extending naps ?

[MommyN]

Hi,
DS is a 7.5 month old angel baby. Lately, we've been getting 45 min naps so I'm working on extending A times to get him back to his 1.5-2 hr nap. I'm aiming for 3 hr A time for now. The problem is we're now getting even shorter OT naps as opposed to the 45 min UT. He goes in nicely on his own with his paci and blankie. Has always been an independent sleeper (besides for some frustrating NWs). Where do we go from here? Do I let him have an extra catnap to deal with the OT? Do I just wait for him to get used to the longer A time and eventually he'll just sleep longer? We're also having some disinterest in breast and bottle and NWs - I figure it's all connected and now that he's eating a little better naps are the first thing to fix...
TIA

[lily_layne]

Can you post your current routine like this:
EX:
WU: 7
E: 715, solids at 8
S: 10-1030
E:
etc.

It does sound like he's ready for a new routine. We just need to find the timings that work for him. To deal with OT I tend to go for an early BT (up to an hour earlier) on tough nap days but you could also try a 3rd nap if he'll take it and it won't push BT out too late.

[MommyN]

Thanks! We used to be on your typical 4 hr EASY. WU at 7 eat, solids an hour later, sleep 1.5 to 2 hrs etc. no cat nap and BT 6:45 or 7. Day was good, night not so good, but okay enough to deal with... Now we are all over the place!!

Yesterday went like this:

WU: 6:50
E: 7 - BF was okay not great, don't think he had a full feed. Solids at around 8:15
S: 10-10:30
E: 10:45 - Had most of a 6 oz. bottle, Solids at 12:45 (just added this meal into day)
S: 1:30-2:25 - I don't think he fell asleep right away but he wasn't crying
E: 3 - Would not take bottle. Drank less than an oz. An hour later drank around 3 oz. Solids at around 5 then Bath etc.
E: 6:30 BF was so tired he fell asleep on me but I think he got a decent feed

Woke up at 10- BF and went back to sleep

Woke up at 12:30 - Did PU/PD he went back to sleep

Woke up at 4:30/5 nursed him (I know I should have done PU/PD again but was so tired... thought I'd work on one NW at a time, does that make sense? Or at this age do all at once?)

Woke up for the day at around 7:15ish refused to nurse. ate solids at 8:15, now it's 9:30 and he's in an overtired daze, won't nurse or sleep- seems like he's snapping out of it now and wants to play...

Thanks so much!!

[lily_layne]

I think it's fine to work on one NW at a time otherwise it can be too exhausting for you and I think the NWs might solve themselves once the naps get better.

On a day with 2 shorter naps, I would actually try for BT around 6 to minimize OT.

Do you think he would take a decent nap if you put him down around 930 when he shows signs? At 7.5 months, my DS did:
WU: 630/7
S: 930-11
S: 130-3
BT: 7
The longer last A worked for him. Do you think something similar may work for you or do you think he'd do better with a longer first A time?

[MommyN]

Today was actually much better! I didn't put him down for his first nap till after 10 and he slept an hour and half! It could be he also slept in the morning - he was babbling in his crib and I fell back asleep, but I'm not sure if he also did (if yes then would have been around 1/2 hour). For his second nap I tried waiting till two to put him in, but by 1:40 he was too OT/over stimulated that it took a lot of calming down to get him to sleep, but he then slept around 1.5 hrs.

I think he does do better on a shorter morning A time and longer last one. Looking at today, if he did sleep in this morning then it really was only 2.5 hour A time.... I used to put him in around 9 till we started getting EW and short naps. I'll see how he is in the morning and will try to do the routine you posted.

BTW last night we did PU/Pd at around 11:30 and 1:30. The second time took almost an hour!! But then he slept till 6:30 and dozed off on me during the BF. Then came the babbling in his crib and maybe short sleep....

Thank you so much for your help!! I appreciate it loads - The exhaustion is really getting to me!

[lily_layne]

Exhaustion can be a killer! I'm glad things are improving.

[MommyN]

Hi again,

This morning I put him down for his first nap at 9:30 and he went in straight away no problem and slept till 10:55. But for the second nap at 1:30, it again took a really long time to get him settled and he slept for less than 45 min. Where do I go from here? Thanks

[lily_layne]

Has he been taking a while to settle for the pm nap for a while? If so, I would try putting him down 15 minutes later than you have been. If he's still resisting the nap after a few days of that, we can look at pushing it even later or shortening the morning nap.

[MommyN]

Today was amazing!

WU: 7:15
S: 9:45-12 !!!
S: 2:15-3:30
BT: 7

Could it be he was too tired before his pm naps the past few days? I think he needs that middle A time to be a little shorter. Today's was 2 and a quarter and his nap afterwards was great. Are his A times rather short for a LO his age?

[lily_layne]

Could it be he was too tired before his pm naps the past few days?

It could be. Some LOs do like a short A time between naps. My niece was like that - even at close to 1. It seemed like she did 2 naps back to back but that's what worked best for her. My DD always liked a long am nap and I think DS would too but I cap it so that he and DD nap at the same time in the pm. Some LOs just do their best sleeping early in the day.

Some would say that the A times are short but if they are working, stick with them. I don't see them as short as DS was doing 2.5 A time before naps and 3.5 before BT at that age so not far off from what you've got.

[MommyN]

We're regressing, I'm afraid  .

Yesterday he had a morning nap from 9:30 -11, but I do not think that is enough for him. He was not himself through the following A time and I could not keep him up past 1:00, but then he only slept 45 min.
He was a mess the rest of the day and fell asleep in the stroller at 5, so then he resisted BT and didn't go in till close to 8.
He had a feed a little after 10.
Woke up at 2:30 and it took till after 4 to get him back to sleep!!! It came to a point that I was so exhausted I could not pick him up, I just kept my hand on him... I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself that I didn't cave in and nurse him. He then slept till 6:30 and fell asleep while I was nursing him till around 7:45. He was acting tired the whole morn and I just got him to sleep at around 10:15.

[lily_layne]

I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself that I didn't cave in and nurse him.

Go mama! You have more stamina than me!

Is there any chance that he could be getting sick or having a growth spurt? That could cause extra tiredness because I would have expected he would be fairly restored after a 1.5 h am nap. If he does nap from 930-11 again, I would aim for 115/130 for the pm nap (if you can - I know its hard when they just want to sleep).

[MommyN]

Thanks 




He was coughing a little today and has a runny nose... (courtesy of DS1 and his playgroup friends) So could be that he's more tired from that...


Today was better:
WU: 6:30 fell back asleep till 7:45
S: 10:15 - 11:35ish. Kept him in his crib with toys for more quiet time
S: 1:45-2:30 DH was home so he took over and got him back to sleep after 1/2 an hour
S: 3-3:55
BT: 7


Hoping for a better night!

[lily_layne]

Glad yesterday was better. There's often a shift in sleep needs around this age so you may not get back to 2 hour naps. 1.25-1.5 is a decent length for 7.5 months.

[MommyN]

Hi, don't mean to ignore your response after you've been so helpful and supportive... Both kids have been sick and it's been pretty crazy over here. They're doing better now, and hopefully we'll be able to get back into routine within the next couple of days. Right now we are totally off with tons of coughing attack NWs.