8 month old early WU

[NinNic]

Just want to add today, which was similar to yesterday. I do feel that it may be time to increase A time. Please advice on what to do next. Also if I should increase A time should I do am/pm or both and how much? Is it maybe best to go in once she wakes up instead of letting her stay in bed for a while without lights to find out exactly what A time she will need. Just find it hard to know when she has been lying in her bed for a while.

Also want to add that she seems to be fine being awake for around 4hrs A time after her around 1 hr nap in am.

Thanks! 

Here is today's EASY:

Thu 19 March:
Heard her at 3:18 think she fell asleep around 3:26
WU 5:20 turned on lights 6:05
S 9:50 woke 10:21 feel asleep again 10:35 woke again 11:12
S 15:30-15:55
BT 18:22

[NinNic]

Hi there,

Haven't got a reply yet so will just post what has happened since my last post to maybe clarify and give more info.

Fri 20 March:
WU 4:30 was happy to stay in bed (usually she doesn't like to if she is OT I have noticed, started getting bored so turned on lights 5:52
S 9:58-11:46 woke her to be able to put her to bed not too late tonight  (was not sure when to put her to bed also when she had been lying so long in bed with lights off, decided not to do less than 4 hrs after turning lights on. Slept full nap, which she hasn't for 2 days.)

I just feel even more that she is not OT but UT right now.

Please advice. 

[newkidontheblock]

Hi there. Sorry that it took me a while to get back to you. Shenanigans with my DD too.

I would say that you should go with your gut because ultimately you are the one there with her and you are the best judge of the situation. If you feel she needs a push in A times, go for it. I'm also confused about the NWs -- she wakes at 4 but is happy to stay in bed awake for 2 hours? That is extremely nice of her:) Let me know if things improve after pushing A times.

[NinNic]

Sorry to hear that! What problems are you having?

Should I start by increasing by 15 mins in am only first to see and leave pm as is?

[newkidontheblock]

Oh, who knows. We've just gone off the rails with crazy amounts of Separation Anxiety.

Yes, you could start with the am nap. If you find that it makes a difference, you could do it for the pm one too. Go slow though. You don't want her to get OT again. I think you'll have to go for a short/long nap routine though

[NinNic]

Seperation anxiety at night too?

Do you mean long am nap and short pm nap like we have now?

[newkidontheblock]

Oh, forgot that you are already doing that. Sorry hun. Are you capping the CN? You might need to not do that if you're increasing A.

Yes, we are having SA only at bedtime. Lol. Never had issues with bedtime with this girl, so cannot wait for this regression to end

[katie80]

Wow, 4:30am, that's rough!! (((Hugs))) And she just was happy to be in her crib that whole time?! I do think it's important to not go in and turn on the lights til your desired wake up time, otherwise you will likely reinforce the EW.

I agree with Fleur, you know her best and if you feel that an A increase is what she needs then I would do it. It's interesting that she slept through the nap today. I wonder how long she would've gone if you didn't have to wake her.

[NinNic]

Hey back again 

So I increased A time in am to 4 hrs 15-20 mins, pm I still kept to around 4 hrs A time, with 25 mins CN in pm. She has been teething so has been fussy and more tired. She is better now and is getting harder to get her to bed for BT. It takes her longer to fall asleep and as soon as we take her to her bedroom for BT routine she starts crying, which she usually doesn't. Days are getting too long now so I´m wondering what I should do. She sleeps about 1.5 hrs in am, which is fine.

Should I increase her A time in pm to 4 hrs 15-20 mins also and what about CN make it even shorter?

How can our EASY look like now with 12 hr day instead of 13 hr?

Today day looked like this:
WU around 6 am
S 10:19-11:47
S 15:56-16:21
BT 19:15 took her 30 mins to fall asleep usually takes shorter, also put her to bed a bit later as she was not tired enough, this is almost 3 hrs A time after 25 mins CN

Please advice!

