20 week old cries when I near his room for nap

[Chloevalentine]

I'm pretty sure he can handle the 3 hr wake time in the afternoon. Yesterday morning he woke at 715 and we were reading books when he fell asleep at 940 so almost 2.5 hrs wake time (and he never just falls asleep lol). He woke up when the dog started to bark at at 1015 but fell back asleep on his own until I woke him at 1110 so 1.5 nap. But then we had company and he fell askeep in his swing at 140 ( something ejse he never does) but only for 20 min until 2 but again that was 2.5 hrs wake time. Then I put him down for another nap at 4 and I woke him at 5 and he was in bed by 730.
This morning he was awake on and off in his crib starting Arouvd 5 which is when his dad gets ready for work. Finally at 710 he was kicking Arouvd in his crib but never made a noise but was awake. I went in and got him at 715 and he fell asleep like he did yesterday while we were listening to music at 840!! I'm guessing he was exhausted from being awake on and off all morning. That was technical only 1.5 wake time which is not like him. He's still asleep now at 915 so if he does sleep I will wake him at 10:10 1.5 nap and then try again for another nap at 1:10. Thank so you much for checking in !

[Chloevalentine]

So his first nsp was super early for him but he passed out at 840-10:10 then another nap from 1-230!! He did it!!! No catnap! It was the first time! Then I put him down for a catnap at 5 he was yawning at 445 but he resisted the nap ( like always when I try a late nap) finally fell asleep 5-530 woke up crying. Now I'm going to try for a 730 bedtime Abd then tonirrow I will try to extend morning wake time. If I can ivthink he will do better with two naps and then just earlier bedtime.

[Layla]

Wow, that's pretty awesome! Please be careful not to stretch him too much. Don't be afraid to Apop that last nap...it can be a bit tricky with the catnap so if he's fighting it and you think he'll fall asleep in the pram then don't hesitate to take him for a walk around 4.30ish in the hope that he will relax and take a snooze

[Chloevalentine]

Good idea about the last nap but it's dark and cold here at 430 and he won't sleep in anything but his crib unless I take him out for a ride in the car but it's rush hour ugh.
How do I know if I'm stretching him too much?

[Chloevalentine]

So today he was up by 645 I went in and got him out of crib at 7 fed at 715 and he fell asleep at 9 until 1030 ( so 2 hrs 15 min wake time) Then fell asleep at 110 ( 2 hrs 40 min wake time). Hoping hell sleep until 240 but then I'm in the same jam. He gives me a hard time fighting that late nap. Should I try around 440 for nap? It's not good weather too cold for walk in stroller.

[Layla]

Yeah,  you don't want to take him out if the weather isn't nice.. the last thing you want is him getting ill! I found the last A before the catnap was the longest one (that is, before we dropped it) - but if you want to keep it at 2hrs, see how you go....but I think even if he falls asleep by 5pm and takes the catnap from 5-5.30; you can do bedtime at 7.30pm, which is still a reasonable bedtime. Remember, during the transition phase, it is not uncommon for babies to have longer days and do shorter nights.

It's funny hey... when you finally get 2 good naps, they start to fight the catnap but he will still need it until you are able to push his A's around 3 hrs. Don't be in a hurry to do that though - just keep on offering him the catnap and if its waaay too late for it, then an earlier bedtime is a must! I used to put mine down at 5.30pm some night to overcome overtiredness. Or if he does take the catnap and its getting late, that is, it will push the bedtime too late, then you can try waking him up say 30mins into the nap (or maybe even 20mins) and you will be able to protect bedtime.

At 5 months, 2.5hrs A time is about the average so if he's taking a good afternoon nap on that A time, then leave it at that for now. It may have just been that his morning nap was too long, which was preventing him from taking a longer afternoon nap.

