6 month old sudden short naps

[Mummy81]

Help. Ever since the clocks changed and BLW started my 6 month old little boy just won't sleep for longer than 35mins. He used to be a good napper, and went down within 10 mins and slept for 45 mins-1hr in the morning, 1.5hr at lunch and 45 mins in the afternoon. I have always put him down in his crib for most of his naps, but now it seems he will only sleep for longer than 35 mins if he is in his pram.
Now he takes up to 30 mins to go down for a nap, and within 35-40mins he's awake and crying. I have always left him for 5 mins before going into see him, so that he has the chance to self settle but he seems to suddenly be unable to do this now! When i go in to reassure him and then try to leave, he is more upset than before i went in. I have a video monitor, but i have to switch off the sound as the noise breaks my heart. I never leave him more than 5 mins. He has a dummy, but throws this out in his frenzy.

I have considered that it might be the start of seperation anxiety and tried PUPD, but once i pick up, it makes it impossible to put him down as he cries before he even touches the mattress.

We have always tried to put him down awake, but my OH has struggled to do this in the evening, as he is so tired from the lack of sleep, that he is falling asleep whilst having his bottle.
At nightime, he sleeps from 7-5.45. I then BF him and he sleeps until 7.15. Our routine is a follows:

E-7/7.15- awake. BF- but doesn't take much as fed at 5.45am
A- 1hr
E- 8- breakfast (BLW)
A- 1hr (15mins of quiet time b4 nap, includes quiet singing, book and cuddles)
S- 9 ( takes up to 30 mins to go down)
A- 30mins
E-10.30 ( sometime 11) depending on if baby is hungry.
A- 1hr- i try to knacker him out for lunch, so time in door bouncer, time in stand up activity centre, tummy time and floor play.
E-11.30- BLW lunch
S- 12.30 1pm asleep. He then awakes at 1.05. Try to resettle. check every 5 mins, reassure and leave. Normally do this for 30 mins before giving up. However today i persevered for 40 and he quietened down and went to sleep.

E-2pm. BF
A- 3hrs
S-4 asleep in pram or car. Sleeps for 45 mins.
E-5- BF
E-5.30 BLW tea
A- 2hrs( bath at 6.30)
E- bottle before bed 6.50.
S- 7pm.

E-5.45am

Is this just a phase?

[Kellyjs]

Hun, it sounds what you're doing is very similar to controlled crying and using the clock to go back in to check on him whilst he's crying. This is actually against Tracy's ethos. The idea is to respond to your LO if he is crying, immediately. She believed cc and CIO can affect the trust of your LO.  We can sort this for you, I'm sure. But can you help me by responding to him when he needs you? It may rile him up more, but that's because he's trying to communicate with you and we need to listen ok?

I think he might be due a push in A time. When was the last time it was extended hun? Many 6mo are nearing the 3-2 transition. And I think the time is upon you now. If he's taking 30mins to settle, then waking up crying, he might be upset that he can't transiton to the next sleep cycle and is getting frustrated.

I'll post some links for you to have a read through, let me know what you think and we'll make a plan ok? It will get better, I promise xx

Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!
All about the 3-2 transition- 5/6 months

Research on why 'cry it out' and 'controlled crying' is NOT recommended!
Regaining Trust of Your Child

[Mummy81]

Hi kellyjs. When I used to leave him for 5 mins, he wasn't really properly crying , just winging and moaning a bit, but now it is proper crying.
I have tried pupd, but I'm not sure I'm doing it right, as I barely get him in his crib before he realising that he is going back down and starts to cry. Also, I'm confused by the fact that if he us kicking and flailing his arms, you aren't supposed to pick him up. But waving arms come with the territory when he îs upset.

In regards to increase in a time, I changed him from 3 to 3.5 hrs around about the 5 month mark. I have tried extending to 4hrs but he won't go 4hrs without a feed all the time. We have only been weaning now properly for 2 weeks, and we are blw, so not sure how much he actually eats. I'm just following his lead on milk feeds.

