be fine!

thanks!

[Canadian_Mom]

Maybe it is one of those things where getting "enough" sleep in once instance helps with getting enough sleep later on??  Like when they were little babies a good night sleep meant good naps during the day, and visa versa?  Other then that I am at a loss??

I guess they don't need a long time after an E for the association of feed and sleep, I just do because I wouldn't want to lay down right away after a meal.  And especially if you have had reflux issues.  If it is a small snack (bits of fruit, a couple of crackers) I probably wouldn't worry...  For example when DS has his one nap days I give him a bottle (or lately lunch) then we do quiet play (usually in my lap) for 10-15min, then do nap time routine (diaper change, a book), then lay him down.

I don't know if I mentioned it before but I know that DS has refused his 2nd nap before because of OS.  If we had a lot going on before the 2nd nap I go somewhere quiet for him to play for 10min before the nap which I found made a huge difference!

[nursemeg01]

Hey Nadia,

I totally agree about the OS. I've been trying to do the same. These past few days have just been miserable. Takes the morning nap just fine. Talks and/or cries in her crib for nap #2. ugh.

[nursemeg01]

Ok please tell me what to do now...

After 4 hours of A time, put her in her crib. I had no sleepy cues, but hey I never do. She cried for about 10 minutes. I went up there, she waved to me. I told her it was time to sleep and I left. She didn't cry. Instead she has been sitting in her crib for an hour. I went in there and picked her up to try to get her to go to sleep by rocking, singing, etc. and put her down again---she didn't seem drowsy or anything but she was pretty relaxed. She rolled around for 15 more minutes and then sat up again. She's pretty much been in her crib for 1.75 hours. Seriously. Not crying, playing with her lovey and waving to things in her room. She's happy and I'm frustrated.

It's obvious she doesn't want to sleep. She seems to be beyond the age where I can get her to sleep with APOP. She's spirited/textbook if that helps. My sitter suggested I try going to one nap since she takes a really long nap that we almost always have to wake her up from...however it explicitly says not to do this on the FAQ for the 10 month wonky sleep. Her advice--was what do I have to lose. I just don't know what to do.

I really consider myself a patient person. I'm really trying here but I totally feel like crying. Sorry guys.

[empowered mama]

Meg,

Have you tried cutting the AM nap?  We had to do this when the nap refusals showed up again.  It was as if he was too rested from his first nap to want to take the 2nd (he is also spirited).  Just a thought?

(((Hugs)))

[nursemeg01]

I wake her after an hour. I guess I could do 45 min but I'm afraid she'll refuse the 2nd nap and I'll have a way OT baby.

[empowered mama]

But what if she is refusing the 2nd nap because of the first?  It wouldn't be unheard of for a LO this age to be down to a 45 min AM nap.  Often when they are ready for reduced naps and/or increased A times, they will give you signs such as EWs, nap refusal, shortening naps on their own, bedtime battles. 

You could give a try and see?  Maybe shoot for an A time between 3 and 3.5?  Just another thought...