15 minutes naps in 5 month old

[Aleksandersmom]

This is my fourth baby so you'd think I've have this down by now, but. . . my almost 6 month old son has been having awful sleep issues for about a week or so!  His A times are 2 hours and he was taking 2 hours naps and a 45 minute catnap.  Now I'm getting super short naps, sometimes only 15 minutes.  Is this UT?  Do I need to increase his A time?  He's also been falling asleep at night, waking up either when I lay him down or 15 min-1hour later and then he's awake sometimes for as long as 4 hours.  Then he FINALLY passes out for the night.  Sometimes he will wake up after 15 minutes of sleep, stay awake for 1.5 hours, fall asleep, sleep for 15 minutes and then stay awake for 3 hours.  The lack of sleep is killing me!  I have twin 3 year olds and a six year old, plus I get up for work at 6 AM so I cannot afford to be tired all the time. 

So at his age is he ready to drop the catnap?  In the morning he seems really tired, especially after being up really late the night before -- if he's had a bad night should I stick with 2 hours and then if he sleeps well, keep him up 2.25 hours or 2.5 hours for the next A time?  I have to be very careful of overstimulation with his siblings as they are WILD but I've been starting his nap/bedtime routine 30 minutes prior to his S time to make sure he's nice and relaxed.  I wear him in a Boba carrier and he usually is very calm. 

Also, after these 15 -30 minute naps, how long do I keep him up before trying to lay him down again?  Obviously if I keep him awake for 2 hours he will be super OT and probably have another short nap.

Thanks in advance!

[Aleksandersmom]

Someone please help me!  I am so frustrated I want to put my hand through a wall!  This morning he woke up at 7:45, slept from 9:45 - 11:30.  Then he fell asleep at 1:30 and woke up at 1:45.  I put him in the carrier so he would fall asleep whenever he was ready and he fell asleep at 3:30.  I attempted to lay him down at 3:40 and he immediately woke up.  Now he is crying in his bed but I am so angry/upset/frustrated that I had to leave the room.  I want to go throw glass bottles on the pavement and watch them shatter.  I can't do this.  Please, please help!  Someone please tell me how to end this madness!  When I am this exhausted and this angry, I am not a loving, patient mother and I hate myself for it.  Then I feel guilty which just makes things worse.  Please save me from the insane asylum!

[Cheryl138]

Hey, first of all big hugs, this too will pass! I'm no expert, I'm on my first lo, so Jo where near your experience, but my lo who's a similar age is on 2 hr 50 a times. I think itd e worth pushing his a times in 15 min increments, every three days until you get earer the 2 30 Mark, to see if it helps. Deep breaths!

[Aleksandersmom]

Thanks!  When he woke up again the second time I put him back in a wrap on my back and he fell back asleep pretty quickly.  So I left him there.  He took a pretty good nap on my back (1+ hour) and bedtime went very well.  He fell asleep right on the 2 hour mark and has been sleeping since (knock on wood).  My mood is much better as well, thank goodness!  When I only get like 6 hours of sleep at night, broken into 3 hour shifts (still nursing during the night) I'm just a bear and the frustration makes it so much worse!  I am going to try to extend his awake time by 15 minutes tomorrow and see how he does.  If I have to, I'll just keep him in the carrier until we get adjusted.  Anything to avoid the awful up-til-midnight nights!  It's funny how quickly I'd forgotten all this small-baby sleep stuff.  I was on here all the time when my oldest was a baby.  I was back when the twins were small but I'd forgotten when they were ready to extend A times and when they usually drop the catnap.  When my twins were small, it was just about survival so I barely remember any of it, lol.  Plus this little guy has been so easy -- he's a textbook/angel baby so it's been very smooth sailing until now, thank goodness!  We'll see how tomorrow goes.

[*Kara*]

Hi

I agree with Cheryl - time to push those A times a bit... sounds like you are in that dreaded UT/OT cycle... I think we have all been there more than once!

My DD was doing 2 hrs 50- 3hrs at 6 month and her last A time was just about 4 hrs   She had 2 x 2hr naps each day.