9 month old waking 7 times a night

[ArianaCR]

I really appreciate the help and the quick responses.  I'm willing to try something new for sure so what do you all suggest for the rest of the day?  Also how do you suggest I handle nights?  Should I comfort and/or feed him each time or do you guys recommend a cry it out deal?  So far today it was very difficult to get him down for naps (1.5 hrs, 30 mins).  He woke at 235pm from his last nap and it's 350pm now.  Normally he would take a 30 min cat nap around 430pm so he could make it to bed time. 

For the O2, I'll try the KY thing.  Do you still put the nasal cannula around the back of his head at this age?  I am because that's how they did it when he was a newborn.  Normally on an adult I'd position it so that it tightens at the front of the neck instead. 

[*Kara*]

do you guys recommend a cry it out deal?

BabyWhispering in no way supports the use of CIO or CC, Tracy believed that it would break the bond of trust between mother and child.

Have you used CIO in the past?  This is very important to how we address changes going forward.

I would suggest a nap now around 430pm for an hour or so to get him to bedtime.  His last nap was only 30 mins so not at all restorative.  Hopefully, the hour of sleep will take the edge off of the overtiredness that will have happened... then shoot for bedtime at 730pm/745pm.

[ArianaCR]

Ok, I'll shoot for a 430 nap and a 730/745 bed time.  We have done the Sleep Easy Solution which is basically cry it out with checks.  It was a few months ago and worked very quickly (he only needed one or two checks before going to sleep) and his situation was much less dire then (he just wasn't sleeping through the night anymore--naps were still fine).

[*Kara*]

We have done the Sleep Easy Solution which is basically cry it out with checks

I am familiar with the SleepEasy Solution - much like Ferber's CC method.  I have direct experience with Ferber (you can find my story here: Kara & Alexandra's Story)

BTW - if it "worked" you wouldn't be here   A lesson I learned the hard way too!

How did BT go?

[ArianaCR]

Kara, if BT is bed time it went fine.  He wouldn't sleep for the 430 nap though.  He just woke for the first time tonight (11pm).  Tomorrow I'll start extending A time by 15 mins each awake cycle in hopes that it helps naps and nights.  Do I wait a few days after each time I add 15 mins to let him adjust or just add 15 mins to each cycle each day?

[becj86]

Do I wait a few days after each time I add 15 mins to let him adjust

Yes You may find he needs a little help to sleep a full nap still - a reassuring hand on him or a little shush/pat if he stirs.

[*Ali*]

Have you read any of the BabyWhisperer books by Tracy Hogg? If not I would highly recommend them. It is so helpful to have an understanding of the principles behind all the methodology/techniques Tracy recommended.
This link is also helpful for anyone who has done controlled crying or CIO Regaining Trust of Your Child
If your LO is particularly susceptible to OT you may even find you need to adjust each A time individually and just add 10 mins to the first A time for a couple days and then add 10 mins to the second A time for a couple days and so on. It depends on the LO.
Getting him sleeping independently again will really help with the NWs I believe.
Good luck

[Erin M]

A times were always our secret to better naps here -- it was really, really hard to stretch A times for us but we had to do it very slowly, only about 5-10 minutes every few days.  So, don't lose hope if it doesn't work right away.

[*Kara*]

agree with previous posters... A time increases can take some time to work well as LO will almost always have a touch of OT while adjusting... I used to get shorter naps with a 30 min wakeup but could easily resettle to sleep.

[ArianaCR]

Last night he woke screaming at 11p and 4a (only calmed with a feed) and again at 620a (dozed him off with a feed until 645).  That's much better than the 8 times he woke the night before.  I extended all his A times today and he took long naps so we skipped the catnap.  Here's what it looked like:

645 wake
9 nap (fell asleep on our walk and slept 1.5 hrs without intervention by me)
140 nap (after 20 mins of screaming while I tried to comfort--only able to get him down by nursing but then I had to wake him after 2 hrs
340 wake
730 asleep
820 crying but comforted immediately by PU

I don't know what the rest of the night will hold but any ideas on anything I should do differently tomorrow or why the 2nd nap was so difficult at first?  PS It's been a VERY long time since he took a 2 hr nap and I'm really excited he didn't wake after 45 mins for either of them.  PPS if you need to move this post since it's about naps now that's fine--just didn't think I should start a new thread because it's all a big cycle

[*Kara*]

Excellent progress!!!  He was likely just a little bit overtired for the second nap - he's just not used to the longer A times yet   Right now, it's best to get him sorted into a good routine and if that means a quick nursing before he goes down, that's okay.  It will get easier as he adjusts to the longer awake times.

The wake up at 820pm was likely just a bit of OT as well... that will subside as he adjusts too.

You are doing so great!

[*Ali*]

His middle A time was 3hrs10 which is a huge jump and probably a tad too much.

I agree you are doing great

[ArianaCR]

Hi there, that middle A time was meant to be an increase of only 15 minutes (he was doing 2 hrs 30 already) but I had such a bad time getting him to sleep it went long. 

Last night was pretty bad again...woke screaming at 820p, 10p, 1a, 515a, and 620a (although the last one my husband woke him accidentally while trying to fix his oxygen tubing).  Today he was tired (I guess from all the night wakings) and went to sleep 10 mins early, then woke at 45 mins and needed a paci to go back to sleep.  Should I just stick to the plan of increasing A times every few days and see if he comes around?  If he takes a short nap this afternoon I might have to toss in another catnap.       

Thank you again for all the help and encouragement.  I'll be getting the Baby Whisperer book from the library in short order

[*Ali*]

Yes I would stick with the new longer A times for a few days to give his body time to adjust.

Can you do early bedtime rather than a CN?

[*Kara*]

Agree with Ali... best to do an early bedtime than a third nap - it will just confuse his body clock...