Author Topic: 6-1/2 month old still catnapping / short naps (Read 3184 times)

ameliebob · « **on:** August 06, 2015, 14:05:43 pm »

Hi everyone, I'm starting to lose faith that my boy won't grow out of his short crappy afternoon naps. He's now 6-1/2 month old and it's been the same since he was a newborn.

I simply can't figure out why he won't nap more than 40 min on the lunchtime nap, and it's been going on since he was only 7 weeks old.
He goes down awake with no pacifier, without much fussing at every nap and bedtime, and he made a lot of improvements getting rid sleep associations and night feedings (with a lot of help of your posts!! I can't thank you enough everyone!)

2-1/2 hours after wake up (usually at 6:30) is morning nap wich lasts 1.5 hour, then 3 hours after that is lunchtime nap wich always lasts 40-45 min. We dropped the third nap at around 5 months because he was fighting it and we simply could not make it happen anymore in any possible way, so bedtime is at 6-6:30. He STTN and awakens himself sometimes because he moves a lot, but he can put himself back to sleep with thumb sucking.

but why the hell he still wakes up at 40 min?! I know he's still tired as he wakes up crying and not babbling. We have tried a lot of things since he started doing it at 7 weeks old; Swing does not work (he sleeps only 30 min in there!), Wake to sleep does not work, cry it out ends up with a frustrated and inconsolable baby for the rest of the day, we are unable to soothe him back to sleep, longer period of wake time (sometimes up to 3-1/2!) not working either, plus he's having a hard time to get to sleep, he is not hungry because he has solids 30 to 45 min before naptime, i think he have enough soothing and routine before nap time (quiet time in swing with lovey, then close curtains, nappy change) and goes down awake with lovey and his favorite thumb live a champ!

Please could you give me one more advice?

Kellyjs · « **Reply #1 on:** August 06, 2015, 18:48:25 pm »

Oh I feel your pain hun. I had a chronic short napper until I found this site. Drove me insane, however it was amazing what I could do in 45mins

, when I did get long naps I didn't know what to do with myself

Ok, first off I want to say that we do not support CIO here. Tracy believe it broke the bonds of trust between a LO and it's caregiver. We're all about gentler methods and actually getting the routine right so not to get to that point.

I would say that second nap is UT hun. However if we do push it much more it might make your day a lot longer. Do you want BT later? As he's not waking during the night I'd be reluctant to change much if his over night sleep is good.

The thing is he is capable of longer naps because of that first nap. W2s wouldn't work if he is UT either just like you said. How much over night sleep does he get if you don't mind me asking? A day in the life of the two of you laid out in easy format would be really helpful to see.

So wu time
E
A
S etc etc all the way to BT and any NF or NW's.

Research on why 'cry it out' and 'controlled crying' is NOT recommended!

Regaining Trust of Your Child

ameliebob · « **Reply #2 on:** August 07, 2015, 01:17:46 am »

Today he got 3-1/2 hour of awake time (visitors and errands, $:-\$ ), he was unable to find its sleep and looked so overtired that I finally gave him a bottle until drowsy. Thinking back he was probably so hungry since it was almost 4hours since its last bottle. But well he slept again for 40 min but at least he woke up happy today.

E 6:30 wake up and bottle
A
E 7:30 solids
A
S 9:00 to 10:30

E 10:30 bottle
A
E 12:45 solids
A
S 13:30 to 14:10

E 14:30 bottle
A
E 16:15 solids
A
E 18:15 bottle
S 18:30 and he sleeps trough the night

There you go. I'm hoping you can find something

pushing back the bedtime a bit would be ok if we can get a longer nap, because he gets so cranky and fussy after that nap my ears are almost bleeding

ameliebob · « **Reply #3 on:** August 09, 2015, 11:58:23 am »

Yesterday he even woke up for his morning nap! After the same amount of time as usual. Two 40 min naps equals sooo much fun! how is our easy routine please?

Kellyjs · « **Reply #4 on:** August 09, 2015, 14:01:25 pm »

I'm so sorry hun, I don't think I saw your last post

Please accept my apologies.

