6MO A TIME

[ZacsMumme]

I think I'd hold those As, that day is good. It takes them a bit of time to adjust YK? - the stirring after BT is probably a touch of OT but only because he's getting used to the routine I think

Solids don't always mess with night sleep, but they can, and did for both my boys early on. A lot of digesting is done in the early hours of the morning. It adds another thing to the mix with NW etc YK?

Sounds like your doing so well. The grizzling could be a number of things. For now I'd just take note of it and see how tomorrow goes x

[3littlemen]

Am I doing the wrong thing by holding him out and not trying to feed at 4? I figure I can't drop the DF until the NF is gone, right? But then I don't understand why the long nw?
Today was weird...

yesterday his last nap was 40m long, no resettling able despite being worked up, so in to bed at 6.30, df 10 (and just like the other night he did it) no wakeups until 4.10am... it's like he passes out! I was determined to not feed until 5 (he's done it before - well he used to before his operation anyway -that alone is 2 months ago now!) and I think he may have been awake until 5 when I fed him. In his bed afterwards and he slept til 7.30!!!

So today after that awesome start was still ok, 1h10 (10.30-11.40), (2.35-3.55). in bed at 7 though I think he would have liked to be in bed early. With his last nap, I found that he won't settle in my arms (to calm) down, he gets all grumpy and arches his back, and 'talks' yucky - like he's telling me he doesn't want to sleep, I put him in cot and he'll smile and kick wildly and flap his arms about, and start grizzley talking again (Like in my arms) and yet if I pick him up and hold him close (despite the fightin) with his head close to my body (to block out him seeing anything), he usually calms and nods off to eyes closed and 'nawnawnaw' noises... in his cot and he does it for a few seconds andhe's out... it's like the wind down gets him wound up? or is this what youmean by developmental...

today he seemed particularly hungry for solids, but I couldn't get a decent middle feed in of milk. He took a good feed before his first nap, and after his second, as well as his bedtime and 5am one so I'm not too worried.

what do you suggest with the early am feed - should I just feed him and give up on holding him out, or keep perservering? I'd dearly like to be able to go to bed early (hence kick the df) but I figure I can't really get rid of it until the nf is gone... wdyt?

[ZacsMumme]

I personally preferred to keep the early morning feed and resettled other NW because at this time of morning it is so much harder to get your LOs back to sleep have you ever not done the DF and seen how long he sleeps for?

[3littlemen]

No, I've just always done the df... I may try! last night he went through to 3, and then ended up doing a poo.. might actually turn on the lamp tonight to check if he is awake, not just catnapping, but I think he may have been awake an hour, as he woke when dh's alarm went off at 5.45. fed and then he woke at 6.30.

[ZacsMumme]

Pick a night that suits ie a Friday so DH can do the morning and try ditching the DF. I he wakes on his own st this age  you could feed, or try to resettle then feed after 12. Some babies get a little messed up with the DF around this age so it's worth a shot I think. Maybe try for 2-3 days...

[3littlemen]

had a strange night, woke 11ish, 1ish then 4.30- so fed him then and he slept til 6.30am. mmm, Wednesday here so I might start tomorrow night (I'm up too late now to really enjoy giving up the df in favour of an early night's sleep! )

[ZacsMumme]

Yeah it gets like that aye let's see how he goes. Hopefully he might not need a feed till after 12 then go till morning.
If he wakes on his own before 10/11 I'd try to resettle without feeding and see how he does.

[3littlemen]

last night when he woke at 4.33am and I was NOT going to feed... (that sounds nastier than I mean it) he was quiet and then when he'd decided that noise was needed I would say "ssshhhh ssshhh Lee--um Lee- um" - would you believe I didn't even have to get out of bed!! I thought YOU BEAUTIE!! and it worked... well at least I was asleep after 5.40, and he hadn't made any noise for at least 10 mins. The funny thing is, despite being awake for an hour (I'm guessing I don't actually keep an eye on him all that time) he only gets wound up occasionally... not crying all the time from minute he wakes...

