Will W2S work for my 10month old?

[mom2elise]

Thanks ladies.   I do appreciate the support!

Today, she woke at 720, nap 1 1030-1140, nap 2 330-430, in crib at 730, and finally asleep at 835.   For most of that hour, she just walked around the crib.   In fact, I fell asleep in the chair for much of it.   When I jolted up, and looked up, she was just standing at the edge of the crib, looking at me.   Finally, around 830, she fussed enough that I went to her, laid her down, she sucked my pinky for 5 minutes, and promptly fell asleep.

I let her have the longer nap 2 as nap 1 was short.   And I started nap 1 earlier than I would have normally, but she was up for a bit in the middle of the night before crying hard 'cause of the teeth, and looked tired on the car ride home from the store, so I rushed her up to nurse and nap.   Could nap 1 be short because UT?    She usually has 3.5-3.75 A in morning?      We went for a stroller ride after nap 2, and before dinner, and got home ~600.   She looked a little out of it at 600, but DH fed dinner at 630 and bath at 715.   She's a slow eater... and she's small, so I guess I try to get as many calories into her as possible.   Advil'd her before nap 1 and before bath, in hopes that will give us better sleep.

[katie80]

Could nap 1 be short because UT?   

Yes, it was likely UT. I don't usually pull in that first A time unless it was a terrible night and he's just not going to make it. It does seem like you have better success with Nap 2 if Nap 1 is shorter. Do you think it would be helpful to switch to a shorter am nap and longer pm nap? I did this with DS a few weeks ago, because the other way just wasn't working well for us anymore. You could do 30-45 min in the morning and then a proper nap about 3 hr later. Just something to think about.

If she's a slow eater and you want to get as much into her as possible, I'd start dinner earlier and just let her eat. Then, you won't need to feel rushed.

[*Ali*]

And it's worth bearing in mind that she will likely need a longer A time. After a 1hr nap than after a 30 mins. With my ds2 it would be about 4hrs after a long nap and 3hrs after a short nap so a big difference. And like Katie mentioned when I say 3hrs that is from eyes open to eyes closed including time for settling in the cot not going in the cot at that point.
But the walking and teeth aren't helping of course so you may have to just ride those out first.

[mom2elise]

Thanks ladies.   I know I'm going to have to work on pulling the pinky too, though, and figuring out how to stop the night feed.   

Last night, after falling asleep around 830, she woke at 1130, and I nursed her (she only had one side at 730, and I was uncomfortable) but then awake again at 400, had the other side (15 minutes), and awake at 500, and nursed (15minutes).   Awake and happy for the day at 730.   Asleep in crib for nap 1 now at 1115. 

Will try to do a bit more tinkering with A's depending on naps and wake-up time.   She was great today with the play group in terms of playing with the other kids, and me walking away from her.   So glad she's happy when awake.     Procrastinating on working on "happy falling asleep"

[mom2elise]

Argh!   And she's awake at 1145!!!   30 minutes, really?!?

[katie80]

Perfect chance to try a 2.5hr A and see if she does a long pm nap for you, although I know it's frustrating to not know why a short nap happens.

[mom2elise]

So I had her in the crib at 230... It's 300 and she's still babbling away.     The only time she looked tired this afternoon was for a few minutes in the car at 1230, but then we got home, and she was happily playing with grandma.    No real tired signs at 230... Just thought I should try, based on our conversation.     

[mom2elise]

I'm rethinking my approach about pulling the pinky.   I just think that in the middle of the night, it will be hard for ME to resist nursing her or pinky ing her at 3 or 4 in the morning.


I guess my job is to provided her with the opportunity to fall asleep at appropriate intervals?   And her job is to learn to fall asleep and stay asleep.

She's only done it once, but what do you do when she throws her bear out of the crib?  I didn't make a big deal of it, and just put it back.

Do you think my presence is making it harder to fall asleep for her?   It just seems if I leave, and I come back when she cries, it teaches her to cry?

[mom2elise]

Or maybe she's the type of baby that just takes an hour to fall asleep?!?    Finally fell asleep at 330 after tossing and walking around the crib for an hour to unwind.    I wonder if I've just inadvertently made this part of the bedtime routine

Depending on how this nap goes, I may try to let her walk around the crib etc tonight without giving her my pinky....boy, don't I sound committed

[*Ali*]

I suspect if you help her learn to sleep independently in the day it will be a lot easier to resettle her without feeding on the middle of the night.

[katie80]

Agreed!

[mom2elise]

I want to so badly.   These teeth are horrible.    DH suggested to not give Advil before bed, as he feels daily dosing is too much, but she's up inconsolable again.   

I feel there will never be a "good" time to do this....

[katie80]

Well, there will always probably be some reason not to do it, but if you want to do it, you'll be able to. It doesn't sound like you're ready and committed right now and that's ok. I do think sleep training is harder and much less fun while they're teething. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of time that they're not teething during the first two years. But, there will be windows of opportunity and if you'd like to take one, you can always get help here. Otherwise, I'd keep on as you are, and try to find the routine that best suits her.

As for giving meds, if she's really in pain, I'd give them as you'd want to take something to help you feel better if you were in pain. You can rub them on topically if you don't want to give a full dose. And during the day, let her chew on a frozen wet washcloth, ice chips, frozen yogurt tubes, frozen bananas (thanks to Ali for that suggestion ), etc. Then, you won't need to medicate during the day at all.

[mom2elise]

Thanks

As she gets older, and I recognize how she's changing during the day, I can see how learning to fall asleep independently would help her so much.   

Today, as we tried for nap 2 (which she didn't fall asleep for at all, even though was up at 700, nap 1 10:50-12:00, and in crib for nap 2 at 330) she stood there, and babbled away, and played with her bear, mostly happy.   I sat in the dark room on the couch and fell asleep for a bit, and she'd cry out every once in a while, and I would lay her back down if she was standing.   After 45 minutes of this, she was still wide awake and we gave up.

Fell asleep nursing at bedtime though, and woke several times already... (most recently, at 1030pm, I gave her Advil)

At any rate, my point about watching her at nap 2, was that she does seem much more comfortable in the crib alone, and before I go to resettle her when she wakes at night, she really does seem to be trying hard to get herself comfortable again.   She does this "downward dog" "child's pose" hybrid, and wiggles around.   Doesn't always find her bear, and just won't suck her own fingers.        I have this internal dilemma each time I watch her on the video monitor... go to her right away as I know it will only take me 5 minutes to have her sound asleep again, or let her fuss and try to fall back asleep by herself.    She does fall back asleep about 25% of the time...  but when the fussing escalates to crying, it takes much longer to resettle.    In the middle of the night, I think I just go to her automatically....

[*Ali*]

Oh and you asked about the bear? I would only give it back if she asked for it and only once then I would just put it out of sight and lay her back down and continue with the resettling. Otherwise i fear it become a game.