cot parties

[torie2507]

Hi,
Our DS has just turned 8 months old, we've had a rough ride with his sleep from word go but now, mostly because I created accidental parenting.  We've been working on removing props so he'll now sleep independently some of the time.  However, he's started waking at either 2:30 or 3:30am and not resettling.  I thought it was due to hunger as following a cold he started refusing solids and started BF very regularly.  I posted on the breastfeeding board but it seems its not an issue with feeding so I'm hoping for some advice here if possible.

We aim for a day of:

6:00 - wake and BF
7:00 - solids
9:00 - nap
10:00 to 10:30 nap
BF on wake up
12:00 - solids
13:00 - nap
14:00 to 15:00 - wake up
BF on wake up
16:45 - solids
17: 30 to 18:00 (depending on npa 2 wake up) - BF and bed

Although this hasn't been happening, as he's been waking early I've been putting him down for AM nap early but then he's only been napping for 30 - 35 minutes so I've been bringing PM nap forward and using me as a prop to keep him asleep for as long as possible then early bedtime at 17:30.

Yesterday looked like this:

08:30 - nap
09:00 - awake
12:00 - finally fell asleep in cot
14:00 - awake
16:30 - 10 minute nap in car
18:30 - fell asleep after being unsettled
03:30 - awake

I think the 3:30am wake up could be becoming habitual?  Is his routine appropriate or do I need to adjust it?

[Layla]

Hi there,

How are you responding to him when he wakes at night? What were the props and are you still using any? What time does he wake up in the morning? Routine wise, I would stick to 2 naps and its ok for them to have one shorter, one longer nap but 30min nap may be an indication that he's overtired. When he wakes from the morning nap, is he crying or generally happy?

[torie2507]

With the night wakings I leave him to see if he will re settle himself, which sometimes he does.  If he doesn't I go to him and use my voice or put my hand on his chest.  Until recently he would only sleep when rocked to sleep or in the car so we had to ST with PUPD to get him to self sooth which he will now do to go to sleep and for most brief wakings.

I try to put him down after 3 hours of A time or reduce by the A time by 15 mins per 15 mins less then 1.5 hours sleep he has. (if that makes sense)

Today he woke up at 5am, he had first nap at 7:45 (earlier then the normal 3 hours but he was yawning away) He slept for 1 hour.  I gave him his 2nd nap at 11:15am when he slept for 1 hour 15 minutes.  Now I'll have to give him a short Catnap I guess otherwise he'll be really overtired by bedtime, is that best?

After 30 minutes he wakes grumpy, I always try to get him back to sleep at this stage but sometimes it doesn't work.  He woke up from his 2 naps today happy but they've just been so early in the day due to the early start. 

I'm worried that if he has a 3rd nap this afternoon he'll be undertired tonight and wake up early again

[Skadiver13]

7:45 (earlier then the normal 3 hours but he was yawning away) He slept for 1 hour.

Hi hun this probably indicates that he wasn't indeed tired enough to sleep longer. Many lo's at this age will show tired signs even if they aren't. They could just be bored with what's going on but if you simply take a short walk around outside or change of scenery at all will get them over that "hump". I would certainly try to stretch his A times in the morning to help with the EW as the earlier the nap the more likely he is to wake early again the next day.

[torie2507]

He woke up again this morning at 4:30am (same old 3:30am as the clocks went forward on sunday) I have PUPD from 4:30 until 6:00 which is his old wake up time and best time to suit school drop off etc.  Do you think I should hold off putting him down for his first nap until 9:00am which is when his nap time should be? I guess he'll likely only sleep for 1/2 hour though.

Really stuck in a rut and not sure how to get out!

[Skadiver13]

hi hun has he ever been and independent sleeper? could something else be waking him teeth etc? we went through this awful wakeup pwriod too and we just kept pushing through I would try and apop him to back to sleep in the morning to get a better wake up time. But if he's just not tired enough pupd isnt going to work. I would extend the morning by maybe 15 min more than usualy expect a short nap. see if you can extend the nap bring the forward to compensate and see what you get.

[torie2507]

Hi,

he had nap 1 at 7:35 until 9am, so a good one but now stuck what to do with next nap as too early and he'll have a really early bt again, yesterday was 17:30.  He's only just started being an independent sleeper.  He's teething like crazy and has a cold 

[Skadiver13]

unfortunately that nap is too early to help with your nw. He's just going to treat it as an extension of his night sleep. Guven he has a cold there isnt much you can do right. ow wxceptt try and stixk to a routine and when he is feeling better start pushing out the A times. Idealy for a 6am wakeup you want his nap no earlier than 9 I would think