Had a weird day here.. in an attempt to beat the OT from previous days (and this mornings long ew) I followed (without looking at a clock until he was asleep).I knew he was ot but I thought his arm flapping was OS or excited (turns out I think it might be his tired cue.. when lined up with the yawns and eye rubbing)... We had a times of 2h50 (1h15 nap), 1h55 (1h15 nap) and 2h20 (30min) in backpack, and 2h50 til bedtime 7.30pm, he woke 8.06pm then again 9.16pm.He woke right on 4.33am (so now it's a habit!) I patted him in his cot and he must have gone off to sleep as I didn't hear him again until 5.30, when I patted him again. He was woken by DH's alarm at 6 though.

[ZacsMumme]

How is he going now Hun? If he is just making noises at mightn't not crying I'd be tempted to leave him to it as you have been.

Those frequent NW may have been from the CN you may find you have to keep pushing As to get to two naps. 1hr15 is considered a good nap but often UT.

[3littlemen]

Still crazy waking up early, and staying awake, though at least it has moved out to 4.33 (which started to look habitual, so I did w2s) and this morning was 4.55am. He had a shocker day yesterday due to family obligations and managed 3 30mn for the day!

someone suggested set naps on the 7-9mth board but all it made me realise is that my days are all over the shop depending on his wu time. generally it's 6.30 regardless of nws, and the first nap is between 9-10, the second is who knows where! I try to keep a 7pm bt. if he was hungry at his long nw/ew he would take a monster feed at wu right? this morning he didn't so I think it was maybe more ot'd than hunger.

 I know you said that you dropped the df in favour of the ew nf as it resettled better. maybe that's where I should go... or do you think just trying sticking to two 'set' nap times for a few days first, trying to remove late arvo ot'dness and the CN!,  to get some structure and then do the nights?

[ZacsMumme]

What is your LOs personality? - as long as your LO isn't sensitive to OT or touchy set naps can work well at this age. You do have to push through  the OT though.

So if you did set naps most people pick a desired WU ie 6 then set the naps from there.
WU 6
Am nap 9-10.30/11
Pm nap 1/1.30-3/3.30 (work out the set time you prefer)
BT 6.30/7

I think during the transition to set naps if you get two terrible 30 min naps you can offer a CN. Or pull BT earlier to say 6pm.

I do think though if you want to do set naps it may be worth posting on the naps board. I never used them ieth my boys till they were solidly on 1 nap. Also, I think you need to give the set naps a good 2 wks. What do you think?

[3littlemen]

Absolutely agree with you on the two weeks. I have given not feeding at 4am (until wakeup) that long now, though tbh, I can't say 100% if it has been successful.
This is today,
6.30 wu and bf
7.30 solids
9.30 in bed
9.40-10.40 nap
11 bf (ok)
12.30 solids
1.40pm offered bf (ok) trying to fall asleep
1.55pm - 3.15 woke crying, resettled until 3.30pm
5.30 offered bf

will give dinner at 6.15 or so bath then bf and bed by 7
the df has worked out later most nights lately to closer to 10pm... am I being unrealistic in kicking the nf? just don't want to feed him again, if I've tried weaning it off for this long now

[ZacsMumme]

That day looks great! I think re the NF you have to go with what you think is best for you and him. I noticed your giving 3 solid meals a day which can be too much for so e 6-7 mth olds. I'm wondering if the EMW could be digestion related. I found Solids after 4pm often upset my boys sleep in the early hours of the morning..May be worth trying to pull it earlier or ditch dinner and top up with Breastmilk instead.

I'm not sure about the NF...do you think he needs it or not? - maybe post on the BF board to see what people think?

[3littlemen]

This post has been going on so long now, he's going to be 8mo on the 18th!

Ok so last night

6.15 solids
6.30 bath
6.40 bf
6.50 asleep
stirred at 7 self settled
df at 10 but only offered one side
3.15 woke crying so fed
4.40 woke, self settled I guess (I didn't get up anyway)
5.45 DH's alarm woke him
6.30 out of bed not interested in bf

I do remember if I fed in the night I'd get 2hr mnore sleep afterwards before he wakes for the day. (hence why I started to push it out in the beginning)

[ZacsMumme]

Maybe given so much has changed in the last two months it's worth posting a new thread in general sleep for fresh eyes? 
E looks ok really then if eyes 8 mths.