I have thought about reducing his naps, but not sure that he is following all the signs:
Some signs that your LO is ready to start increasing their A time and drop the cat nap:

- Early waking-  Lo has always been an early riser, but I suppose that I could usually resettle him when he woke before 6, without the need to feed him, so this could possibly be an indicator after all? 
- Waking in the early hours of the morning for a ‘cot party’. Usually your LO is happy and ready to play!- not experienced this yet.
- Fighting bed time: Your LO can become a nightmare to get to sleep- lots of crying and fussing- sometimes leading to missing the window and an OT baby!- this is not an issue he goes straight to sleep
- Fighting the cat nap: The last nap of the day is getting later and later- and your LO is harder and harder to get to sleep for this final nap- he always has this in the car or in pram and doesn't rake long to go down.

[Kellyjs]

Whinging and moaning is just fine, however now he's actually crying we best work out what's going on then eh?

Wrt the feeds, a lot of BF bubbas won't go 4hrs so that's not a problem at all, you're doing the absolute right thing in letting him lead this. Easy can become EAEASY when the A time starts increasing now and that's perfectly fine as well.

I might try ssh/pat first rather than pu/pd wdyt? Especially if he's getting agitated by it. Mine used to do the exact same, it's not for all LO's. Especially spirited ones or those with reflux. I'll post a link about ssh/pat if you fancy giving that a go? Many have adapted it for their specific Lo's. Some like a pat on the bum, some prefer a rub rather than pat and some just prefer a hand on their back. We can figure out what works best for yours.

From the looks of your easy you're actually working on an A time of 2 hrs rather than 3 I see? If he's waking at 7/7.15am then you're putting down for a nap at 9am but he's taking 30mins to go to sleep? Did I read that right? Of that's the case I'd actually look at putting down for that first nap at around 9.15am or 9.30am if he wakes at 7.15am giving you an. A time of 2hrs 15mims, hold for a few days then look at increasing again to 2hrs 30mins and see if that helps the nap lengthen. Wdyt? I think the end of your day looks fab, it just might be the first A and second A that needs a tweak to help with the short naps.

Wrt the 3-2, sometimes none of those signs are apparent. The naps just shorten and you have to lengthen the. A time to get decent nap lengths. Then there's just not enough hours in the day to fit ina. CN which I suspect will be the route for yours xx

Shush-pat - How to

[Mummy81]

Yesterday LO woke at 4 then slept until 6:30. So I put him down fir his first nsp at 8:45 and he went down well and slept for just over 1hr. He had a disturbed nap at lunchtime as we we're out and about so only slept 40mins, but had an hour between 4-5. We also changed the bedtime routine last night do that he gas his milk just before his bath. This meant I could brush his teeth. I was surprised how well he went down without milk. We just sat quietly in the dark with ewan and when he started to fidget, I popped him in his crib and just held my hand on his chest and shhhd him. Once he was settled I left the room and he went to sleep within 5 mins.

Today he woke just before 6 and went through from 7pm. I tried to feed and pop him back to sleep, but he just laid in his cot talking to himself. I got him up at 6:45 and he went down for his first nap at 8:30, and again went down well and slept for 1hr 10 mins.  At lunchtime he only slept for 40mins, but again he slept for around an hr this afternoon.

The only thing I find is that he us tired by 11:30 no matter what time is nap is and how long. Do u think this is out if habit, as he has been going down at this time for months.

I am in all say tomorrow, so do u think I should try and maintain 2.5 hrs a time.

[lily_layne]

I think Kelly's right on - it sounds like you are in the 3-2.
The signs at 1130 could definitely be habit. I would stick with what you're doing with the am nap and try to push the pm nap a bit later. 40 minutes sounds like he was a bit UT so I would try to add 15 minutes (or more if you think he can handle it) to the A time.