should I wake him up?

[emily3434]

The last few months I have not needed to wake Trey up from his nap - he wakes on his own (usually no more than 1.5 hour nap)  He is now 7.5 months old.  Naps are inconsistent in length, but at least 1 hour long, and he always wakes happy.  My question is this:  1 maybe 2 days a week he seems to have a long nap day (probably catching up since he usually naps no more than 2.5-3 hours a day) and I don't know if I should wake him from the second nap if it gets too long.  My first instinct is to NOT wake him, since he has been waking himself for several months and is happy...but then when it gets close to 5 pm I get nervous that he will fight bedtime!

this was today: (a long catch-up nap day)

7:30 wake/bf
8:30 breakfast
10:30-12 nap (usually only 1 hour)
3:20 nap - I got nervous here, he was still sleeping at 4:45, so we woke him up.

he did fall asleep nursing this evening for bed at 7:30, and transferred to bed right away.  but woke 30 min. later, needed help resettling, then again 30 min after (dh is up there right now)

so, I'm assuming he's OT by the way he's acting, but its very confusing since he got more daytime sleep today than usual!!

Help pleaes! All thoughts are welome!!

[Shiv52]

Bumping up for you x

Will you post your easy for the days when he naps for 1 hour?

[emily3434]

yes -- this is what we get most days of the week:

7:30 wake, bf
8:30 breakfast
10:30 nap
11:30 wake
12:30 ish lunch
2:40 ish nap
3:50 wake
5:00 dinner
7:00 nurse and to bed

he sleeps good at night, and wakes up happy from his naps.  I have tried pushing his A time back more, but on a 1 hour nap I can get maybe 3.15.  with a 1.5 hour nap he can go 3.5 easily.  occassionally the morning nap will be 1 hour, and the afternoon will got for 1.5.  I have been going with the flow a little more (rather than obsessing over his naps!!!) so I am more calm and he is happy.  Again, I really haven't woken him for naps in months....so I'm not sure if I should have a cut off for the afternoon nap? or just let him be.

[~Karen~]

I'd let him be for now.  If he starts taking a long time to go to sleep for bedtime then you might want to start limiting it.  I found with ds2 that the last A time could be really short but he'd still go down well for the night.  Just see how he gets on and if the need arrises then start having a set wake up time, say 4pm, if you want to keep a 7pm bedtime.  It sounds like he's getting on great though 

[emily3434]

ok -- bedtime has been a challenge- I assume OT from shorter naps during the day.  Other nights he falls asleep nursing and transfer to his bed.  I will let him sleep (assuming we get a long nap day next week!) so unpredictable! 

How short would you consider really short?

Today he woke from his nap after 35 min. very OT (we had to run to the grocery store) he took 15 to settle and close his eyes, so I held him for another 30. I plan to watch his cues for bed, but assume it will be early, around 7.

[~Karen~]

How's he been getting on?  Has he had decent naps today?  35 mins is a pretty short nap obviously but if you need to get out then sometimes it's just going to happen.  When that happened here and ds2 would have to have a nap out and about then I'd make sure the other one that day was a decent one at home. 

[emily3434]

thanks karen -- I see I wrote poorly -- I think he 35 min. nap was due to the fact that we were at the grocery store before his nap.  he always has terrible naps when I have to go out anywhere during the day - regardless if I get home in time to put him down for a nap on time. (a little spirited I think

today he actually work early (6:30) which is odd..he played until 7:15 in his bed when we got him.  napped early for 1 hour, making the second nap early, it was 1 hr 20 min - a good length -- but we are stuck now with an early bedtime  - just hope that doesn't end up with an early waking!

I do think he tends to get overstimulated as the day goes on, and needs less of an A time by the end of the day.  we just can't get that bedtime correct, and always have to go up and resettled.  by the end of the day, we are just pooped, and usually end up holding him for 15-20 min. then putting him in his bed. 

[~Karen~]

Hope he doesn't wake up too early for you.  It does get easier, I promise!  Have you had a look at some sample routine's for lo's around his age to see what was working for others?  I'll post a link incase you want to have a look.

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

[emily3434]

so, just wanted to update - after a miserable short nap day, we have a long nap day (I think I said above that this seems to happen 1x/week) he slept this morning for 1.5 hours (we woke him to go to church) then came home after 3 hour 20 min went down for a 1 hr 50 min nap (!!!!WHAT!!!!!) THEN, 3 hours later went down for bed perfectly peaceful.  a great day.  this is what he does to me about once a week - I think he just catches up, then goes back to 1 hour naps, and being OT at bed.  what can a girl do.  I guess I'll just keep rolling with it   thanks for the continued support!