40 minute wakings

[J JACK]

Hi first time posting, I need help with my 12 week old he wakes at the 40 minute mark everytime  I put him down for a nap and at bedtime unless he is extremely tired hes been doing this from 5 weeks. I mostly can get him back down by shush pat or white noise but its becoming harder to do so ive also tried wake to sleep he stirs when I wake but then still wakes up 10 minutes later, I also tried keeping him up longer, I usually keep him up for an hour and I increased 15 minutes this just seem to make him over tired. Any help would be appreciated I feel like ive read the whole internet on this topic. 

[Kellyjs]

Hi and welcome to BW. I know exactly what you mean, when DD was younger I read everything everywhere about 40mins naps 

Short naps are very common at this age I'm afraid. It could be that your LO is a tad UT. 1hr A time is very short for a 12wk old. The fact that w2s isn't working either actually makes me think UT is the issue.

When you extended the A time, what made you think he was OT? Did he get a second wind? How does he go to sleep? Would you consider him an independent sleeper?

Here's a really useful like to have handy Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!!

[J JACK]

Hi thanks for your message, he use to go to bed very good on his own I would give him a cuddle and then put him down and he would be asleep within 10-15 minutes. I thought he was over tired cause he wouldnt go down as easy when I keep him up longer. Im thinking maybe I shouldnt be extending all his naps straight away, maybe one at a time?

[Kellyjs]

Yes I'd concentrate on the first one for now and see how it goes. Maybe keep at the new A time for 3 days, that'll give you a good idea. If you extend it slightly and perhaps try w2s again at the 30mi s mark? Do remember though, short naps can be developmental at this age so sometimes there's not a lot we can do. As long as you've tried everything, you can be sure it's because of that and not just because it's UT. I'm afraid it's all a guessing game at this stage x

[J JACK]

Hi im going to try w2s again tomorrow. He was awake for 1 hour 20 minutes before his first nap today and went down straight away, he still woke at 40 minutes but when I got him back to sleep, he slept a further 1 50 minutes. I think hes gotten use to use to me helping him go back to sleep at 40 minutes as its been over 6 weeks now of him doing this, I just hope he eventually weans off this.

[Kellyjs]

No that's brilliant at this stage hun, he's just learning how to transition on his own. Sometimes we need to help with that. It may be that we're very close with the A time and he may need an extra 5or so mins if he's convinced to go back off to sleep.

Good news, I think! 

[J JACK]

Thanks for your messages, you've been very helpful I think just posting on here has made me less stressed about this whole nap thing 

[Kellyjs]

That's what we're all here for hun  . I've lost count of the number of times I've been balling my eyes out and the lovelies on here are always so supportive. It's sometimes just the knowledge that we're not the only ones going through it that helps. I find in real life people are not always so honest. I mean I was told once that someone's LO was STTN at 2 weeks old  .

[J JACK]

Hi thought I would update with what's been going the past few weeks. So I tried lengthening A times, although he was fine with it, it didn't do anything to lengthen naps the only time he would sleep longer im sure this isnt a coincidence is when the washing machine was on I tried finding recordings but they don't sound the same even my own recording of the washing machine didn't work so that was out the window as my water and power bill would vo through the roof if I was have my machine on all day. Anyways Ive decided to accept that hes a short napper and found a routine that fits here is: 


7:00 Awake 
7:30 feed 
8:30 Nap 
9:15 Awake 
10:30 Feed 
11:00 Nap
11:45 Awake
1:30 Feed & Nap
2:15 Awake
4:00 Feed & Nap 
4:45 Awake
6:45 Feed 
7:00 Bed

He wakes up around 2-4 for a night feed