30 minute nap and the newborn

[eml2512]

Hi

DS is 9 weeks old and I'm just starting with BW on him - it helped loads with DD!

This is the second day of really trying to focus on naps, I remember these being a nightmare with DD and it took me ages to get her A times right, I've since learned that if I get the A time right with her (spirited/textbook) then she gets a good nap. I'm now trying to figure this out with DS. He can go down in his cot with not much fussing which is great but I have 2 questions though.

1. He wakes after 30 minutes. DD did this and would wake crying. It was usually impossible to get her back to sleep. I'm in here with him now and have managed to extend him for an hour. I've got him on his side, propped up with a wedge, swaddled and a dummy. If the dummy falls out, he wakes up. So he seems to want the extra sleep, but is fighting it. Could it be the wrong A time or is it normal for a newborn to fight sleep after 30 minutes. Therefore will I need to set my expectations to staying in his room for naps until he's older?

2. What's his A time? I'm having difficulty chronicalling his EASY as when DD is not at nursery, she takes control of my day, so it's not always simple to play around with his timings. I'm sure his ultimate A time is less than 2 hours because he gets really grouchy if awake that long. At the moment I'm working on 1hr 20 min A time, especially in the morning. Does that sound right?

Thanks in advance for help.

E

[jay2yay]

Hi E,

If you're just starting him at 9 weeks, there's a good chance he definitely still needs your assistance with sleep training = lots of time in the nursery. 30 minutes is an odd time to wake IMO (i'm no expert) unless it has something to do with the 10 minute mark during the 2nd sleep cycle. Have you tried going in before he usually wakes and just laying your hands on his chest and feet?

This link http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=164027.0
is a great resource for A times. It gives routine examples as well as possible A times. 1 hr 20 min is on the longer average for a LO your son's age.

[Shiv52]

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64158.msg476652

2 months 1 hour and 15 - 20 mins
3 months 1 hour and 20 - 30 mins
4 months 1 hour and 45 - 2 hours


1.20 is about right for 9 weeks although my DD2 was still only doing an hour at that stage.  Totally OS with my toddler running about.

I think he sounds OT with that 30 minute wakening. I'd try reducing your A time maybe to 1.10 and see does that get you a longer nap.  If he keeps wakening at 30 minutes you could try wake to sleep. 

If you do get a short nap and cant get it extended you will need to reduce the next A time, so maybe try for next nap after an hour being awake.

Its really hard with a toddler running around too.  {{{hugs}}}

[eml2512]

Thanks for the tips. DD always seemed to need a longer A time than the book said, so it's tough and I do find it tough to catch his tired signs (was never good at it with DD as a newborn).

I guess my main question is is the 30 minute nap normal at this stage, is it developmental and something I need to train him out of, or is it about whether he is ut, ot, os? ie if I get the timing and activity right, is he going to sleep longer?

I'm about to have a few days of help again, so I think I'll try reducing his a time a bit as well as his stimulation and see how he does with that. I guess httj too?

E

[Shiv52]

Its tough.  I tended to just roll with the short naps at that stage.  DD2 would sleep longer on us, shorter in the crib.  I tended to try and extend and if it didn't work I often popped her in the sling for next nap to get a longer sleep and keep OT at bay. 

I do think short naps is developmental at this stage so if you think you've his A time about right and try to extend a bit then thats about as much sleep training as you need to do with naps at this stage.  Settling to sleep as well as he does at this very young age is excellent.  I do think its a matter of getting a better read of his A times and then he'll nap better rather than you having to get him to extend.  KWIM? 

[eml2512]

I am pleased with how he settles. He does well at night too (managed 8 hours last night - woohoo!). I don't think he's doing the short nap because he's in his cot as he'll do the short nap on my lap or in the sling. But I do think he's ot as he's v cranky from 6pm - he goes down (has reduced in the last week from 9pm - 8pm).

[Shiv52]

I think the short naps are making him OT by the end of the day and thats why he's so cranky.  I'd reduce your A time slightly and see does that help him settle into a longer sleep for you.  If you get a short nap which you can't extend just get him up and aim for a nap in about an hour or so and see does that help.  Pity you cant' AP a longer nap. That saved us from the OT monster in those early weeks! 

Fab stretch at night!  And self settling for naps!  He sounds like a wee angel x

[eml2512]

Thanks for your advice shiv, I'll give it another go over the weekend and see how we do!