Should I push A time for first nap?

[Vee119]

Hello again.  I feel like I've asked a million questions about naps, but I'm still not getting it right:(  My 18w old LO cannot seem to go longer than 1hr 20 for her first A time. I have tried to push it out a few times, but the result is always extremely unpredictable because I find I'm ignoring her cues to look at the clock.  Today I watched her like a hawk and put her down for her first nap after her first yawn...but that came after 1h A time.  She slept for 1h45m I will mention that for the past few days she has been waking up early (between 6 and 6:15) but I leave her in her crib until 7 where she sometimes continues to sleep/mantra on and off.   My quandry is that the early first nap somewhat throws off the rest of the schedule as her next naps often coincide with E time:( Do I continue to try to push this A time up or should I just stick to first yawn.  It seems like her best nap is usually right at the end of the day probably because she is so tired so that her catnap becomes long (okay I let it go long - 1hr from 5-6).  I'm sure this is the cause of the EW!

[ZacsMumme]

Can you post your eas Hun?
Hugs 4 months is a tricky time with sleep

[Vee119]

We have had a good nap day so far:)  I hope we are back on track! My EAS for yesterday and today so far are:

WU: 6:40
E:7:00
A: 7:40 - 8:40
S: 8:40 - 9:25

E:10:30
A: 10:40 - 11:05
S: 11:05 - 11:45 (undertired right?)

E: 1:45
A: 11:45 - 2
S: 2 - 2:20 (overtired...sigh)
CN: 5 - 6 (I had to wake her up

E: 6:05
A: 6:15 - 7:45
BT: 7:45

Had a meltdown at 9:50 but was able to resettle until dreamfeed at 10:45. This was the second night in a row that this happened

So far today
wake up at 7:30
E: 7:30
A: 7:45 - 8:40 (then she yawned and I put her to bed immediately)
S: 8:40 - 11:20 (had to wake her)

E: 11:30
A: 11:20 - 1:30
S: 1:30 - 3:30

I am really terrified by the idea of trying to extend the first A time because once I lose the first nap, the rest of the naps never seem to work!

[ZacsMumme]

Looks like she is catching up.
If you did a cn around 5.30-6 and BT and 7/7.15 and get a good night I would try a good 1.5hrs-1hr45 before pd for that first nap. What do you think?

[Vee119]

Hmm...We've never managed to get her to bed that early...I worry that if she goes down that early she'll wake before df time, but I'm sure that is not correct.  I try to get her df around 10:45 because then she doesn't wake up for a feed until around 3am.  I think there are some bad nw habits that I've allowed but I'll deal with them a bit later. If we get a good night tonight, maybe I'll try to increase A time by 10min tomorrow...nervously.

[ZacsMumme]

A later BT is fine, just make sure she isn't OT at BT which will encourage EW and make it hard to stretch that first A.
they do surprise you with EbT though sometimes and sleep longer and more sound
Try stretching the first a 10 mins and see how you go

[Vee119]

So I managed to stretch the first A today to 1hr 35m and got a good nap:)  Tried an early BT too (7pm) and that was not so great   She woke up crying at 8:30 and 9:30 and had her DF at 10 while semi-awake:(  I guess one good thing a day is a good start.  I hope its not too early a morning tomorrow.  I'll try an early BT again tomorrow if all goes well with the naps.  I think the issue with today was that her second nap was a miss, she was OT and slept for only 30mins and wouldn't resettle so I shortened A and got an awesome third nap which I think I let go too long (3:20 - 5:20) so I'm not sure she was tired enough for a BT of 7pm.  I'm learning....slowly....

[ZacsMumme]

Great on first nap, those ENW sounds like a bit of OT/UT as you mentioned. Sorry BT didn't go so well.
Try the same A again for that nap and fx you get another good one! X

[Vee119]

So I tried the same A time for first nap and got 40mins   She had a good second nap though (2h 20m) and third nap (1h 25m) and we had her in bed at 7:30 which was an A time of 2h50m (a little long). The night was okay, not great. She woke up 2.5 hrs after her dream feed and then 2 more times after that but the kicker...she was up at 6am again!  I can't seem to shake the EWs.  Is it because the third nap is too long?  She has been up before 6pm each time. 

[ZacsMumme]

How was today? Tonight? Have you had the 4 mth GS yet?
When is BT after 3rd nap? Is the 3rd nap usually a cn?

[Vee119]

I am at my wits end and I think I will take a break over the next few days given its a holiday weekend and naps will likely go out the window anyway.

2 days ago I tried to hold the first A time to 1h 35m for another day before pushing it up.  I got a 50m nap followed by 2 big naps just over 2hrs each.  Her third nap was a full nap (4 - 6) instead of a CN.  I tried to get her to bed by 7:30 but she was UT and fought sleep until 9:20pm!  she then woke up 3 times during the night. I find that she keeps waking up 3 hrs after each feed despite the fact that she is comfortably on a 4-hr EASY.

Yesterday I tried to lengthen the first A by 10min to 1h 45m so she wouldn't be OT.  Instead she played/cried until the A time was actually 2hr She had a great nap. followed by a second great nap which ended at 4 leaving no time for a CN.  I tried to get her to bed early but made it to 7pm.  She then woke up FIVE times last night.  I fed her at 9:30 (she took a full feed) so I did not do a DF. Then she was up at 12:20 (resettled her), 1:20 (fed her), 4:10 (fed her), 5:10 (resettled then she played/dozed until WU at 7).

She had her gs already.  Maybe she's teething??? But would that affect sleep and nothing else? I'm lost 

[ZacsMumme]

A break is sometimes a good idea to regroup. Ty to enjoy the hol weekend and maybe her cues etc will emerge a new pattern that works.

I do think though if our going to do 1 thing at a time, focus on the first A time. So try to keep it consistent at maybe 1hr50mins-2 hrs and see if she adjusts