Cat Nap and short Activity Time in 9 mos old

[bensmuma]

My dd is 9 mos (7.5 corrected). She has a low tolerance for A time (2.5hrs) and has 2 good naps during the day (1.5-2hrs usually). Unfortunately it still puts her waking from her second nap between say 230-330. So not only does she often fight the catnap (when she's really good about the other naps), but it sometimes falls @ 6pm! Can I force her A time or it is really innate? I just changed it from 2.25 to 2.5 because we started having short naps so I fugured she was due for the increase and it worked! Now without the catnap she awake a long time and we've started having EW and multiple NW (besides her regular BF waking). What do I do???

[~Karen~]

She should have really dropped the catnap by now.  What time is she going down for the night?  What happens if you do a 6pm bedtime?  Otherwise you may need to slightly start to increase her A times in order for her second nap not to finish too late and get to a bedtime you want. 

[bensmuma]

She typically goes down at 7pm. Sometimes 630 when she does cat nap and sometimes 730 when she does. I've never done a 6pm before. How much do I increase her A times and for how long and to what point?

[~Karen~]

Here are the examples for A times and same sample routines for her age (and also corrected age).  You'll know best what she needs to be doing as in her real age or corrected age. 

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=164030.0

Average Awake time at 7 months can range anywhere from 2 hrs. 45 mins. to 3  hrs.   Average Awake time at 9 months is about 3.5 hours. (Tracy says 8-10 months is 3 to 4 hours).

These are just averages though remember.  My ds2 is over a year and on short A times for his age. 

[bensmuma]

Still having a terrible time I've pushed her to 2.45 and she maxes out. If she goes 3 she short naps. Cat naps are no longer an option since she absolutely refuses. Her second nap is now waking closer to 230 300 so I've been putting her to sleep at 630 but still having early wakings...6 630. Where do go from here? Please help. Do I keep her 3 hours anyway? I'm feeling tired and so limited with my and her time and unfortunately I work full time so I'm not home to do this myself. I need advice please!

[~Karen~]

If she's going to bed at 630pm and not waking till 6/630am then that's certainly not ew as she's having an 11.5/12 hour night when the average is 11 hours.  Is she having an nw's in that time?  How long is she napping for when she naps?  Can you post her current EASY?

[bensmuma]

Here's our fairly standard EASY:

0600-0700 Wake
0700 BF
0800 Solids
845-945 Asleep
1015-1115 Wake (this nap varies from 45min to 1hr45min
1100ish BF
1200 Solids
1245-1345 Asleep
1345-1445 Wake (this second nap is usually about an hour)
1500 BF
1400-1630 Solids
1830 BF and sleep

She sometimes wakes before 10 and I resettle without feeding. She usually wakes again before 2am and I bf at that time. I am only ever bfing once a night as I am trying to wean that. Then she's up between 6-7.

Let me know what you think. Thanks!

[~Karen~]

Her naps could be slightly longer but tbh it looks like she's doing pretty well.  Can you try to extend her naps through shush/pat or w2s?  It's always a bit of an awkward time when they're not quite ready to take one less nap but they won't or there isn't enough time in the day for the nap.  It should soon even out though once she can handle those slightly longer A times. 

[bensmuma]

Definitely no nap extending in this house, no matter how it's done. She's not receptive to it nor do we have the time with a 3 yr old running around who's also not napping right now    I suppose 6-30 may not be early rising to some but to me (who's up at least twice with her and several times with my son) it's super early. I know it's not forever and I actually quite enjoy the 630 bedtime but with it comes the 6am wakeup! I can't wait for her A time to change!

[bensmuma]

Oh and now we are getting one 45min nap of the 2. Usually in the afternoon. WT?

[~Karen~]

How you getting on?  Yeah, I also have a three year old who's pretty much dropped his naps.  I've given up trying most the time as he just won't go to sleep.  Try and do a bit of quiet time in the afternoon with him as at least the 4 year old is at school! 

Believe me, I don't like any wake up before 7am!  However, we're going through the 2-1 switch right now with ds2 so he's having to go to bed at 6pm a lot of nights if he's refusing the second nap so is up usually by 630am but he's had over a 12 hour night by then so can't really expect much more. 

45 min naps can be UT so maybe stretch the A time a little bit before the nap to see if that helps?

[bensmuma]

We're managing ok. The catnap is all but gone. She's quick sick with a bad cough and cold right now so often wakes herself up coughing. Nights are terrible! She's been waking often wanting to be held. Of course I oblige, poor baby. Today she had a cat nap and woke at 5pm and I put her to bed at 7. This morning she was awake at 6 so let's hope tomorrow morning she sleeps in and tries to catch up on all the lost sleep from the night before! AND we're driving for 1.5 days to Florida on Wednesday Off to sleep myself, can barely keep my eyes open!

[~Karen~]

Hugs.  Have a lovely time in Florida and try not to worry about naps while you're on vacation.