Question about the HTTJ method

[Purplekali]

Hi
My LO is 12 wks old and I've just started using this to extend his naps with varying degrees if success. My question is about how this works, I understand that holding them still through the jolts helps them transition to the next sleep cycle, but what I don't know is by doing this an I teaching him to transition himself? Or wil I still have to do it every time until he lengthens his naps naturally (which could be as late as 6 months is that right?) My LO stirs every 20-30 minutes during a nap so I basically have to sit by him the whole time. I'm happy to invest the time and do this on a shortterm basis but if its going to be the same fir the next 3 months I'd rather just ride out the catnap stage

Thanks in advance for your help

[weaver]

Hi there,
you've invented your own abbreviation!  I've never seen HTTJ before as a thing, but I may well use it again!

I know HTTJ and sh-pat can seem like you're doing all the work, but it is in fact teaching LO about how to stay asleep (HTTJ) or how to get to sleep.  Personally,  I held through the jolts only at the beginning of the nap - so I'd sh-pat and get him into the cot asleep and then just hold my hand on there til I'd seen and/or felt the jolts.  Then I'd cautiously lift my hand and beat a retreat.  That worked fine with my guy, he would get through the rest of the nap pretty well on his own from there.  And the day came when he let me know that my help was no longer needed!

It is natural for them to stir as they work through the phases of sleep, but it may not be necessary for you to sit there with him, once he's through that first one.  Try it and see.

[Purplekali]

Thanks for your advice, I saw the httj abbreviation on some other threads! I'm relieved you said that, I really want him to learn to get through the cycles himself. He gets so miserable having only short naps and he's such a happy little soul when he's well rested

[Purplekali]

Sorry also wanted to ask - how long did it take before you no longer had to do this and he got through the cycles himself? Thanks

[weaver]

I cannot remember!

He was still very little though and as time went by I did less and less for him, til he 'told' me he could do it himself.

[Purplekali]

I thought you might say that, so hard to remember these things! Wheb you say he 'told' you, how did you know? Thanks

[weaver]

I thought you might say that

How did he let me know? When I went to do the usual stuff, sh-patting, leaving hands on etc, he shrugged them off, settled himself down in the cot and went off to sleep.  I had gradually scaled back my interventions - so from full on sh-pat in my arms, into the cot and sitting HTTJ, I had ended up with a bit of a sh and pat in my arms and a hand lightly on him when in the cot.  Then he didn't even need that.  It felt like a lot of hard work at the time but it has really really paid off since.  And having not invested quite the same amount of time with LO2, I can see the difference!