Yet another early rising 7 month old

[firemom]

No problem. That's what I thought you meant, otherwise it didn't make sense. But thank you for the clarification. I should have told my Hubby to use a cat nap if he really thought it was needed. And apparently it was. But I thought he was going to be okay with an early bedtime.

[Martini~]

You know, kids are just different - some like EBT, some catnaps and preserving till normal BT.
Mine prefers catnap, he fights earlier BT and he ends being OT.

It's a matter of trying to check what is the best for your LO.

[firemom]

It certainly is. They are individuals. But I'm so grateful for the BW and this forum for helping us get on the right track.

Yesterday went pretty darn good.

He woke at 6:15, but fed well and went back to sleep. Which is pretty D@mn good in my opinion. His diaper leaked AGAIN! so can't blame the little fella. I'd wake up if I was wet and cold too. Sent the Hubby to buy Overnight diapers.

Yesterday:

6:15 Awake, Fed, back asleep by 6:45.
8 Woke him for the day
8:10 Nurse (I couldn't believe how hungry he was, he ate really good just 2 hours ago)
10 Nap (He was ready by 9:30 which surprised me, I thought with the sleeping in he'd easily go past 10.)
11:30 Wake
11:35 Nurse
12:30 Solids
2:40 Nap (Fought going down really hard, cried a lot)
4 Awake (fussy, tried to get him to settle back down to no avail)
4 Nurse OK
6:20 Cat nap (15 minutes in the car)
7 Bottle & Nurse (the best he's taken his bedtime bottle in a very long time)
7:45 Asleep

This morning he was up around 6, fed and fell back to sleep. Dad's on duty today while I'm at work. I have to say I feel extremely lucky to have a Hubby who does so much for our LO.

I'm hopeful with a little longer of the early feeding and going back to sleep, nap adjustments, etc that he'll push his wake up time to 7, and we'll be closer to a 12 - 12.5 hr day.

[firemom]

Yesterday I thought we were so on track. He didn't wake until 6:30 and had a model day. First Nap at 10. Second nap at 2:30. Asleep by 7:45.

This morning awake at 5:40 and would not go back to sleep.

I'm hoping this morning is just a small bump in the road. So Still just gonna keep trying to get him back to sleep when he does wake early. And as best we can keep the naps at 10 and 2:30.

[anna*]

How are his nights? this is a bit 'out there' and not strictly BW but with my daughter (my son had given me such a fear of EWs) I used to do a dream feed at around 4am, and after that she would reliably sleep through til 7-7.30. I wouldn't have continued it if she still woke at 5 or 6.

[firemom]

His nights are good. He's asleep by 7:30 and sleeps through to morning. He used to sleep from 7:30 to past 7:30, sometimes past 8 (then I would wake him to feed cuz he was such a little guy I was worried about him going that long without food). And I guess I got spoiled with that. It was super nice! We don't use the dream feed. I tried it in the beginning and it just didn't work for us. I usually go to sleep myself at 9. So I was setting an alarm for 11.  He still wouldn't nurse at all. Then he'd still wake up later, at 1 and at 4. After several tries, I gave it up.

[Martini~]

Keeping fingers crossed and keep us posted.
7:45 is a bit late BT after 6:30 wake up. Could you aim for something closer to 7? How long were his naps at that model day?

[firemom]

I will. I was surprised when he wasn't asleep by 7:30.

His "Model" day was like this.

6:30 awake
7 Fed
10 Nap
11 Awake (I even tried to extend it but he just popped back awake 5 minutes later)
1120ish Nurse
1230 Solids
2:30 Nap (Extended the nap one time. Some days he'll nap straight thru other days he needs a little help)
4:20 Awake
4:30 Nurse
7 Bottle & Nurse (He didn't fight the bottle at all, was very happy)
7:30 Laid down,
7:45 Asleep

[Martini~]

His second nap is quite late and it's long.

If first nap is an hour, I wouldn't fight it. I would however move the first nap closer to 2pm on those days and wake him by 3:30/4:00 the latest if he is not awake yet. After two hours nap he probably was slightly UT at bedtime.

[firemom]

His first nap is usually 1.5hrs long. That day it was only 1hr. I was trying to follow your advise of a 10am nap and a 2:30 nap. I'm confused.

This is the ideal day I have in my head.

7 wake, feed
10 Nap
11:30 Wake, feed
2:30 Nap
4 Wake, feed
7 Final Feeding
7:30 Asleep for night

I don't know how today is going. Other than he woke at 5:40 and would not go back to sleep. I've been at work since 7am and haven't had much time to touch base with Hubby. He said his naps were off today but that he's been in a super good mood.

[Martini~]

Sorry honey, I will post later in the day to explain what I meant. Was a bit confusing I suppose! So sorry:). Have to get ready to work now and both I and DS are still in our PJs:).

[firemom]

Okay, thanks, I really appreciate that.

[firemom]

Today is going better than yesterday.

5am Wake, ate 7 oz, back to sleep
7ish wake
7:45 Nurse Ok
9:45 Nap
11 Wake
2:10 Nap

[firemom]

He woke from his nap at 3:30. And was in a good mood all evening. Started his final feeding at 6:40 and he was asleep by 7:20.

I think today was pretty good. Please let me know if I should tweek it at all.

[Martini~]

Yes it was a very good day. Hope that night was also good!

So what I meant before was:
- if a first nap was shorter you may put him down for a second nap slightly earlier as probably he is less tested
- you may still think of set nap at 2:30 but I would wake at 4:00 the lastest or earlier even to keep BT around 7/7:30 - just try and decide what's work the best

In general you are of course far before 1 nap, but it's worth thinking which nap you will move/cap going towards one nap. If his preference is capping a morning nap, maybe just let it be shorter and shorter and bring second nap earlier and earlier. Or when morning nap will be shorter and shorter push it till 10:30/11:00 and offer second nap later but cap to preserve BT approx 12-13h after wu.

Is that clear hon?