Extend A time or transition to 2 naps instead of 3????

[jnduff]

My LO just turned 5 months and I'm baffled about schedules and timing.  He was on a decent 4 hour EASY.  However not always napping the greatest...sometimes he will take a  dreaded 45 minute nap but I can usually extend his nap but feels like I'm always extending his nap.  So after reading about the transition to 2 naps instead of 3 naps I'm wondering what way to go.  Today I extended his activity time from 2 hours to 2.5 hours and he still woke up at the 45 minute mark.  Not sure if I should stick with the 2.5 activity time or try longer??? I should also mention that he has been horrible to get to bed at night and early waking (earlier than usual) as well as erratic wakings during the night.  I am at a loss as where to go from here.  He was only waking once or twice in the night and now  it seems more like every few hours.  Any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.

[jessmum46]

Is he an independent sleeper?

Could you maybe post a day or two in EAS format for us?  It may be time to increase A time a little and the beginnings of the 3-2 transition, but a jump from 2h to 2.5h or more all at once may be a bit quick.  We'll be able to help more by seeing your typical day. 

45 min naps as you probably know are (for most babies) one sleep cycle.  It either indicates they were OT or UT when they went to sleep, or don't know how to transition between cycles without waking.  If they are independent sleepers this is a developmental skill which takes time to learn, but if they are dependent on props eg paci or rocking then they wake looking for the prop again and can't resettle without it.  Does he use a paci or similar?

[jnduff]

I would say he most likely is not an independent sleeper.  He does use paci and when I often have to extend naps I pick hi him and rock to resettle then lay backdown.  Our last few weeks have been crazy but here was yesterday...

Wake up 7:30
Eat 7:50
Activity 8:00 to 10
Sleep 10:00 to 10:45
Resettled back to sleep 10:45 to 11:40
Eat 11:50
Activity 12:00 to 1:50
Sleep 1:50 to 4:00
Eat 4:00
Activity 4:10 to 6:30
Eat and bedtime routine 630
Sleep 7:10

I'm worried he doesn't know how to transition between sleep cycles.  Also he uses a paci but often spits it out and sleeps without it.

[jessmum46]

EASY looks pretty good really . If he doesn't settle to sleep independently that may be your issue.....do you rock at the start of naps too?  And BT? 

Is independent sleep something you'd like to work on?  And do you want to keep the paci?  (Just affects how you might approach sleep training)

[jnduff]

I was just thinking the same thing today.  I feel like I am working on sleep training but tried to find the thread today on tips etc and couldn't.  Typically at naps I just sit in the chair and hold him...let him look around.  I sing a song or two and rock and then tell him it's time for bed and place him in his bed.  Pretty much the same at bedtime too however I nurse him and then sing and rock.  Usually he isn't even drowsy acting at this time.  Not sure if too soon or what.  He will lay there and look around and sometimes babble.  I am ok with keeping the paci, I think he needs the sucking still to soothe.

Bedtime the last two nights have gone better with way less crying.  I am pretty sure he needs some sleep training on self soothing.  Tonight I placed him in his bed and he was sort of complaining not really crying...almost like asking what I was doing...he did that for a while and I walked out (had to help my other child), then he was quiet so I peeked in and he was ok just laying there awake.  Then it escalated again and instead of picking up I just patted his butt and shushed and he calmed...once he was settled I left again.  He cried out one more time so I went in and gave him his paci and he just looked at me, I left and he resettled and went to sleep.  Not sure if I'm making progress or not.  At nap I had to settle him but as soon as he was calm again I laid him down before he was asleep...had todo that a few times before he finally drifted off.

[jessmum46]

Teaching Sleep to Babies of 3-5 months (and the 45 min nap)

That sounds like you're doing great!  Stick with shh pat (or whatever variation of it works for you) rather than PUPD as you can't use that with a paci unless he can replug himself, and keep giving him opportunities to settle himself.