Getting started on easy. Nap issues. Shortness.

[Shiv52]

{{{hugs}}}

I do think you need to work toward a 4 hour EASY.  At 6 months a 3.5 EASY is not long enough for good naps.  Although you can keep feeding at 3.5 hourly interval if you feel he needs it.

What A time is he managing now?  What your EASY been like the last few days?

[Aggiebeth06]

He is generally at about 2 hours (just shy of that really) of being awake. He has been nursing 20-40 minutes, so his A varies.

I try to keep the more stimulating parts of the day in the mornings and right at the beginning of his A time.

He gets pretty fussy nearing naptime.

(crossing fingers) he had two good naps today so far. I have put him down and sat across the room until he's put both times. He put himself back to sleep during the first one and needed 2 PUPDs during the second but fell back to sleep in 10 min. He slept later than scheduled (I let him go because I figured he was OT and could use it, so we'll adjust - now sure if that was right).

I think some of my frustration may have lead to me pushing harder instead of backing out to see if he was ready to be more independent... Of course the next ones may be much different!

[Shiv52]

He is generally at about 2 hours (just shy of that really) of being awake. He has been nursing 20-40 minutes, so his A varies.

So 2 hours including his nursing time, right?

Thats about right for his age (going on adjusted age). 

Amazing progress on getting himself to sleep!!!  Well done you and DS!!!

Is there any reflux issues with your LO?  Waking at 30-45 minutes can be a sign of reflux flaring.  Should have thought to ask before to rule that out!

[Aggiebeth06]

Yes, he does have reflux. We recently switched meds and seemed to be doing well.

The morning nap is easiest and the late afternoon nap is the hardest. It could be his reflux - he gets his Prevacid before bed. It could be wearing off (or maybe he's just getting more tired as the day goes on).

Any suggestions about how to rule that in/out? I guess I could elevate his bed again, but I'll have to take it down a setting first.

[Aggiebeth06]

Another question for you - he is consistently falling asleep easy for his naps, waking 30 min in and taking 30 min to settle back in to sleep. He will sleep for another hour many times, so I let him. Is that the right thing to do? I feel that it throws our schedule for the rest of the day off, but I am worried about him being overtired.

[Shiv52]

I think thats ok if he is going back to sleep.  Have you tried wake to sleep about 20 minutes in to the nap to see if that will get him through the 30 minute wake up?

[Aggiebeth06]

I haven't but I may... He only started going that long this week.

[Shiv52]

I would try and see does it help him extend.

I meant to check how his reflux is? Did you reelevate the crib?

[Aggiebeth06]

We've had some success with W2S. It's hard to find the right amount of "wake" and when to put it in his sleep cycle.

It also seems like we have a really terrible day, followed by an awesome day... and back and forth.

Yesterday, for instance, he skipped his first nap altogether and wouldn't settle well for the others (45 min CN each), but BT was welcomed. And he's slept well  for his AM nap. We did W2S and I didn't even have to put pressure on his jolts.

I'm prepared that the next nap will be a 45 min one... silly boy.

We haven't re-elevated the crib. I have to move it down a setting to do this, which is a lot of work. I planned on re-evaluating if we needed to over the weekend.