Help please! 6.5 month old wakes up happy in middle of the night

[Kierlove]

Thanks guys, so Erin you think I need more than 3 hours a time?  He seems to settle more quickly and sleep longer when I do under 3...  But then he has that long stretch before bedtime...  The cat naps don't seem to help because they are ultra short (less than 20 mins) so I don't imagine they are restorative...  He can be pushed at the end of the day for longer a time and always settles easily at bedtime probably because he nurses first, but even if he falls asleep nursing usually wakes when I put him in bed and goes right to sleep...  Can you guys please tell me exactly what a times you suggest and whether he should be put in bed before desired to sleep time or at it?

To answer your question Erin, he did not wake particularly happy yesterday afternoon and was obviously tired but wouldn't go back so I put him in the carrier and went for a walk, just as I was going to call it quits, he started to drift off so I kept walking and he slept from about 4:10/4:15  - 4:30, but as soon as I sat down he woke and wouldn't go back... So I'm not sure if that made things worse or not.  He was in his usual good mood the rest of the day and cheery until bedtime, so I tried keeping him up later.  I was so exhausted and miserable (only got a couple of hours sleep the previous night because we had an event then the baby was up and I couldn't fall back asleep), hat I decided to go to bed at 8:15 in the spare room with the noisemaker on and let my husband go to the baby if he woke. (First time). I slept straight until 1 am, then again until 4:45, I got up at 5 and heard the baby crying and my husband in singing to him!  I don't like to give the baby any reason to call out for us so only ever rush in pop the soother and immediately leave because I think that is bad enough and don't want him starting to wake to have more time with us... So I kinda panicked, the baby started to really cry and eventually I nursed him to settle, but again I don't think he really needed it so regretted it immediately and couldn't fall back asleep because I was so frustrated at myself. Here,s how the rest of the time went from terrible pm nap until this morning:

Pm nap 2:00-2:35 (hard to settle)
Cn 4:10:4:30 in carrier after walking for a long time, woke as soon as I sat down.
Bed 7:10
Nw two quick ones an hour apart went right back to sleep, then up from 5-5:45' finally nursed at 5:40 ish but wasn't overly hungry and didn't nurse well when we woke him
Woke him up at 7:20
Am nap, put him in bed around 10:10, didn't settle eventually really crying, sleep by 10:20.

As always your insight I'd much appreciated!  How long is you CN for when you do it?

[Erin M]

What I think you might try is to aim to get him in bed right at the 2.45 mark and see where that gets you.  His naps make me think that he needs a touch more A time, but I feel like you're close to where you want to be.  So, if you try that, let me know how long it took him to fall asleep, how long he slept for, and how he was when he woke.  You're at the point where with mine, I found that they sometimes needed the cat nap, but they'd always wake up grumpy from it (when I could actually get them to take it). 

[Kierlove]

Thanks Erin.  I just put him down and he went pretty much on the 2:45 mark, fussed a tuny bit, but nothing crazy.  I'll let you know how he wakes up tonight, but in case you have a chance to write before then (I may not have time once he wakes), what should I do if he wakes after 30-45 mins for hi bed time?  He went down at 2:30, so if he wakes at 3:15 should I push him to 7 or go for 6:30 or 6:15?  What if he wakes at 3:00?  If he has a decent nap (over an hour for him) what do you think his ideal before bed a time should be?  If he sleeps ok, I'll wake hi at 7 tomorrow... I just worry about waking him when he's been up in the night...  Thanks!
K

[Kierlove]

He woke after 45, grumbling to himself, I'm leaving him for a bit but he's starting to cry...  Will let you know how his mood is once I get him, but he's usually happy then!

[Kierlove]

So, if he doesn't go back, it's 3:15 he woke up at, really crying now, what time would you suggest for bed?  He likely won't CN.

Thanks

[Kierlove]

So  to answer your questions, for the om nap, he fell asleep quite quickly, with minimal fussing, but not without any like he used to. After the 45 min nap, he did not wake up happy and cooing...  He was moaning, and fussing a bit, I tried to get him to go back but then he started to really cry.  Was a bit sensitive and quiet at first but then was totally fine.  Seemed to be getting tired as we moved closer to bed, but wasn't fussy (except a little impatient while eating solids around 6:15)...  He was asleep by 6:45...  Will let you know how the night goes!  Do you think I should move the morning a time to 2:45 or try to push to 3?

[Erin M]

Hmm, I might try to push to 3, but be careful of signs of OT and pull back if he seems to be getting overtired.  45 minute naps generally mean that you mean more A time.   When you stretch A time you have to push through some OT to start with.