Thank you! All this helps so so much. Doing away with Baby Einstein for the time being and upping the outside time. Hard not having a yard here, but we're planning on moving next summer and a yard is on the priority list!
had a rough day today because of circumstances i couldn't change (places to go that were unavoidable). ONly 2 naps of 40 and 35mins. BT will be 5:30. O man.
Question...
Just gonna external process for a moment. So last night BT was at 6, she slept til 6:30 (!!). Granted i APOPed and nursed back to sleep at 4, 5, and 6. But at least i didn't have to start my day at 5am!
So i thought she'd be rested but she was acting very sleepy all morning. I honestly think i could have put her down at only 2 or 2.5 hrs A time and gotten a decent UT nap. BUt we had an event at 10:45 and i wanted her nap to be pushed out further. I knew i had to put her down at 9:30ish otherwise it'd be too late. I thought it'd be easy given that she was already tired.
We went for a stroll (just holding her, looking at plants, etc) and she was starting to doze (but i kept her up) and we went straight to the WD (which only lasts 3mins or so, a song, her sleep sack, her blankie, kisses and night night.) But she screamed! (not liking this new screaming at nap time thing). The kind of scream that i knew was not going to end any time soon, although i did attempt to settle her with my voice for about 10mins. Because i didn't have time to mess with it, i just took her out, put her in the carrier and went on a walk. She was out in like 2seconds. Slept for 40mins.
So what I'm wondering is is if i want a UT nap and she's acting extra sleepy, i think i could probably put her down sooner than later and she'd be fine (A time of 2hrs or 2.5hrs depending on cues). But bc i waited that extra time, i missed the window and she protested. But wondering if i could have waited to 3.5 hrs A if that would've made it any better?
So I guess my question is, on the extra sleepy mornings (she was yawning, sucking thumb with heavy eyes), do i push A or try putting her down early if i really really think she's ready and hope for a good UT nap? (those tend to be way better than OTs). Or should i really just keep working on this longer A so she gets used to it.
We missed the 2nd window today because we were out (unavoidable) and so when i put her down it was crazy resistance (3.5hrs A) but she finally fell asleep after 15mins (3hrs 45mins A). 35min nap. Poor thing.
I hate feeling like it's all my fault, like if i was just a better mother, if i knew her cues better, or the right thing to do, she'd get better sleep. But, as my DH keeps reminding me, that's not the case. Our daughter is just really touchy with sleep. Just tough right now fighting those feelings and thoughts.