Desperate for some sleep, 7.5mo NWs and EWs, please help us!!

[Buntybear]

Q - if you let your lo sleep past 4, does he have a hard time settling for BT? I'm still trying to figuring out why some nights my DS takes forever to settle. Sometimes all it takes is a top up of formula, but that wasn't the case last night. So just trying to troubleshoot.

Well, I normally time his BT for 3ish hours after he wakes and he normally goes down OK. Last night he did need a tiny bit of help (just needed hand on chest for 30 seconds) but he has been a bit like that recently (thought it was a bit of SA) but last night I thought it was because he had 2.5 hours of naps.

Anyway I have to admit that I let him have 3 hrs again today. He actually had 2 x 1.5 hours which has never happened since I dropped his CN. Result! Managed to extend pm naps using W2S for last 4 days  . Let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

[jackman]

Sianie - hope you are still online and can help me think this one out. DS woke 30 min after his first nap. I tried to put him back down but he wasn't having it and I know that is an OT nap. I waited almost an hour and put him down again and now he is asleep. So my question is, would you do this for the remainder of the day?

Let him sleep at least an hour and if he continues to sleep, wake him. Keep his 2nd A time to 2.5hrs or 2.75 since the first nap was broken. Let 2nd nap be 1.5hrs (ideal situation of course) and get him to bed early (BT 2.5hrs after 2nd nap).

I did see your posting and suggestions from others about the set nap times. I will definitely give it a go once I get these darn nights sorted.

Thoughts??

[sianie]

Hi...hope I catch you in time (not sure what the time difference is between us?!)

What was his A time before the 30 min nap?

Personally, I'd leave him to sleep as long as he needs & wouldn't wake him up.....let him catch up then adjust the rest of the day accordingly? I guess as he's had a short nap you need to try & get as much sleep in during the rest of the day as poss so he doesn't get too OT by BT....

[jackman]

Ok well he woke again after 30 min. It's lunchtime now, so am feeding DS and I was thinking of just watching his cues for his next nap and then I'll just let him sleep for as long as he can without hurting BT.

Ugh Sianie, not sure what is happening. Perhaps my mom being here is throwing him for a loop. So funny how lo's can be so sensitive to those sort of things. He does have congestion, but he never acts like it bothers him.....

What you think?

[sianie]

They can get a lot more OS at this age as they are so much more alert so maybe with your Mum staying that's partly it?

Could also be congestion bothering him....try meds to make sure it's not an issue? Is he teething? DS is teething again & his naps have gone a bit wonky so I'm giving meds before sleeps and he's been better today....

[jackman]

So after somewhat unconventional naps (2 - 30min and then 1 broken nap of 50 min and then 20 min) and a last A time of nearly 4hrs, DS STTN (7:40pm until 6:20am). I tried for an early BT around 6:15 and he kept fighting me.

I do not at all understand but I will take it. And of course I was such a stress bucket yesterday thinking his night sleep would be horrendous. Ugh, I need to learn how to relax.....

One good thing is that it was the second night of not waking at 3:30am or 4:30am for a playfest, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that stage is behind us.

[Buntybear]

WOW brilliant - I have found often that STTN has come after a day of bad naps - doesn't always figure that good day sleep equals good night sleep IMHO

[Huds Mom]

Jackman, so glad to hear. It gives me hope!

[sianie]

Great news J!!!  ......of course throws all logic out the window of good naps = good nights sleep 

What do you think caused his naps to go out of whack? Any better today? What time is it with you anyway? 8.45pm here.....

[jackman]

Hi S - It's 12:49pm here in Portland, OR.

I think it is like we said, OS with my mom visiting. Also DS is learning how to sit from a crawl position so that could be throwing things off too.

Well I had to take DD to swim class this morning and my mom watched DS. I asked her to put him down at 10am and he did go down like a champ. However, mom woke him up after 1hr!!! Oh well, I can't control her either so hopefully DS will sleep a good 1.5-2hrs this afternoon.

We've had 3 nights of STTN, but not consecutively. I'm betting that tonight will be one with NWs.....it's just my luck.

[sianie]

Ok, so you are roughly 8hrs (ahead or behind....I'm not sure!?)

The fact that he has even had 3 nights of sleeping through means you are on the right track....it will all come good!! 

[jackman]

Hi S and Z - I went out and bought a Gro-Egg and noticed that the recommeded temp was 16C to 19C (61F to 67F). I think that is cold!!! Do you both have your rooms at the recommeded temp and use a sleep sack to help keep lo warm?

[sianie]

My Lo's rooms aren't always at the recommended temp...depends on the weather e.g. today it's been really warm here & DS's room was 23 degrees (too warm), even with window open & fan on, so he has been sleeping in a 0.5 tog sleeping bag (thinest you can get) with just his nappy on underneath ('tho DS is a particularly warm baby).

The temps are there as a guideline & then you adjust bed-clothing as necessary, but take into account that your LO may be a colder/wamer baby than the average. 

[Rizzo]

Jackman
I use grobags too - they are fantastic. I think a good temperature is about 19/20C. Im sure when the room was 17C, DS woke up a lot more, and was more active in bed - maybe to try to keep warm. DS loves sleeping on his tummy/side, so i cant tuck him in anymore, hence why the grobags are great.

I have a thermometer on the wall, and i try to keep the room at about 20C. In summer, its very difficult to keep it that cold, it sometimes gets up to 24-26C, which is not ideal. As sianie said, i just sleep him in less with a very thin grobag.

[jackman]

DS has woken at 5am for the last two days?!! I shouldn't complain since he has been STTN, but the EWs are baffling since it is only 9-9.5hrs of sleep. DS is no where getting the recommended amount of sleep of 11-12hrs a night. Yesterday's naps were 3hrs with the longest in the am (1hr45min) and I kept him up until 9am eventhough he woke at 5am. PM nap was 1hr 15min (had to wake to preserve BT).

I suppose I do the same today?? Are you getting EWs too Sianie? Has the set naps helped at all?