3 months old W2S - How long does it take???

[CarolineA]

My 3 month old DD starting showing the 40 minute cat nap signs around 8 weeks ... I didn't stress too much at that time because she would still give me 1 or 2 long naps that I  usually had to wake her up from.  Gradually the cat naps got worse and I started to fall into the "snacking" and breast feeding to sleep ruts!  I quickly realized I had to keep E every 3 hrs (or as close as possible) and no bf immediately before sleep.  I managed to adjust my EASY and got her feeding every 3 and no longer falling asleep on the breast but, still 40 min naps!  Which makes EASY soooo HARD follow and evenings a disaster.

Now, since Jan 1st I have successfully been using W2S on my DD!  Thank goodness because nothing was working anymore at that point, even stroller rides. 4x40min naps We were both a mess!  I figured I had nothing to loose trying W2S since she was waking up anyway!!!  So any other mommas out there with a cat napper I would recommend trying it to - and let me know if  you want details on what I have done.  I should also note I pay very close attention to her A time and the W2S works about 70% of the time.  Sometimes I think I get the timing off a bit, or she is OT/UT or her older bro interrupts!

So now that I have been at this for over 2 weeks, when can she start figuring it out on her own?  I have experimented a few times with leaving her and no dice ):  Do I have to keep W2S until she is 3 - haha?  Can anyone add some insight from experience with W2S?  THANK YOU!!!! Much appreciated!!!

I should also note, she is an angle baby, has no props, is still swaddled, falls asleep on her own, I follow a 3 hr EASY (with adjustments as required if the 45 naps are prevalent!), I BF, and she sleeps well at night, (bedtime 7:30 wakes twice to feed around 1ish and 4ish and is up for the day around 7ish - no DF.   

[Laurenrobbo]

I would love to know what your doing!! I have a 3.5 month old who wakes from his day naps at 30/40 min mark, I can sometimes re settle him (taking 20 mins) and get another 30 mins but it's so hard work! Feel like I spend all day trying to get him to sleep!

Night times are great and we don't have this problem!

Look forward to your method 

L x

[CarolineA]

Hi!
It definitely took sometime in the beginning to get DD used to W2S and the longer naps, so I would say hang in there a bit longer.  Even another 30 minutes of sleep is great progress I think anyway.  When I started the W2S it would sometimes take 20 to 30 minutes of her fighting it and sometimes I would only get another 10 or 20 minutes of sleep out her. And when I say "fighting it" she isn't crying, but more waaa - waaa and in and out of sleep, rocking her had back and forth, swinging her legs in the air, etc.  You learn a lot about your LO when you watch them napping every day!  I have been at it now almost 3 weeks, so it takes time, but gradually over that time there has been less short naps and less time required during the transition.  What I have started to notice is that when I time everything right (awake time and coming in her room) it only takes 5 minutes or so and I often have to wake her up from her nap, so I think she is starting to catch on to daytime sleep being good (:  Although sometimes it just doesn't work and when it doesn't work it is pretty apparent right away!

So I think I ended up doing a combo of W2S Methods 1 and 2.  Sometimes I don't think I quite wake her enough out of the deep sleep part and she wakes up at the 40min transition, in which case I end up helping her through that.

And here is what I do:
I go into her room around 35 minutes and gently nudge her and start shhhhing with one hand over her eyes and the other on her legs.... I usually keep this up until I am past the 50 minute mark or she is breathing deeply.  In the beginning there were definitely some naps where I spent 30 minutes shhhhing holding my hand over her eyes and on her legs (my arms were killing me!) and I would think I had her then she would wake up 5 minutes after I left her room - Argggg - frustrating for sure.  But like I said she is getting better and better.
I don't do the pat part because she doesn't seem to need it and I think that would be too much stimulation for her.

I also put a dark brown blanket up over the crib rails to block me out and use a stool so I am more comfortable (:  This helps a lot!
So I don't think my method is much different than what was posted, other than no patting, but I have tried to keep up with being consistent and watching the A times.

Let me know if you have any other specific questions.  I think it sounds like you have had some success, so don't give up now.  I think any kind of sleep training takes time.
 

[*happy*]

just listening in because we have that 45min nap
monster here too!
i've never tried W2S though-food for thought!

[CarolineA]

I am definitely no expert - this is my first time dealing with a cat napper and W2S, but thought my situation might be helpful to others.  My big concerns are:

1. How long do I keep the W2S up (going on 3 weeks) before she can do it on her own???

2. Could I be creating a prop by helping through the transition at every nap?