Fitful Napper

[HeatherJoy]

My little 3month old girl has been on EASY since she was born. She's an excellent eater and a good sleeper at night, however, she is the most fitful napper I've seen. I read all her cues, put her down before it's "too late" and typically she falls right to sleep. However, 45-1hr into her nap she wakes and then fusses off and on for the remainder of her nap. This of course throws off the rest of her day because I'm having to adapt to accommodate her lack of sleep. I'm not sure what to do, and with a two year old son at home, I don't have the time to keep going in and trying to get her to fall back asleep. Her schedule is below. Please, please help!!

In my perfect world, her day looks like this..

7a: Eat
7:30-8:15: Play on play mat, tummy time
8:15-10: Nap
10a: Eat
10:30-11: Play
11-1p: Nap
1:30-2p: Play
2:15-4p: Nap
4p: Eat
4-5p: Play
5-6: Nap
6p: 1st Cluster Feed
6-7p: Bath/quiet time
7p: Bed
8p: 2nd Cluster feed
10p: Dream feed

***Wait til morning***

[Missxiii]

My LO is only 11 weeks old, but only naps for 30-45 min. I can't get her to fall back sleep and then she is very tired for the next feeding. Does that happen tomur baby? What do you do after ur baby wakes up and can't fall back asleep? Do u wait until 10:00am for her feeding or feed her before that?

[Tamlyn]

I have the same trouble with my 4 month old son (posted a question to this effect earlier today). I do not go ahead and feed him, in order to keep him on the 4 hour schedule. Because of his short naps, we have a EASAEASA... schedule instead of eat, activity, sleep, eat, activity, sleep. I'm hoping to get some help on extending his naps, as he is not rested and there for not happy when he wakes.

[Layla]

(((hugs)))

At this age, they are notorious for having short naps and it may not have anything to do with what you are doing. The schedule you wrote... is that what you're aiming for or what she's actually doing? Would you be able to post what the last couple of days look like? How does she go to sleep? Do you have to rock her or does she use a soother? My LO is an excellent self soother but she too struggled to put herself past 45mins and I only noticed her extend the morning nap on her own around 3 months of age and the rest of the day were 45min naps. I used to leave her in the cot (she just fussed a little) and sometimes she would put herself back to sleep but most of the time she wouldn't and I would just get her up and offer some more A time before next E is due and then back to sleep. It does throw the whole day off but there really isn't much that can be done sometimes and some babies continue this until they are close to 5/6 months or until they go down to 2 naps . So it may be that she needs a little more A time to be tired enough to sleep past 45mins or it could just be developmental. But if you post your EAS (or whatever she's been doing), we'll see if anything needs to be tweaked.

 

[HeatherJoy]

What I posted is what we aim for, not what she's been doing. She now has been waking in the night as well. I'm losing my mind with frustration!

[Layla]

Can you post your EASY for the last 2-3 days? How does she go to sleep? On her own or do you help her?

[HeatherJoy]

She goes to sleep on her own, but always wakes up 45-1hr in. Here is the last two days, give or take.

E: 7am
A: 7:20-8:15
S: 8:20-10 (WAKES PERIODICALLY, MAY FALL BACK ASLEEP ON HER OWN)
E: 10
A: 10:20-11:15
S: 11:20-1P
E: 1P
A: 1:15-2:15
S: 2:20-4P
E: 4P
A: 4:15-5P
S: 5P-6P
A: 6P-6:45P
E: 7P
S:7:15P

DREAM FEED: 10P

WAKES NIGHTLY AROUND 4AM