Waking up 30 minutes into nap

[albers30]

My almost 4 month old consistently wakes up about 30 minutes into her nap.  She's able to be settled back to sleep with a hand on her chest and some shushing generally but I was wondering if there was anyway I could help her learn to settle herself better so we she doesn't have that consistent wake up.

[trimbler]

Hey there, to help us to help you, please could you post a recent day, like:

Up and E 6am
S 8-8:30, resettled 9-10
E 10am
...

Or whatever it was. Does she settle for sleep independently at the beginning of her nap? When she wakes at 30mins is she crying, squirming, cooing, or what? How is she during her awake times? Does she feed well?

[albers30]

wakes 630am
play
eat 8 am
nap 830 or 9
wakes 9 or 930
eat shortly after waking
either CN at 11 isn (maybe 15-20 minutes) and if so generally goes down again around 1-130, if no catnap goes down around 1230
wakes 30 minutes into nap, generally settles within 5 minutes and then sleeps for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours all together
eats shortly after waking
play CN around 530ish
eat
play
bedtime around 8
wakes at 2-3 am feeds
wakes at 5 am feeds

She either cries gently or is just awake and cooing when she wakes 30 minutes into her nap, generally settles back to sleep quickly and easy

When she goes down for nap or bedtime she's generally drowsy but awake, sometimes fully awake and will either self settle or does so with a hand on her chest or shushing.

[albers30]

We also have a problem of when she wakes at 2-3 am to feed that she wants to get up and play for a few hours.  Just happy and hanging out unless you try and make her go back to sleep then she gets angry.

[nevinsmama]

Hi there! Hope Trimbler won't mind me jumping in here... I suspect that whopping afternoon nap is contributing to the 2 am crib party. Is there a way you can try to extend earlier naps to balance the sleep a tad more through out the day? Many LOs are on 2 1.5-2 hour naps and 1 CN at this age. I would also watch to see that the day stays around 12 hours in length.

I realize that many LOs are still settling in to routines, but generally speaking, naps should not exceed 2 hours in length in the name of keeping some sleep at night!

How long he she been on these A times? I wonder if she can handle a tad more before that 1st nap. Even though 30 minutes is classic OT, the cooing and babbling and not resettling makes me wonder if she can handle more that. If she has one of those "less than 30 minute naps", I would surely trim 20 minutes or so off her next wake time to keep OT away.

As far as the resettling in to the 30 minutes, this sleep "training" is such a process and it is typically quite "hands-on" at this age, as LO gets older she will need less and less help. Think of it as laying the groundwork for an independent sleeper, right now she is just getting the hang of this. HTH!

[albers30]

What I put as a schedule is a very loose schedule as she has twin 2 year old sisters so its difficult to keep to a strict routine with her and ability to take naps varies so much on what's going on with them.  On days where they have school she may not get a morning nap at all or just a cat nap in the car or occasionally one when she gets home around 10.  On days when they don't have school we often have activities which interfere or if we're just at home then that makes a difference too.  The only consistent thing about her day is the big nap in the middle because that's the girls nap time too so we're always at home and settled it, that period of all around quiet time in the middle of the day is also a much needed downtime for me as well so I hate to give that up.  I know its sleep training to help her settle through that 30 minute wake up I was just wondering if there's better ways to help her work through that then what I'm doing.  As for trying to get her to settle in and take longer naps in the morning that rarely works even if she has the opportunity.  She either settles herself back to sleep or she's always wide awake and smiling ready to go with the morning naps.  The one long nap is consistent for her but the 3 am crib parties are not so there must be some other factor contributing to that.  The 5 am wake up ready to go is also frustrating following a 2 am hour or two crib party.  Any tips on that.  Its about 50/50 she eats and goes back to sleep or is up for the day at that point which also really messes with her morning naps.

[trimbler]

Don't mind you jumping in at all, Maryn, thanks - actually I'm not sure if I'll be able to get on here much between now and Wednesday evening so I'll leave you two chatting and catch up with you then, if that's ok?

[nevinsmama]

OK, with all due respect for the presence of 2 year old twins in the equation here and all the infinite variables that that throws in, I would cap that BIG nap at 2.5 hours and bring the day shorter without that last catnap. Especially on days that start at 5.

The 5 am wake up ready to go is also frustrating following a 2 am hour or two crib party.  Any tips on that.

You mentioned that she gets mad if you try to get her back to sleep. As much as is possible, just leave her to it and only go in to her if you hear that"I NEED YOU!" cry. What if you give a shorter day and less big nap a week and keep a log of what goes on? It may be easier to assess then.
There is also a 4 month sleep regression that can really throw a wrench in the works. Keep us posted.