9mo NW

[afranklin]

Hi ya'll,
We've been suffering for *weeks* with NW, long and short. I kept thinking of Dr. Weissbluth saying: Earlier BT will make NW disappear. Well, it didn't. I decided to try the other way, assuming UT (since one of the NW was usu. long--it was at least an hour for weeks). I'm pushing A times out a bit, the goal being 3.25/3.5/3.5 and it's getting better, but still happening (maybe I should push a little more?). I've a bit given up on knowing what he needs. Nothing I do seems to produce STTN.

My LO just turned 9mos... standing and learning sitting back down, hints of cruising, possibly teething?, crawling everywhere, SA possibly starting in earnest. So I know these things disrupt sleep, but do they disrupt 3-5 times/night for over a month??

Do you see anything in my routine that needs tweaking? He mostly self-soothes for naps and night, and we try to settle in crib for NW before picking up. My gut tells me NW are not just for comfort.

Wednesday (Tues was bad night, less than 10hrs sleep with 3 WU)
715: Woke him
A 3hr, 13m
S 10:28-11:55 (1.5 hr)
A 3hr, 43m
S 3:38-4:07 (OT)
A 3hr, 23m
S 7:30
(Tues Nt Sleep: 9hr, 50m, interrupted. Wednesday's day sleep: 2hr....Total: 11hr, 50m)
I expected him to crash all night with that low amt of sleep, but that night had 2 WU, one for 5 min, another for 45m.

Thursday
6:57 Woke up himself, babbling. (Rare these days, either I wake him up or he's upset, not hungry, just not tolerant of playing alone in crib)
A: 3hr, 18m
S: 10:15-11:15 (woke him)
A: 3hr, 30m
S: 2:45-4:30 (woke him)
A: 3hr, 30m
S: 8
(Wednesday Nt Sleep: 10hr, 40m with interruptions. Thursday Day sleep: 2hr, 45m. Total: 13hr, 25m)
Thursday night had 3 short WU, 5-10m each. An improvement, but still not great!

I'm looking ahead at routines for 12mo+ and perhaps I'm a little too close to those routines for his age. But I've tried more than 2hr, 45m day sleep and it really seems to rob night sleep. He rarely sleeps 11hr/night, much less more than that. I *think* he needs 13.5 hours in a 24hr period, so I'm shooting for 11hr nights, 2.5 day sleep.

I'm capping his naps, which I'm not entirely sure is right, but it seems to be one of the only things that has ever helped. But then, I never know if he's getting enough sleep. If I have to wake him all the time, I just feel so...mean. And I'm assuming the persistent NW means *something's* not right, so capping day sleep could be part of the problem.

If he needs more A time... how do I do that? I mean... if I keep pushing everything back, BT becomes very late. Capping naps would help that, but I've already capped as much as I dare, I think? If I cap first nap at 45 and have a long afternoon nap, I'm getting into 12mo routine territory. Is that okay!?

I appreciate any help.
Amanda

[amayzie]

Bumping this one for you!

[PaulsMom]

Hugs there Hun.  What time are his nw's?  Also, what is he doing when he wakes?  (Crying?  Standing?  Chatting/ crib party?). 

At this age, 10 hrs at night is at the lower end of the "average" range for nt sleep.  He may also be heading towards the 2-1 transition but is most likely too young to go on just one nap.  Around this age, some moms will start to cal one of the naps.  if he's a good napper or usually has a good pm nap, then capping the am nap is a good option.  or you can leave the am nap long and the have a cn in the afternoon. 

For his A time, what is he doing?  If he's a busy guy, then lots of physical activity may do the trick so he's physically tired at bt. 

[afranklin]

Usually the NW are crying, often standing but last night there was definitely a cot party. So I'm trying for more A time today.
The NW times vary, but are always between 12am and 4am.

Yes, he usu gets lower than average, and I *keep* assuming OT and trying to get him more sleep, but I wonder if he's usu UT and I just need to accept he is lower sleep needs.

If the increased A time helps I will report back!!
Amanda

[Violet's mom]

I am going through something similar - how long did you try ebt?  I have done it for three days and her night wakings and naps are improving - I don't cap naps usually.  I think after the OT nap maybe you should try EBT...  I know sometimes it takes a few days for our LO's to get used to routines so keep trying - it sounds like you know what you are doing and hope it gets more consistent for you!!!

[PaulsMom]

Good luck.  Try to push the As out to 3.5 hrs and see how he does.  Fx

[afranklin]

So, I pushed him yesterday (3:18, 3:30, 3:35) and I thought he'd have short OT naps, but he slept over an hour for each nap. We had a great night! He slept straight through 10.25. An improvement, but he woke up pretty hungry and by the time we got a bottle in him he was *up*. I think it was an EW, (even though it was 6am)... so now to figure out how to recover from that!
Amanda

[Violet's mom]

Happy for you 

[PaulsMom]

Yay!  That's awesome.  Try to repeat the As and if possible, push the first one by another 5 min or so. Sometimes ew's are due to the first nap being too early. 

[afranklin]

Hi,
Things were good for that one night and then it's been rubbish ever since. It seems I can do nothing right! I thought I'd try EBT again last night, and he was indeed exhausted and ready before any tired signs showed up. But he had more and longer NW in the second half of the night, and ended up with less sleep than the night before. Does that mean EBT is NOT the answer, and he needs more A?

thank you.

[PaulsMom]

Hugs Hun.  Don't beat yourself up over it.  I know, it's easier said than done.  Was he having a crib party or was he fussing the entire time?  I would try to keep him up for 3 hr 20 to 3 hr 30 min and see how he does. 

[afranklin]

Hi,
He was fussing most of the time, with some giggles in there. He was in bed (or my husband's arms) from 7-7:30 and only slept about 9.75 of it.
Amanda

[PaulsMom]

Is he experiencing SA?  I'm wondering if it could be a combo of SA and WW?  Especially if he needs to be held. 

[Violet's mom]

These babies are so tough!  Feeling for you - going through a transition time myself.  I think my lo's A times vary as the day goes on - I will let you know if what I am doing works or not.  It worked yesterday but that means nothing usually for the next day I feel like!  We were trying to night wean but I think the extra activities (crawling, cruising, etc) are making my LO wake for a feed around 4am again.  Could it be hunger do you think? 

[PaulsMom]

Violet's mom, there is also a gs at 9 months so that can also contribute to nfs.  Even if she is on 3 meals a day, sometimes they do need the extra calories at night.  If she's eating a decent amount at night and then going back to sleep, then feed her.  During the day try to increase her calorie intake with calorie dense foods (eg. Avacado is good, protein foods are good to serve with complex carbs so she feels fuller longer).