I totally feel your pain. Especially when you think you've got it sussed, they decide to throw something else into to he mix
. You will find your way hun, I'm here to help. It can be easier to spot patterns at a distance when you're not right in the middle of it and that's what we're here for. To hold your hand if nothing else
Ok, it's totally up to you about the first A. We need to push it as 4am WU's are not acceptable. It might be a little messy for awhile but I genuinely think she's using that nap as a catch up from the early morning sleep. It could well be that after you've pushed it previously she's actually getting her second wind after the usual time of going to sleep. This is not an OT second wind but actually a realisation she can go longer and then isn't quite ready when you do put her down. I know this one from experience. My DD was on too short A times when I joined here. I pushed the A's and we actually doubled our A time in about a month can you believe?!
So we can go slowly with the first one if you want? Perhaps extend by 15mins and do something low-key like read a book etc. I would then hold for a day or two then extend again. I personally would shoot for it all in one go because I hate OT before BT, but as you have got a nice lomg nap in there, I can understand your thinking. Just let me know what you'd rather do and we'll work around it ok?
Because that first nap isn't an issue wrt length of it, I would work on both naps. It's not what we'd normally suggest as we like to focus on one, but I think you need a good old shake up of the routine to get you both feeling better. So, as the first is a good length and we're not looking to extend the length of it, I think yes, move to 3hrs. A for the second one and hold this for a few days. It may be that the second nap doesn't lengthen quite yet, but it will in time ok? Remember that, we will be working on this a little while, and we will get it sorted one way or another.
I would concentrate getting the milk feeds in first and foremost hun. These are much more calorie dense and of higher nutritional value than solids. It has to remain their main source of food until they're 1yo. I have seen it so many times where mums rush into solids, the milk intake drops and that's less noticeable in BF bubbas, next minute you know they're waking at night to eat!
How I phased out the DF was actually to bring dinner time much earlier to around 4pm so she'd take much more of her BT feed. It was becoming apparent that solids at 5/5.30 then expecting her to eat again at 6.30/7pm was not working. She was continuing to need the DF as she was hungry then iykwim? I had to make sure the BT feed was a good full one before even contemplating dropping it.
I might keep the DF for a couple of weeks whilst we work on the routine hun. Wdyt? It just might be a little too much too soon and what I did find is that DD started waking earlier in the morning when I dropped it for a little while and I want to make sure all the tweaking we need to do wrt the first A is sorted first so that does give us mixed signals. Would that be ok? I'll walk you through it when the time comes.
Ok, let's work towards this for now shall we? Remember it will change very soon, but this could be a good starting point for the next day or two.
Wu 6 (anything before resettle or leave if not upset. Exactly as you have been doing. Then big song and dance when the time comes as I mentioned previously)
E BF 6.15
E solids 7.15
A 2.5hrs
S 8.30-10.30 max
E BF 10.30
E solids 11.30
A 3hrs
E BF top up 1/1.15 (try and keep awake, this might be difficult, then do a little A until...)
S 1.30- hopefully 3
E BF 3
E solids 3.30
A 3hrs
E BT feed
S BT 6
Obviously I have put in a longer nap for the last one but you can see where it gets a bit tricky doesn't it? If we continue to have short naps she is going to be OT by BT xx