Our days are getting loooong. Is this ok or do I need to start cutting naps?

[cuckoochick]

Ok, DD is just over 7mos old. We dropped the CN the day she turned 6mos as she has high A times for her age. Now we're up to A times of 3hrs 25-30mins and our day is getting loooong and the nights short. Is this ok or do I need to start capping naps? I'm going back to work in just over a week's time and I feel like I might need to start getting a grip on stuff to make sure DH is going to know what he is doing as he will be looking after DD for 3 weeks until I break up for summer holidays (teacher). Our naps are variable- they're not always 1hr 30, AM nap is usually 1hr20-1.5hrs and PM nap is usually slightly shorter between 1hr-1.5hrs.

Here is today's EASY
Wake up 6:45
A 3.5hrs
S 10:15-11:45
A 3hrs 25
S 3:10- DD is still asleep and it is now almost 4:35pm but I expect she will wake up at 1.5hrs and if not I will wake her up.

This will obviously be followed by another A time of 3.5hrs to BT which will make BT 8pmish or slightly after and which obviously leaves room for around an 11hr night if I let her sleep until 7am, unless she wakes earlier. At the moment, the more daytime sleep she has (i.e. if she takes 2x1.5hr naps) her night sleep is 10.5-11hrs but if she naps slightly less between 2 and 2.5hrs she will sleep 12hrs at night. Any ideas on what I should be doing? Do I just carry on until we start getting problems? The other night we had a 1/2hr NWing which I know is short but she was just awake. We've had long NWs in the past when she needed an A time increase so i am just worried we're going to go crazy here soon.

Many thanks!

[~Sara~]

Do I just carry on until we start getting problems?

Honestly, this is what I would do   If it ain't broke, don't fix it kind of thing

Her naps look good to me, as does her night sleep.  She had that one NW a little bit ago, but it doesn't sound like it's a pattern (which is when you know there's an issue).

Because you've had experience with the long NWs due to her needing an A time increase, I think you are the expert here, already knowing the signs for when she's ready for more A time or what those NWs mean if they start happening consistently again.

Now, I guess I should ask: is she just as happy after a 10.5/11h night as a 12h night?  If yes, then I think everything is fine.  She might be one of those amazing LOs who makes up missed daytime sleep at night (like when she has short nap days, but that 12h night).

[cuckoochick]

Thanks Sara.

Well this is the thing, with these shorter nights, she has been getting fussier towards the end of her first A time, whereas previously she has never ever given tired signs and I have always just gone from A times. The last few days she had been quite cranky from being awake between 2.75-3hrs A (rubbing her eyes, twisting) so I put her down slightly earlier, even at just 3hrs 15 and she was giving me UT naps of 1hr-1hr10, then if I shortened her 2nd A time, I'd get another shorter nap. Today I pushed through the crankiness with low-key acitivity to her normal 3.5hrs A time and she gave me a 1.5hr nap. She always wakes happy from naps and mornings, it's just been this fussiness the last few days before the first nap had me questioning myself as she has never ever been fussy before. She usually just keeps playing happily until I take her for a nap and then during the wind-down she will begin to rub her eyes, twiddle her hair. We've recently sleep-trained her and she is going to sleep with no crying and sometimes no real fussing, just rolling around and trying to get comfy within about 5-10minutes so I am really not sure what is going on. Any ideas?

Thanks again!

[~Sara~]

Today I pushed through the crankiness with low-key acitivity to her normal 3.5hrs A time and she gave me a 1.5hr nap. She always wakes happy from naps and mornings, it's just been this fussiness the last few days before the first nap had me questioning myself as she has never ever been fussy before.

Yup, sounds like my DS when he was young: would grizzle and fuss at me but wouldn't make up any sleep.  Nope!  He wanted his full A time (even when sick and teething...I was so bummed as I thought he would sleep longer like other LOs, lol).  So, I'd stick with the regular A time, tbh.  Do you think she's teething?

[cuckoochick]

It's a possibility but then I have kept thinking she has been teething for the last 2 months!!! She has wanted to nurse at random times in the last week as well so it could be something. Will keep an eye on it. She fell asleep at 8:10pm for BT tonight. I'm almost ready for bed myself! When the days are getting so long you are exhausted and have little evening for yourself.

I will keep going as I am for now and see what happens. I have a feeling we're going to start this 2:1 early.

Thank you!

[~Sara~]

I have a feeling we're going to start this 2:1 early.

Possibly...nothing to fear really (life got so much simpler when DS went to one nap at 13 months).  Once they hit ~4h A times, that's when you start the transition...and getting to 1 nap can take months after that.

And remember: not every LO does a 12h day/12h night.  It's very, very common to see a 13h day/11h night.  So, lots of moms in the same situation (I'm one of 'em).  Let me know if anything else pops up!  Enjoy the evening 

[cuckoochick]

Thanks. It's crazy because I have been looking forward to 1 nap but I just read so many posts about how tricky the 2:1 transition can be and am starting to get terrified!!!

Hope you have a great day too!