Predictable Unpredictability - Please help us!

[becj86]

2 NW's is pretty good for 3 months, looks like things might start to even out a bit FX!

[labrodyk]

That's good to know! As we approach 4 months in a week, is that still reasonable? DS was sleeping straight through from 12 weeks so finding it harder this time.

I can't quite understand why she is so tired on the bottle and struggling to stay awake but then stirs and wakes after 40 minutes. Am I not leaving enough time between bottle and bed? She looked around for a while before quietly drifting off when I laid her down tonight but woke 45 mins later and again looked around before drifting back off after about 5-10 minutes.

Today looked like;
NF - 12.30am - big feed of 170ml
NF - 4.00am - smaller feed of 120ml
WU - 6.45am and lay quietly until 7am
Nap 1 - around 9-10.50
Nap2 - 2.10-2.50 (pram)
Nap3 - 4.10-4.50 (cot)
BT - 6.42; 6.52 (woke 7.35 for 5/10mins) - 3.48am
NF: 3.48 - big feed of 170ml

WU: 7.00am (woke her gently)
Nap1: 9.00; asleep 9.12. A little upset, I think she might be a bit UT and/or OS. Will see what happens.

[becj86]

A pretty good day, really. Yes, 2NFs is still normal at 4 months.

Is she less distressed waking shortly after BT now than she was? She seems to be taking a lot less time to resettle. Could be developmental :-/ Usually a waking shortly after BT is OT or OS when you've a decent A to bed as you do. I don't know that I'd worry too much about it if she's quiet and goes back to sleep on her own. Who knows, plenty of children who aren't watched on a monitor may well do the same and their parents think they're asleep.

[labrodyk]

Good day and night!!! You're so right, I'll just leave her!

[becj86]

I think you've both made awesome progress There will always be some variation, she's not a robot, but you've got a good routine that you should be able to tweak as needed now. Keep in mind she likes a slightly longer A time than average and average at 6 months is 2:45 to 3hr, so you're likely to see a move to 2 naps somewhere around 5.5 months and that will be A time of 3hr or so, so just watch that you don't stagnate at 2hr for ages, just re-evaluate every 2 weeks or so and see if you can increase a touch, say 15min rather than having to do big jumps again

[labrodyk]

You're amazing, thank you so much for everything! Can I send you flowers or something?! xx

[becj86]

Nope, there a little thankyou button under my name for these occasions. Glad to have been of assistance

[labrodyk]

I've pressed it numerous times!! Thank you again.

She's started napping 40mins for all sleeps and last night lay awake silently for an hour at bedtime. Is it already time for an increase!? Her A was over 2hrs this morning and she did 40mins. I tried to resettle and she was asleep again but she kept stirring and waking herself up again so I just got her up...

[labrodyk]

Last nap ended at 4pm and after a feed at 5.40 was in bed at 5.55. Has taken over an hour to fall asleep again!

[becj86]

She could be, it is about 2 weeks since we started the 2-2:15 A time for her. I think you've caught it early this time - if she's able to go back to dozing after the 45min WU, just a small increase of 10-15min should do it.

[labrodyk]

I've put her down yesterday and this morning after 2hrs A and she's protested both times (yesterday she napped 40mins). We'll see how long she sleeps today. In the morning she's waking and laying silently so I don't know how to work out the A time as I have no idea when she actually woke. I woke at 6.50 and she was awake, DS came into us at 7am and we got her up to start the day; into bed at 9am and she protested for 5 minutes before falling asleep.

[becj86]

I think you can probably fairly safely call any time she spends lying in bed quietly "asleep" for the purposes of determining A time.

[labrodyk]

Ok! I'll try that.

First A was good and we got a 2hr nap which I had to wake her from. Second A of 2hrs again and she short napped 40 minutes - can't seem to get the rest of the afternoon right at all!

[labrodyk]

Sorry Bec, I know you thought you were rid of me but what are your thoughts on today? Am I not pushing those A's hard enough or could it be something else? BT was better and not another HOUR of trying to get to sleep.

Sunday 30-Nov
Nap1: 9.00; 9.05-11.05 (woken)
Nap2: 1.10, 1.15-1.54
Nap3: 3.45; 3.50-4.40. Lay quietly until 5.00 when I got her up
BT: 7.00; asleep 7.30

[becj86]

I have trouble thinking that its developmental 40min wakings when she's taking a 2hr nap in the AM, it suggests to me that its an A time thing. That she is lying quietly for a while after she wakes suggests you're close, so I think push a little more and you should hit gold again.

On the bright side, she did get a good nap in there and she's had a good overall amount of day sleep - almost the average amount for her age, just with one longer nap and two shorter ones, yk? That just might be her normal body rhythm and you may find that's what works for her for a while.