Questions regarding nap extensions and pushing A times

[Tabathagucci]

Thanks!  How do you suggest I proceed with the second nap?  Should I keep the A time at 1 hour 55?  I'd love to go by his cues, but he seems to yawn, rub his eyes and burrow his head into me anytime he's bored or annoyed.

And if the second nap is only 30 or 45 minutes, I have been trying to extend in the crib and if that didn't work, would let him sleep in my arms.  Is that ok to do for now or should I try to extend in the crib and if it doesn't work, just get him up and go in with the day?  I love having him sleep in my arms so it's no issue, just don't want to perpetuate bad habits.

[creations]

It's totally up to you if you try extending in the crib and then AP or give up and get on with the day.  I don't think you will have any long term problems if you AP, the 'risk' is that this becomes a prop that is later worked on to get the full nap in the crib, the 'benefit' of APing the extension is your LO is well slept and happy.  Only you can decide based on your family commitments and how you are feeling at the time.  If you start feeling trapped at any point I think it's better to get on with the day.

As for the second a time, hard to say, my DS would go almost a full A time on a short nap as though he didn't realize he'd only had a short nap.  Observing your LO will help you make the decision, not necessarily observing sleepy signs which can be misleading, but noting how long the first nap was and how well he does with the following A time and, over time, whether he does better with a reduced A time or a full one.  No problem starting with the 1hr 55 and seeing how it goes for a while.

[*Kara*]

Sorry hun... I had an OT baby last night myself so I didn't get on to BW!

I agree with all that Creations has said

Great progress so far!

[Tabathagucci]

Well, yesterday's am nap was 35 mins even with same A time as the day before when we got the good nap.  I extended the first nap to an hour 15 and the rest of he day was all over the place.  Today he wouldnt go back to sleep after 4:15 nursing.  Finally fell back to sleep at 5:30 but woke again at 6:25.  So now not sure where A time for the morning hold be since his early morning sleep was so bad.  I feel like this will never get better.   sorry for my negativity.  It just seems I see one tiny blip of progress and hen it ll falls apart again.

Ok, after being up all that time this am, I used a 2 hr A time.  He slept 50 minutes and is now awake talking to himself in his crib.  No idea how to read this!  He woke up last night about 50-60 mins after bt doing the same thing.  Huh?  So confused! Can you make any sense out of this? 

[Tabathagucci]

He falls back to sleep as soon as I replug the paci.  Stays asleep for a bit once it falls out then wakes up, bu falls asleep again right after I replug.  Ugh...worried now he is just waking up wanting the paci!!

[creations]

Well, yesterday's am nap was 35 mins even with same A time as the day before when we got the good nap.

I try not to judge anything on one day of good or bad naps.  There are so many other factors that can effect sleep.

I feel like this will never get better.

It will.  Try to take a break for yourself if you can.  And if things are getting too much maybe try not to focus too much on it, let go a bit and go with the flow, long or short nap, try to enjoy the A time together.

falls asleep again right after I replug

Could be a prop habit here.  If this is a recent thing I'd suggest teaching him how to find his own fingers or shush/patting through the WU rather than replacing the paci although I know some people are happy to continue to re-plug until LO can find their fingers/thumb.

If you're finding extending the naps stressful or tiring you could take a break from it.  Hugs, I know it's hard work when they have short naps x

[*Kara*]

Agree with Creations - you need 4-5 consistent days of the same A time to know if it is working to extend the nap.

Sounds like you have a paci addict

[Tabathagucci]

Thanks so much Kara and Creations.  Really trying to get used to just letting his short naps be what they are and not spend an hour extending!  His first nap is sporadic, but feel like its getting more consistent.  One question though...
If the rest our his naps for the day are only 35-40 minutes, no matter how I tweak A times, does it hurt to let him sleep longer for his first nap?  Say 2.5 hours?

[*Kara*]

Not at all... If that AM nap is going really well, let him have it!

The only time I would wake is if he seems to develop an EW habit

[Tabathagucci]

Ok great!  I did wake him after 2.5 hrs because it was time to eat.  thanks again!

[Tabathagucci]

Ok, have a new dilemma.

He is waking around 4:45 am for his morning feed, then when I put him down around 15-20 moms later, he poops so I have to change his diaper.  Then I spend the next two hours trying to get him to sleep, which he does on and off.  The only issue is, because it is broken sleep so by the time he wakes up, I have no solid time to base his A time on.  Then we get into a constant loop of OT and UT and a day of 4-5 naps ranging from 27 to 50 minutes. Sometimes I get lucky and get over an hour, but that is rare.

How I do i get out of this rut?  I assume at some point he'll get out of the habit of pooping at 5 am?!?!  Do I just have to wait for that?

[Tabathagucci]

Oh, and suddenly he won't let me extend naps, even on a morning when he gets good sleep and the A time is at 2 hrs.  So I haven't had a string of a few days where I can keep the A time at 2 hrs just to see if it's the right A time!

[*Kara*]

LOL!  we had that 5am poop deal for a few months - it was awful!  It did eventually stop but OMG... craziness!

We had a very similar situation actually - that last night feed had pushed out to 430am and getting her back down was a battle!

I tried resettling a million ways and was never able to get rid of it...

I don't have much advice for you... I started our day at 5am for three months!

[Tabathagucci]

Oh dear, ok!  Well, my issue is that he wakes to feed before 5 (usually 4:30 or 4:45) and then can't get him back down.  I think starting the day at 5 is doable, but 4:30?

Last night we moved the dream feed to 9:30 pm hoping he'd wake a little earlier and at least go back down for an hour. Does that sound like a good plan?  Not sure if it worked yet as DH is on baby duty and I haven't checked to see how it went!  LOL

[creations]

How about trying W2S on that 4.30am feed?  I'm not saying don't feed, but W2S might trigger a new sleep cycle and make the feed a little later (moving the habitual time).  If it was successful you could then try it again to move the feed on to a more reasonable time (maybe 6am?).
Just a suggestion, I didn't have success with night time W2S with mine as he woke earlier the second night before I had a chance to stir him.