[newkidontheblock]

Hmm, I have a few questions, if you don't mind, hun. Is she going down easily for her naps with the new increased A? How many days have you been doing this new time? Is she airways protesting at BT or was that a one-off? Is she having night wakings or sleeping through till morning? Is she crying out/waking soon after BT? Typically, what is the length of your nights?

I do feel that perhaps she is OT at BT. I don't think it could be UT after a 25 minute CN and BT 3 hours later. Why not put her down earlier for bed? If she wakes around 6, then 6/6.30 should be fine. As I've mentioned before, my DD has been on a long am, short pm routine since 7 months. Her A times are 4.15 too but she can do only a much shorter A before bed after such a short CN. I know this routine works because now that I have tackled the prop issue, she is back to sleeping independently and she sleeps through the night. If your DD is doing similar, then you're on the right track. But if she is crying at BT, you can try it a bit earlier.

[NinNic]

No problem 

Yes she is going down easily for am nap. Pm nap has beeb problem for long time, Katie advised to do CN in pram, which is only way that works for her to sleep.

Have been doing new time for 7 days.

She has been protesting few times, but in this 7 day period she has also been teething so more tired than usual for 2-3days.

She is sleeping until morning. Was waking earlier until increased A in am she now sleeps longer. When she gets to bed around 19 instead of earlier when she has a 13 hr day she doesnt sleep as long nights. When she has 12 hr days she sleeps longer, which I feel is better for her.

No she is not waking crying after BT.

Nights sleep is about 11 hrs depending how long days are. If they are more than 13 hrs like yesterday she woke earlier this morning BT 19:15 woke 5:30. Feel its not enough sleep.

I know she should be OT, but I did not feel that yesterday at all. She might not be tired enough for her A time in pm? In morning I can see when she is tired easier, she is not tired like that in pm before CN. Of course its always easier for her to fall asleep in pram even though she might not be that tired.

Have tried putting her down earlier and it doesnt work, I have tried so many times, when she doesnt fall asleep she gets annoyed cries and have to calm her and just end up sleeping even later, so I dont think that is the solution.

[newkidontheblock]

Katie advised to do CN in pram, which is only way that works for her to sleep.

APOP away, hun! I'm doing CN in the sling too:p

I think you are on the right track.

She is sleeping until morning. Was waking earlier until increased A in am she now sleeps longer. When she gets to bed around 19 instead of earlier when she has a 13 hr day she doesnt sleep as long nights. When she has 12 hr days she sleeps longer, which I feel is better for her.

Oh, I definitely agree. I think this was mentioned previously also. Keep your days to 12 -12.5 hours if possible. Any lost day sleep can be tacked on to night as long as she is not OT by BT.

f they are more than 13 hrs like yesterday she woke earlier this morning BT 19:15 woke 5:30. Feel its not enough sleep.

I feel that this is an OT waking.  Confirms your reasoning as well:)

I have only one suggestion. Don't cap the pm nap at 25 minutes. Keep it to 30 and observe what happens. Can we try that?

[NinNic]

So no increase in A time for pm?

This will still mean we will have 13 hr days. No way to cut days shorter?

So you dont recommend cutting CN shorter to get her to bed earlier to keep 12 hr days?

[katie80]

I think you could try both options, really, and see what works best for you. I don't think she needs an increase in pm A time if she's still falling asleep easily for the CN (that will only likely make the day longer). You can do as Fleur suggested and keep the 30min CN and no longer than 13hr day (as that makes her do a short night). Or, you can cut the CN to 15/20min and aim for a 12hr day (this would be the last step before pushing to one nap). Some LOs don't do well with such a small CN, some do fine. You won't know what works best for her until you try. Ideally, what do you think would be best for her and you?

[newkidontheblock]

So you dont recommend cutting CN shorter to get her to bed earlier to keep 12 hr days?

The reasoning behind doing a catnap is that they are fresh enough to handle the evening and go to bed reasonably rested. Too short a CN would be a bit pointless, no?

Ideally, what do you think would be best for her and you?

^^