Fingers crossed his afternoon nap went well

[Chloevalentine]

His afternoon nap was good 110-230 1 hr 20 mins! I think u r right that morning nap was too long! Tonight we took him in the car and he slept about 40 min which I wonder was too long from 4-440 because my husband fed him and put him to bed and he ajways goes right down for me or is usually half askeep during feeding but not tonight! Maybe he just wasn't used to him doibg bedtime but he was wide awake during feeding and awake in crib for a while until he passed out. Poor little guy. Wonder if he was looking for me or if that last nap was just too long. Yeah I guess until he can do the 3 hr wake time and be in bed by 7 we can drop the last nap but for now ill just try to offer and see wgat he does. Last night he did 5-530 and was so cranky until bed which was odd. If I put him to bed early if he doesn't catnap the only problem is that the feeding at 3-330 puts him at 7-730 for last feeding. How much earlier can I feed him ? Do you think maybe 630 And right to bed? Or will that mess up his wake time in the morning ?
The two longer naps are great though!! We did it!!

[Chloevalentine]

This  morning he woke around 650 (although he was awake a few times during the night talking lol and he falls back to sleep..is that normal?) and he went down for first nap at 915 and I hear him awake for about 10-15 min in crib moving around and talking but he fell back asleep. He's never done that at nap time. I'm still going to wake him at 1045 just hope he got enough rest being that he was awake in between.

[Chloevalentine]

He woke 35 into that first nap which was strange and fell back until 1050 but the rest if the day was awful. Next nap was at 135-210 ( 2 hrs 45 min wake time) which I think might've been too long and he was overtired because we only got a 35 min nap. Maybe it has sonething to do with the strange first nap. But he was cranky and miserable all day which is not like him. He's even happy when he takes catnaps. He then too a 30 min nap from 4-430 but still woke up crying and cranky. I fse him at 620 and just put to sleep at 645.

[Layla]

Cut back on the A - he probably is a little overtired... I would leave it at 2.5hrs for now as you were getting good naps as we discussed earlier, just don't let him sleep more than 1.5hrs in the morning. That should be a good routine for his age (2x1.5hr naps and a catnap). Mine used to also wake mid nap and sometimes chat to herself or move around and then put herself back to sleep. Just as long as she was not crying, I didn't bother going to her. Is he showing any signs of teething yet? Our naps were a little messed up and so were a couple of nights when Jennifer cut her 2 bottom teeth.

Fingers crossed he sleeps well tonight.

[Chloevalentine]

Well he's been drooling and putting his hands in his mouth for weeks so I don't know if he's teething. The dr didbt mention anything. Ok tomorrow in sticking with 2.5 hours And keeping them at 1.5. Were still struggling with that late catnap though and I think it effected his bedtime last night. So I'm still a little hesitant.

[Layla]

Are you wanting to drop the catnap?

[Chloevalentine]

I know It's going to be hard if he wakes up around 3 his last nap. Because the 5 -530 catnap is always a disaster. Either it takes me a while to actually get him to fall asleep or like the other night he had trouble falling asleep at bedtime.

[Layla]

I understand what you're saying...on days our second nap ended close to 3pm, i had to BF mine to sleep.If you work on stretching his morning A time to say 2.75 hrs and afternoon to 3hrs then hopefully his last A won't be so long. Jennifer was done with the catnap before 6 months but she did get a little overtired during that transition as she was getting used to longer As. I would try for an increase every 3-4 days until you're there.

I'm off to bed-will check tmrw morning to see how he went

[Chloevalentine]

Thanks:) so far he woke at 730! Hasn't slept that long in a while and that's with putting him to bed at 645 last night! He went down for first nap at 930 only 2 hrs wake time. Hopefully he will sleep until 11 and then I'll try for 2 .5 hrs wake time and put down for second nap at 130. I hear what u r saying when his wake time extends there won't be that long a time befire bed but for now it leaves me with that tricky late afternoon with him being up Arouvd 3 and not really not enough time for late catnap.   On another note I have some errands to run and I'm wondering how I'm going to do it with these naps ? If he wakes at 11 and eats 1130 if I try to go out around 1215 he's due for a other nap by 130 but we won't be home snd ill never get a good nap in car. Unless I get a catnap Arouvd 1-130 in car then what would I do ? Try for a long nap Arouvd 4-5?