Have you checked for teeth coming through? That could be waking him at the sleep cycle transition?

If there's no sign of teeth, I would be tempted to push that first A out by 15mims now. It is much shorter than your other A isn't it? Did you pd for nap 2 at the same time as usual and he still had a 40mims nap? If that's the case we might have to think about reducing that second Aa to rule out OT. Just to try and see? Xx

ameliebob · « **Reply #5 on:** August 09, 2015, 23:41:05 pm »

He already have 2 teeth. I don't think the whining and nap troubles comes from teething as he sleeps so well at night (wich was not the case with his first tooth! Waking every 2 Hours)

We put him down at the same time this morning but we made a lot more physical exercise and boom, he slept for 2 hours. I realized that when he's not active enough, he's not sleeping for a long time. But hell, it's not working for that afternoon nap!

still waking up exactly at 40 min cooing and babbling, but an hour after that he's fussing and eye rubbing but refuses to sleep

Tomorrow will try to reduce the second A time to 2:45 instead of 3

Kellyjs · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2015, 07:49:04 am »

It might be just worth a go for a day hun, I'm thinking if he is waking up happy he may be UT but I just wanted to check and see ok?

Great news about the first nap though, physical exercise like swimming also helps with good naps here!

Let me know how it goes with the reduced A time, if it doesn't work we'll have to try and extend the A time a lot more considering 3.5hrs still gave you a short nap in the pm

xx

ameliebob · « **Reply #7 on:** August 10, 2015, 11:18:33 am »

We've been trying longer a time last week at 3-1/2 hour and it didn't work either., he was super cranky before bedtime. I'm starting to think that maybe he doesn't need more sleep... We will try shorter today and see.

ameliebob · « **Reply #8 on:** August 10, 2015, 18:30:38 pm »

reducing time still got us 40 min. Should I try again tomorrow?

Kellyjs · « **Reply #9 on:** August 11, 2015, 06:10:32 am »

How was he when he woke? Was he happier yesterday? Xx

ameliebob · « **Reply #10 on:** August 11, 2015, 11:43:58 am »

Yep, and less fussy than usual. The only problem is that he was not as tired as usual and it took him about 5 min of fussing/crying before falling asleep, wich I'm not used to anymore because he usually doesn't fuss at all.

Kellyjs · « **Reply #11 on:** August 11, 2015, 12:03:39 pm »

I'm wondering if there's a sweet spot somewhere in the middle yk? Perhaps we try going up to 3hrs 15mins and holding for a few days and see if he settles into it? A bit of w2s at the 30mi s mark after he falls asleep too? Wdyt? Xx

ameliebob · « **Reply #12 on:** August 11, 2015, 15:27:12 pm »

We tried 3 weeks ago for a whole week and it didn't work.

Maybe I should give another try to w2s..! Fingers crossed! I'll keep you posted thank you

ameliebob · « **Reply #13 on:** August 11, 2015, 20:06:52 pm »

is there any topic on W2S? It's so hard! he sleeps like a rock and I can't get him to stir even if I move his arm!! $:-\$ I went in there 30 min after he fell asleep. Should I go at 35? He still took a 40 min nap and is very fussy. any advice?

Kellyjs · « **Reply #14 on:** August 12, 2015, 06:42:10 am »

Here it is hun. How to address habitual wakings (w2s and other methods)

Keep trying for me ok? It can take time to get it right. Let me know how it goes xx

ameliebob · « **Reply #15 on:** August 13, 2015, 19:26:11 pm »

ok so i'm on the third day of W2S and a 3 hour awake time before the afternoon nap without any success...

1st day i went in at 30 min.
2nd day, at 28 min.
3rd day, at 32 min and as soon as I sooooo softly touched him he woke up in a huge jump just like if I screamed in his ears!!

and today (the third day) I added a little top up feed before nap time to make sure he wasn't hungry.

i'm so confused

Kellyjs · « **Reply #16 on:** August 14, 2015, 07:34:45 am »

Ok hun, let's just try one last day. How about you do the w2s at around 25mins after he falls asleep?

