Author Topic: Another (almost) 5 mo with nap issues  (Read 936 times)

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Offline NewMum79

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Another (almost) 5 mo with nap issues
« on: July 28, 2015, 18:38:35 pm »
Hi,

I've read several threads about c.5 mo having nap issues, we are also having some nap issues that I'd like some advice on.

DS is our second child and we followed EASY with DD and it worked great for us so I understand the BW principles. DS is generally a healthy, happy baby and he feeds great and sleeps a good 11-12 hours most nights so we are really lucky on that front.

However, at around the 3 month mark he started short napping. I would pop him in his cot and he would settle himself after a bit of fussing but naps were almost always 30 minutes (like you could set the clock by it!). Occasionally we'd get a longer map, usually if we were out on a longer walk with the buggy or a long journey in the car but never more than 30 minutes in the cot.  Initially I thought it was just a developmental phase but now he is nearly 5 months and it is getting worse.

Now he seems to have lost the ability to settle himself in the cot in the day, he screams when he is put in the cot and eventually with quite a lot of shush-patting he finds his fingers, sucks them and goes to sleep. But it's getting to the stage where we can spend anywhere between 5 and 20 minutes trying to settle him for a 30 minute nap. The short naps are also making it difficult to get into a good routine.

I'm wondering if it might be overstimulation and maybe I have the A time a bit wrong? It definitely seems to be something related only to the daytime because at night I can put him in his cot and he will babble and suck his fingers and settle himself to sleep no problem.

An example of a typical day:

Wake - 6.45ish
E 7
A
S 9 - 9.30
A
E 10.30
A
S 11.00 - 11.30
A
S 13.00 - 13.30
A
E 14.00
A
S 15.30 - 16.00
A
E split feed 18.00 / 18.30
S 19.00

As I say, any advice would be much appreciated. I really need to improve his naps and get him into a routine before I go back to work.

Offline Kellyjs

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Re: Another (almost) 5 mo with nap issues
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2015, 19:14:22 pm »
Oh I had a short napper too hun, I totally feel your pain ((hugs))

How's he waking from these naps hun? Is he happy or seems like he's still tired and upset? How long has he been on this A time if I may ask?

I'm actually wondering if he's UT for that first nap wdyt? 30mins can be indicative of OT but since it's been goin on so lomg I'm inclined to think UT.

Then he can do nearly the same A time again after a short nap, which then results in a short nap! This was just like my DD, she could do a full A time on an UT nap too. I can see you shorter  the A times as you go on through the day too, definitely a good idea normally, I can see you've done this before  ;)

Ok, so how about we work on that first nap? We can ignore everything else for a while, otherwise it becomes a bit all consuming for you tbh. The nights are good so we don't need to change up everything quickly.

I would extend that first A by 15mims, and hold for 3 days. I would also use w2s. Have you done that before? It was a life saver for me with naps. The A time does need to be right though or it won't work, but I think this gives us a good indication if we are moving in the right direction. I will post the link for you about w2s at the end for you to have a read through. I would go in at around 20mims after he's fallen asleep and gently either stroke his cheek or hold his shoulder until you hear his breathing pattern change (or a little sigh), you mustn't wake him fully. The idea is to just readjust his sleeping. Then if he's a completely Independent sleeper, I would just back quietly out of the room. Some like to ssh/pat through the transition until you see them fall back into a deeper sleep. It really is a case of trial and error with this and takes some getting used to as to what works for your LO.

So wdyt? Worth a go?

How to address habitual wakings (w2s and other methods)

 



Offline NewMum79

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Re: Another (almost) 5 mo with nap issues
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2015, 13:54:38 pm »
Thanks for your reply. Out of interest did your DD eventually extend her naps? If so what age and do you think it was anything you did or she was just ready to sleep for longer? Sorry, lots of questions as DS is so different from DD!

I agree, my instincts tell me he is UT, I'm going to try extending the A time and also doing a longer wind down as I think sometimes he is OS. The second (lunchtime) nap is the one I would most like to extend as we're usually home and then I can spend some one to one time with DD.

I've tried w2s once and it ended badly, I think I woke him too much and he was v angry and wouldn't resettle. Once we've moved the A time I'll try it again though. Thanks for the link.

Thanks for your help, I'll keep you posted how we get on.


Offline Kellyjs

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Re: Another (almost) 5 mo with nap issues
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2015, 18:56:42 pm »
My DD was UT from day one I think. It's only through the help and support on here I discovered she can handle above average A times. They gave me the confidence to push the A times finally convincing me UT was far worse than OT! And you know what? I don't think we've ever had OT issues!! She finally started napping longer at 8mo, but we hit the 2-1 then as well as her A times were high.

Do push the A times, but go slowly ok? It gives them a chance to get used to it. 15mins then holding for 3 days should help us see what happens. Sometimes when we push too much too fast, it's hard to see a pattern and if it's working. Let me know how it goes, good luck xx



Offline NewMum79

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Re: Another (almost) 5 mo with nap issues
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2015, 13:10:52 pm »
A quick update: we're making progress but still having short naps ???

The longer A time (between 2h15 and 2h30) means that he is no longer fighting naps and even settling himself but he still wakes up after 30 minutes. I have noticed a pattern though - he can do a near normal A time after the short nap in the morning but not the second nap, he wakes happy but gets tired and irritable within an hour and will usually go back off for another 30 minutes. So EASY looks like this:

Wake & E 7.30
A
S 9.45 - 10.15
E 11
A
S 12.30 - 13.00
A
S 13.45 - 14.15
E 14.30
A
S 16.30 - 17.00
E 18.00 / 18.30 (split feed before and after bath)
S 19.00

We get through on this but I'd really like to connect the lunchtime naps. He will not be resettled easily (we've tried and he fights it or goes off and pops back up wide awake after 10 minutes!). Is it worth trying w2s here do you think?

Offline Kellyjs

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Re: Another (almost) 5 mo with nap issues
« Reply #5 on: August 05, 2015, 18:41:54 pm »
You can definitely give it a go! And perhaps try adding on another 10mins A beforehand too? It might be more successful hopefully.

Shall we just try and work on that nap for now rather than the first one then? Looks like you might have more success with that one. Let me know how it goes ok? Be careful not to wake him too much and don't be too disappointed if it doesn't work straight off. It took me a couple of days to get into the swing of it xx



Offline NewMum79

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Re: Another (almost) 5 mo with nap issues
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2015, 21:01:14 pm »
Another quick update - I tried the w2s, he stirred slightly but carried on sleeping but still woke at the 30 minute mark. However, we managed to settle him back off with a small amount of shush-ing and a hand on his chest and he had 1.5 hours sleep in total  :)

I think pushing the A time a bit more before the lunchtime nap was a good idea because since then (that was 4 days ago) he has either slept for 1.5 hours straight through or if he has woken at the 30 minute mark we have managed to resettle him without too much trouble  ;D

Fingers crossed it carries on. I remember with DD just as you think you've got it sussed and found the right A time, they move on and need more!

Offline Kellyjs

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Re: Another (almost) 5 mo with nap issues
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2015, 06:13:57 am »
Yay! This is good news. It's sounding like the A time is about right now.  :)

It is around now they like to keep having their A time extended, you're totally right. If he reverts back to short naps, add another 10mims onto the A time again. Unfortunately it keeps changing now up until you hit the 2-1, it's amazing how much they need extending over such a short period of time. Pop back if you need to hun, but I'm so glad it's working out better for you xx