EASY needs a tweak? 5 months old

[Andrew's Mom]

Hello,

I think we may need a tweak; we were down to just 1 NW to BF but now have had 4 nights of 2-3 NWs, hard time getting him to go to bed at bedtime, mornings keep getting earlier each day, and he is usually not sleeping through nap 2.  Help please!

DS has reflux and started solids early (4 mos) at doc's recommendation.

2/24
W: 6:10
E: 6:35
E(S): 7:45
S: 8:30-10:30
E: 10:45
E(S): 11:30
S: 12:30-2:20 (woke @41)
E: 3:00
S: 4:15-4:55
E: 5:00
E(S): 5:15
E: 6:50
S: 7:20

DF: 10:00
NW: 12:35-12:40, 2:30-2:50 (NF)

2/25
W: 6:30
E: 6:50
E(S): 7:45
S: 8:30-9:45
E: 11:05
E(S): 11:45
S: 12:05-2:16 (2 wake-ups)
E: 3:25
S: 4:45-5:10
E: 5:25
E(S): 5:45
E: 7:10
S: 7:55

DF: 10:15
NW: 1:30 (NF), 5:15


2/26
W: 6:30
E: 6:50
E(S): 7:50
S: 9:00-10:30 (had to poop so couldn't go to sleep on time!)
E: 11:00
E(S): 12:00
S: 12:45-2:45 (woke @45)
E: 3:05
S: 4:35-5:05
E: 5:10
E(S): 5:30
E: 6:45
S: 7:40

NW: 9:20 (NF), 1:00 (NF), 3:45
DF: (we fell asleep so no DF)

I am not really sure what time he is actually waking up in the morning.  He plays in the crib and I don't wake up until he starts making noise, so I am guessing from when I think I first heard noise.  For the first awake time, our target is 2:15 but it ends up being anywhere from 2-2:30.  This nap he will go to sleep on his own in the crib, and rarely wakes up during the nap.

Nap 2, we are shooting for 2-2:15 awake, and he is more resistant to going to sleep on his own, but he is starting to get cranky before he goes up to bed.  Usually we rock him until his eyes are closed (but arms are still going) and will put him in the crib before he is out cold.  Depending on how fussy he is we will work on going to sleep in the crib on his own.

He won't voluntarily go for a catnap, we have to jiggle/rock him to sleep for that.  He does not like a long wind-down, he will yell if he is not ready to go to sleep (he is spirited and is like a light switch). 

Bedtime has always been hard for us, but he has been doing a lot better.  Any time we have tried to put him down before 7 or within 2 hrs of the catnap, we have had a wake-up within 2 hours.  Usually even if he is on target for 6:30 or 7 for bedtime, it is closer to 8 by the time he actually falls asleep.  Often even if he looks sleepy, if I stop rocking him early or put him in the crib at all awake he is up and playing/laughing (or spitting!).  I usually leave him in the crib at that point until he starts fussing and then I can help him go to sleep (10-15 minutes of playing in the crib). 

I am feeling like maybe we should be stretching the awake times and maybe dropping the catnap, but he seems young for that.  What do you all think?  Am I missing something else?

[Ima shel Alon]

Hi Jess,
I agree with you, it seems that he needs more A time and is starting the transition to two naps. It's still a while (most babies transition at 6-7 months), but when you start to increase A time it will happen by itself when time is right.
All what you mentioned - EW, hard to settle when going for a nap, "crib party", makes me thing UT.
Have a look here: http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64158.msg476652#msg476652

What I can also see is that you are feeding rather often, IMO. During the day is ok, but you are still cluster feeding, which might be quite a lot for him to handle, especially if he is on solids already. Is he BF or FF? Is he taking full feeds at each feed? Does he seem in discomfort from the Reflux?
The other thing is about the rocking, if you are happy with it then good, but just taker under consideration that he will get heavier and heavier as he grows and it will be more and more difficult to sleep train him. If you are interested to stop with it, and again you don't have to if it works for you, we were always feeding to sleep and still are, and still happy with it!) then there is pat/shh that from my experience works very well in weaning props and your LO is in the right age for it.
HTH

[Andrew's Mom]

Thanks Ima!

You are right about your observations, he really doesn't eat much in the evening and I am always worried (needlessly perhaps) that he is not eating enough (he is BF and we give him a bottle of EBM to supplement in the evenings because I don't have enough milk for him then).  I don't want to nurse/rock him to sleep, I really want him to go to sleep on his own!  He just stays awake so long sometimes that I worry that he will get OT so I try to help things along (which I guess I shouldn't!).   When he is tired enough, he will put himself to sleep.  Otherwise, he just yells pretty much until he wears himself out; so it takes the same amount of time and seems unnecessary.

We tried to listen to his clock a bit better yesterday.  We decided to keep going through evening routine and let the CN fall where it will, and wait for him to get sleepy.  Well, he lasted until 6:05 and was done with everything, but then was back up at 7:30 ready for another round!  What do I do with that?

Here's the day:

W: 6:20
E: 6:25
E(S): 7:30
S: 8:45-10:45
E: 10:50
E(S): 12:00
S: 12:55-3:05 (needed help at 41, 1:37)
E: 3:10
E(S): 4:30
E: 5:40
S: 6:05-7:30
E: 9:15
S: 9:30

NW: 12:45(NF), 4:45

For NW 2, I tried letting him nurse for only a few seconds and switching to the paci, and that worked.  Going to try that tomorrow night for all NWs where he doesn't go right back down to see.  I tried sending DH in but DS told him to go get mommy by yelling louder rather than calming down.  It was actually quite funny (at least for me, not sure that DH appreciated that).

Anyhow, what do I do with this CN?  I am thinking if he falls asleep before 7, I should wake him up after half an hour so I don't have another 9:30+ bedtime #2.

[Ima shel Alon]

Otherwise, he just yells pretty much until he wears himself out; so it takes the same amount of time and seems unnecessary.

That's why I think pat/shh will really work for you, that way he will learn how to settle himself to sleep and be a more independent sleeper.

Do you have a BT routine? If you do then when he wakes up at 19:30 you pat/shh back to sleep (or feed if it's 4h from his last feed). If you don't then I think it would be good to have one because it kids of separate the day for them. Slowly he will learn it's night time and will not see it as a nap.

Your CN yesterday was very late, you should aim for it to be around 16-17. I understand that 16 would have been too early for him, but 17 would have worked, I think and you would let him nap for 45min, no more. He was sleeping over an hour, that's too much, especially as he is approaching the dropping of the CN.
21:30 is too late, IMO, for a baby to have BT.

[Andrew's Mom]

Edited: I think this is a nap/sleep issue--will post over in the nap forums if I need more help.  Thanks!