3rd catnap in 4h EASY

[Martini~]

Hello and please help:) to more experience.

My LO has massive problem to settle for a catnap (currently 15wo). It was always his worse nap (from week 4 till 6 we couldn't even settle him, than white noise and dummy helped a lot). I thought that we somehow "grew up" from this problem.

And than I got rid of dummy as it was massively disturbing his nap sleep. First two naps in our routine got much better, last 1:20h to 2h, he settles quickly being put awake in his crib and can sleep without resettling (not always but many times). He usually cries for less than a minute but I guess it is his way of settling as he hates being put in the crib too early but is tired when put too late - I am not always finding the right moment.

But this catnap is a nightmare! No matter what A I put him down (from 2:00 to 2:15 - length of his previous A) he has massive problem with settling. He close eyes sometimes but moans during "sleep" and than moans escalate to cry. I tried put him up, not put him up, white noise, shhh, different patting - it is just hit & miss. Today he finally settled when I put him in the stroller - I started rocking but he just went to sleep 10sec afterwards.

I am just confused what to do:(. Why it is such a big problem? Should I AP this catnap? I see that he needs that sleep desperately as without this catnap he is cranky and very very tired, usually falling asleep on boob after BF which I do not want to do:(.

Any advice?

[weaver]

I would have no problem at all with APing the CN every day if that's what you want or need to do.  I ended up doing that with both of mine. 

With LO1, just to make sure he did it before he was completely ready to drop it, I would lay down with him, bit of BF and we both had a rest then (such a nice memory, and we both needed the rest!).  With LO2, she was either in a buggy or in the carrier for this nap.  You're going to drop it anyway in a few months, so any associations with this nap will go then too. 

Do you suspect he might be LSN?  Or is he just OT by then?

[Martini~]

Thank you Weaver.

I was afraid that association from catnap will impact other naps, shouldn't I panick?

Regarding his SN, I think he may have rather lower than higher sleep needs as he is already on high awake times (only thanks to that I have good naps!). It's also very rare for him to take 2h naps (happens rarely and usually after one bad nap). He however sleeps well at night 11-11,5h w/o NF so maybe that's were his sleep concentrates. He is also spirited I guess so maybe that's why in the afternoon he is just overwhelmed with surroundings. He may be also OT for this nap, but I am freaking not to put him down too early as written earlier he hates being UT;).

[weaver]

I was afraid that association from catnap will impact other naps, shouldn't I panick?

This didn't happen with mine.  I figured the association was with that nap and so when it went, the association went too.  I think if you're reasonably consistent with the other naps, you'll be fine.  FX.

It's great that you're aware that he might be lower SN already.  It freaks a lot of people out!  Keep a close eye, and you might start seeing signs he wants to drop the CN.

Maybe try keeping things a bit quieter in the afternoons for him and see if that helps too.