Desperate to fix 12 week old naps

[destina23]

So now his first nap is down around 1:25 asleep within 5 min.  Problem is he's still waking 30 min in. He goes back to sleep within 10-15 min but whines a bit.  No CIO. Then sometimes wakes a bit again but quickly goes back.  The total time in his crib ends up being 2 hrs since he does go back to sleep. How long does it take for them to get over waking up at transitions?

[destina23]

And now it looks like 1:35 waketime gives us about a 2 hr nap with a brief waking around 40 min in where he puts himself back to sleep without crying.  Tried the same for second nap and he wakes 45 min in crying and can't resettle.  I guess up a few minutes?  I adjust for the third nap and if you count time in crib awake but not up as halftime and time up after that his waketime before third nap is 1:36 min which had him then nap for 2 hrs!  Same thing tho with a quick wakeup and back to sleep. 

[Papaya]

Sounds like he's learning to transition which is great! Lots of LOs like a slightly longer second A, so you could try increasing it by 5 mins or so

[destina23]

15 weeks today!
So the past 2 days I've been putting him down at 1:35 since waking for the day. He will sleep around 1:15-1:25 min.  Still undertired?  hes guving clues arounf that time.

Sec waketime is About 1:35 too but hes waking at the 40 min mark and cant resettle. I tried sshing fir about 15-20. Then end nap if no resettling.

Third is down about 10 min less becaude hes tired.  Sane thing happening as nap 2.

He sleeps 11-12 hrs at night. No feedings. 

Any thoughts?  I'm so crazed.  Just this past weekend with same times was giving me 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hr naps.

[destina23]

Oh and he falls asleep independently and has no transition issues at night

[Papaya]

If he had a week or so of really good naps, it could be that he's caught up on any residual OT and needs just a very small increase again. That's happened to me with my LO before. That first nap sounds slightly UT.

The second nap could be UT, or it could just be the transitioning - LOs often figure out how to transition for the am nap first, then the next nap, so it could be that he just hasn't sorted that out yet. Have you tried W2S?

[destina23]

I think you were right!

I put him down for first time with 1:40 waketime. He napped for 1:45 minutes!

Second nap I gave him 1:50 minutes waketime.  He napped for 50 min. 

Third nap I gave him 1:30 waketime cuz he was tired.  He napped 2 hours!

So he can for sure transition.  I guess I need to better figure out waketimes right?

Thank you for helping me through this!!!!

[Papaya]

Sounds like a good day!

It could still be the transitioning - like I said, it's common to be able to transition for one nap (usually the first) before the others. I'd stick with those A times (1hr40 first, 1hr50 second) for a few days before you try adjusting again

[destina23]

Thanks!!! Looks that way!  He slept only an hour for first nap but I think it's because he pooped!  Then he slept 2:20 min for second nap!  His waketime was almost 2 hours because I had been helping my older son and couldn't put him down on time.

After the last nap of the day what is usually waketime before bed?  I've been doing 2 but thinking he needs 2.5? The routine gets strange with the nap lengths not being consistent yet.  Do u cap them?

[Papaya]

I didn't cap at this age - a little variance in your EAS is ok. Except maybe the last nap, I would cap if needed so you have a reasonable bedtime.

Some LOs like a sightly longer A to bed, some a shorter one - so it depends on your LO. If the last nap is a full one (1.5hrs or more), you could probably go up to 2 hours, but if it's a catnap (40 mins), then less.

[destina23]

Thanks!  When extending waketime short naps are expected at first right?

[Papaya]

Can be - give it a few days, and if they are consistently OT naps it may be too much for him. At least OT naps are generally easier to extend than UT ones

[destina23]

So I totally pushed him too far I think.  I decided to try an increase to the 2 hrs waketime since my older son had needed that switch at 4 months and I didn't realize it at the right time.  My younger son just turned 16 weeks earlier this week.  I started the waketime change Monday and tried this week but kept getting 30 min naps.  So I'm stopping.  They wouldn't extend easily either.  Now I have no clue where to put his waketime. Any ideas?  If he gets a good first nap I think he could handle about 1:55 min of waketime before second nap.  He was doing good at 1:40 for first nap but maybe try 1:45 and hold for first and just see for second?  Maybe try 1:50 if first nap was good?

[destina23]

And after 30 min naps today when I put him down overtired at 1:30 after being up he napped 2 1/2 hrs. So not overtired he would need more. Just not sure how much now.

[Papaya]

They're all different eh, just to keep us on our toes!

He was doing good at 1:40 for first nap but maybe try 1:45 and hold for first and just see for second?  Maybe try 1:50 if first nap was good?

I think this sounds like a good plan