8 mo - long early night waking

[lily_layne]

IMO teething does mess up their routine, tired signs and sleep lengths 

That's good to know - I have to work at remembering that red cheeks=wonky day and quit blaming myself.  Someone told me once that teething doesn't impact routine and night sleep and for some reason that little voice sticks in my head sometimes even though when I really think about it, I can't see how the pain of teething wouldn't affect sleep and behaviour. 

[lily_layne]

Another 30 minute nap this afternoon   This time she only cried out briefly (but it was intense) and now she's rolling around playing.  Her cheeks weren't red today so I don't know if it's teeth or not.  She was drooling like a maniac but now I'm thinking that may have been because she was tired

Today was:
WU: 6:30 and I got her at 7:55 (11hr night)
S: 9:15-11:15
S: 2:30-3

She was yawning when she woke up from her am nap but then there were no tired signs until she rubbed her eyes in our wind down.  She was a bit fussy at 2 though (but was happy again when we changed activities), so maybe I missed the boat on that one?  Should I try shortening her A time before the pm nap a bit tomorrow?  Should I aim to have her asleep earlier than 7 since this is day 2 of a ridiculously short nap?

[PaulsMom]

Boo for the short nap! 

Try keeping her at 3 hrs for the second A time tomorrow.  Wrt bt, you can bump it earlier just a bit.  I wouldn't do a super early bt since that didn't really work well previously. 

The other thing too is making sure she gets enough physical activity during the first  1/2 to 2/3s of her A time so her body is tired.  I had to do this with my DS otherwise he short napped on me even with the right a time.  The final 1/3 of his a was really low key (mostly reading books, looking out the window, etc) so he would be ready to sleep.

[lily_layne]

Thanks for the quick response.

I put her down just a touch earlier than last night (6:10) knowing she'd take a while to get to sleep but she's still rolling around over an hour later   I went in when she cried at 6:40 and patted for 20 minutes and it seemed like she was about to drift off and then she picked her head up and wanted to play so I left.  If I get an ugly nap tomorrow afternoon, should I just APOP a bit and rock her to sleep at BT so she doesn't get even more OT or will that set her back on IS at bedtime?

I'll work on keeping her active tomorrow and aim for 3 hrs for the second A.

[PaulsMom]

If I get an ugly nap tomorrow afternoon, should I just APOP a bit and rock her to sleep at BT so she doesn't get even more OT or will that set her back on IS at bedtime?

Yes, I would APOP the pm nap if she short naps.  Oh, I was going to mention in my previous post that she may still be bothered by her teeth even though she doesn't have red cheeks.  I've noticed that my dd had some teething signs for her first two teeth but now doesn't show the same symptoms.  I guess they have to keep us on our toes 

[lily_layne]

I was going to mention in my previous post that she may still be bothered by her teeth even though she doesn't have red cheeks.

That's good to know.  We haven't had 30 min naps in ages - R doesn't usually do 30 min naps unless she's way OT.  I've been thinking over the past few days and I think she's a bit short on sleep but not enough for the crazy short nap so i think it must be teeth or some other discomfort although I'm mystified as to why it only bothers her in the afternoon.  You're right - it's probably just to keep me on my toes.  I might try some Advil before her nap tomorrow to see if helps.

[ZacsMumme]

30 and 35 min naps are often OS or discomfort here Hun xx

[lily_layne]

DD threw me a curveball last night.  For the past few nights she has been going to sleep on her own (taking anywhere from 10m-1h) but last night, she screamed as soon as I left.  I went back in and stayed until she was calm and she screamed as soon as a I left.  I went in again and patted until she was calm but I stayed in the room this time and she still started screaming.  She eventually went to sleep with me stroking her back.  She cut a tooth on Saturday and I think some are moving under the gums because she had red cheeks and a diaper rash yesterday.  Could the crying be discomfort or does it sound more like SA?  She did have short pm naps (45 min) for the past 3 days but I don't think she was OT enough for a performance like that because she was doing 11-12h nights and 1h30-2h am naps.

[PaulsMom]

Hmmm... I'm guessing discomfort since she still screamed when you were there.  It's sooo hard to tell! I wish they could just tell us what's wrong.  Did you give her meds before bt? Of course for bad teething even meds sometimes won't numb the pain enough  .

[lily_layne]

I didn't give her any meds.  In hindsight, I should have.  Tonight I gave her some Hyland's teething tablets.  She's rolling around and playing but no screaming so that's an improvement.  Can SA happen only infrequently or would it be the same behaviour for a few nights in a row?

[PaulsMom]

My dd is having some SA right now and it's been going on for a while now  .  I see it during the day though.  Just walking out of a room to go grab stuff she starts to cry  .  Naps are worse than bt but then she likes bt  .

[ZacsMumme]

If she has just cut 1 I bet there is another about to pop, they usually come in 2s
Like PM usually with sa I've seen it during the day too.

[lily_layne]

It must have been teeth then because I haven't really seen any signs of SA during the day.  She's usually quite content to play on her own and today I left her with my ILs for an hour and she was fine (except for the part where they both assaulted her with pretty much every toy she owns ).

[lily_layne]

Last night, R woke up screaming 40 min after she went to sleep and I ended up having to pick her up to calm her down.  Once she was calm, I put her down and patted her for 20 minutes.  She would settle for a minute or 2 and then move around.  I finally gave up in frustration after 40 minutes and she cried out and went to sleep.  I think I was making it harder for her to fall asleep.  It threw me for a loop because Monday night, she went insane any time I left so I was anticipating last night would be the same.  Any wise words on how to know when to stay and when to leave?

Tonight she rolled around a bit and went to sleep on her own but it took her 40 minutes so I'm sure she was UT.  She's done this a few times and has gone to sleep on her own after 30-50 min.  Is it ok to put her down at around the same time each night even if she's UT and leave her to it or is it eventually going to cause problems?

[PaulsMom]

Boo for the cry out! 

  Any wise words on how to know when to stay and when to leave?

This gets tricky and you almost have to do Wi/WO because they have figured out how to self settle.  I leave the room (while shh ing) and see how she does.  If crying escalates, then I go in otherwise I leave her.  You also have to be certain of what their mantra cry sounds like so that you aren't there if they mantra but are if they need you. Always so tricky.

Is it ok to put her down at around the same time each night even if she's UT and leave her to it or is it eventually going to cause problems?

I think it's reasonable for it to take them 20-30 min to fall asleep.  Longer then I start to worry a bit.  If you know the standard bt is too early I'd bump it out by 15 min or so.  May be a few extra cuddles, stories or lullabies.  I also find this time of year hard because the days are so long, it's like they know it's still daytime (especially where you are!  I recall it seemed like the sky didn't really get black in Saskatoon in the summer months)