5 Month Old Nap Issues!

[lily_layne]

Here's a good link on w2s:
How to address habitual wakings (w2s and other methods)

[becj86]

Hi, just popping on to be another set of eyes.

I'm wondering if you've got a discomfort issue - 20min naps are classically overstimulation (not unlikely considering PUPD to get to sleep) or discomfort. Does your LO have any medical issues like reflux?

How old is he now? What's your day looking like routine-wise? Can you include night sleep and any night wakings? Just wondering if your A times are out - hard to know for sure when naps are so short.

[Shiv52]

From your previous EAS you seem to be doing 2 hour A time?  That is likely too short at 5 months and you may need to push things forward x

[jhs4ess]

Hi, Thanks for your replies. We've had a couple of horrendous days and nights to be honest. I feel like by trying to improve things I've made them worse!

He usually goes to bed ok but he's been a complete nightmare taking 60-90mins to get to sleep. He usually has a night feed between 2 and 3am sometimes later but he's been waking earlier between 12 and 2am and then waking at 5:30 not wanting to go back to sleep, I realised this morning it was because he was hungry. I think because I moved him to 4 hourly feeds he wasn't taking enough during the day so today I moved him back to 3.5hourly feeds so he would get an extra bottle in.

Yesterday he went down ok for two naps but woke after 20mins again. Today when I tried to put him in his cot I had to PUPD and it was even worse than the first day, he seemed to be settling but whenever I went to put him down he just screamed even when he was practically falling asleep on my shoulder when I picked him up. In the end it was nearly his feed time so I had to give up. It was awful, I felt like i'd made him cry for no reason.

After he'd fed his dad took him for a walk in the carrier and he slept for 40mins which got him to bed time and thankfully he went to sleep straight away at 6pm. I'm hoping with the extra milk he's had we'll be back to our normal 1 night feed and 7am wake up. Then I can try again tomorrow!

Don't know if it makes a difference but he has only just turned 5 months and he does seem to get tired before 2 hours A time first thing, and then because he has a rubbish nap he can't make 2 hours for subsequent A times.

I really don't know what to do for the best. If I stick rigidly to the times he just gets more and more tired but I don't want to confuse him by resorting to the carrier all the time 

[jhs4ess]

Sorry forgot to say he doesn't have any health issues, he's been a really healthy baby since birth.

We have a black out blind in his room but it's not the greatest so it isn't properly dark in his room during the day although we don't have any toys etc in or around his cot he'll pretty much nosy at anything!

[becj86]

At 5 months, the A times should be 2:15 to 2:30, not less than 2hr. Does he sleep well in the carrier? As in a long nap? Seeming to get tired before 2hr in the AM at this age is generally either habitual (used to sleeping then) or boredom (if you change activity, LO may perk back up again and play for a while longer). If he does sleep extended naps in the carrier, I'd suggest you look at doing something like this with naps in the carrier then sleep training once the routine is solid and his body is used to sleeping at those times:
7 - wake
9:30 - nap
11 - wake
1:30 - nap
3 - wake
5:30 - CN (30 min)
6 - wake
7:30 - asleep for the night
(shift as needed to accommodate ideal WU/BT and/or actual WU)

If you're bottle feeding, as you move feeds apart, you make them a bit bigger so they're not losing out on calories and have enough time in between to get hungry for the next feed.

Waking after 20min - something's not right. If you're sure he's not in any pain, think about the possibility of overstimulation... what is he doing during A time? Is a TV on (had to turn that off in our house as DS just was so wired)? What sort of wind down are you doing? How does he behave when you do it?

[jhs4ess]

He doesn't sleep well anywhere at any time during the day. He used to sleep longer if I transferred him into my arms from the carrier but even that doesn't work well any more.

He's already on 7-8oz per feed, when I've moved him to every 4 hours this week he wasn't finishing every bottle so how can I get him to take more?

Surely if he was in pain he'd be waking frequently at night too and crying? So I think it must be over stimulation but I'm not sure how to keep him entertained for 2.5 hours and avoid this.  He will usually play on the floor by himself with some toys, we'll sing or read for a while, he sits in his bouncy chair while I get a shower or do chores. He has a jumperoo but he only uses that for 10mins once or twice a day max. I try and take him out everyday even if it's just for a walk.

For wind down about 20mins before nap time he'll sit quietly on my knee. Although he's started trying to wriggle away to explore! Then we go upstairs to my room which has the curtains drawn and I change him quietly. I then give him his dummy and blanket. I tried sitting with him then but he's not keen so I've just been putting him down about 5mins before he's meant to be asleep.

[Shiv52]

Waking at 20 mins could also just be him settling into the nap and rousing and not knowing how to get himself back over or not being tired enough.  Have you tried putting his dummy in at about 15 mins and resettling to see if that will get him over the 20 minute mark.

I do Think the key is to up those A times. Teaching independent sleep and resettling naps always works better when a baby has enough A time or a little OT. If mine were UT at all I'd no chance. Even a 10 minute nap revived the wee monkeys.

[becj86]

Yes, I'd agree with Shiv - doesn't appear there's anything particular causing OS in that lot. Perhaps try replugging the dummy and/or just holding your hand on him around that 15-20min mark to help him get through rather than waiting for him to get worked up.

[jhs4ess]

Thank you both. Got another 20min nap this morning and he's just gone down for his 2nd nap. I took him up after he'd been awake about 2hrs 20min and he was asleep with 10-15mins. I'll see what happens with this one and then tomorrow I'll start staying in there to see if I can resettle. I have tried before but I thought I was more of a distraction than a help but I'll give it another go.

He doesn't tend to lose his dummy in the 20mins he's asleep and he's very good at resettling himself with or without the dummy during the night. Do you think it would help to try and make his room pitch black or as near as I can?

[Shiv52]

Some find pitch black helps. I never did it with either of mine. Just did a darkish room and it was always fine.

Just so you know 5 months was the WORST time for naps with both my girls. Truly I shudder thinking of it especially my first. I thought I was going to go insane. When she used to wake early sometimes I just wanted to scream or cry!!!!

[jhs4ess]

Good to know! Did you just keep going and eventually they got the hang of it?

[Shiv52]

Yeah after a few weeks naps lengthened and it was amazing!!!

[jhs4ess]

Oh I hope so!! I won't know what to do with myself when he actually sleeps 

[Shiv52]

If you're like me you'll drink lots of tea and watch mindless telly!!! 

How'd today go?