After that, if it doesn't work, we'll look at extending to 3hrs 15mins. Here to hold your hand, I know it's confusing, these bubbas never like to stick to the rules do they?!

xx

ameliebob · « **Reply #17 on:** August 14, 2015, 11:21:13 am »

Think you so much, im here for support I appreciate it a lot

Kellyjs · « **Reply #18 on:** August 14, 2015, 18:35:57 pm »

How did it go today? Is he waking happy atm?? Less grizzly than before dyt? Xx

ameliebob · « **Reply #19 on:** August 17, 2015, 02:33:35 am »

Ok so yesterday we were outside by the pool with no clock and he was up and happy for 3.5 hour, then slept 1 hour

But today he was more grumpy and so tired after awake time of 3.25 hour and then slept for 40 min $:-\$ .

I think that a day like today is even harder because I hope so much that he will sleep ONE MORE TIME for more than 40 min

I'll try to keep a 3,25 awake time for a little while I think..?

Kellyjs · « **Reply #20 on:** August 17, 2015, 11:38:42 am »

Oh that is frustrating hun. Yep, it does show he can do a longer A time then, it might just be close if he's waking grumpy. I'd hold that or even 3hrs 30 for a few days? Xx

ameliebob · « **Reply #21 on:** August 18, 2015, 11:48:36 am »

Ok so finally yesterday we tried 3,5 hour of awake time but we still got a crappy nap. We will try again and again and pray loll

Kellyjs · « **Reply #22 on:** August 18, 2015, 16:37:55 pm »

Oh bless you hun, we'll get there

x

ameliebob · « **Reply #23 on:** August 18, 2015, 22:36:45 pm »

I feel like I have an overtired baby!! We got a hard time to get to that 3:15 of awake time today! and he fired back with a 30 min. And plus he's so fussy in the afternoon since 2-3 days. I think we will keep a shorter awake time of up 3h to avoid that

ameliebob · « **Reply #24 on:** August 23, 2015, 17:18:36 pm »

Ok so here are some news. Since the last we got a 2 hour nap!!

but only once

Reducing the time to 3 hour is better since he was way too cranky if we kept him up for 3.5 hour.
So we're still having 40 min naps in the afternoon. I'm starting to think that's his way to nap. Maybe he prefers an early bedtime. Anyway, thank you very much for your help. Fingers crossed it will get better...!

Kellyjs · « **Reply #25 on:** August 24, 2015, 06:13:47 am »

Wow! What was different? As you said, sometimes they just prefer more night sleep, just keep an eye out for NW's in the early part of the night x

ameliebob · « **Reply #26 on:** August 24, 2015, 11:40:41 am »

3h awake time and the usual activities... Nothing was different. That's why it's so frustrating! $:-\$

ameliebob · « **Reply #27 on:** August 30, 2015, 18:10:51 pm »

We tried something different recently wich is not a typical easy routine but it seems to work about 40% of the time be s'use we so estimes get at least an jour long nap! Yay!

I shortened his awaketime to 2:45, give or take 5 min, and i give him a little bottle of 4oz right before nap, it's not enough for him to fall asleep on that bottle and he still goes down awake. I've been doing this for 5 days now and we got 3 days of good naps. There is hope!

Kellyjs · « **Reply #28 on:** August 30, 2015, 18:43:10 pm »

Oh my, that's brilliant! Don't worry about the bottle beforehand hun, we have to get a bit creative with feeding times when their A times are all over the place. As lomg as he's going down awake, all will be good. This is excellent news hun, well done you and thank you for letting me know xx

ameliebob · « **Reply #29 on:** August 31, 2015, 11:15:50 am »

I think I'm seeing his upper teeth so I hope it's not only because he's more tired, but Yesterday we got a world record of 2-1/2 hour nap

!
My fingers and my TOES are crossed! Please please please, keep sleeping!

Kellyjs · « **Reply #30 on:** September 01, 2015, 05:49:44 am »

Wow

xx

ameliebob · « **Reply #31 on:** September 03, 2015, 13:14:34 pm »

Seems like talking too fast. :-\That's sad loll

News:

Author Topic: 6-1/2 month old still catnapping / short naps (Read 3184 times)