Long Day Naps/ Pacifier Addiction/ Night Feeds

[JRivera00]

Hello Dear Parents!

I need help in regards to long day naps, pacifier addiction and night feeds!

My son who will be 4 months next week can only take long naps in arms, strollers or car. He also needs the pacifier for the first few minutes. We always take it away and he is able to continue sleeping.  We have been practicing the EASY method since the beginning. 

Here is what a typical day looks like:

Between 5:30 - 6:15 Wake

6:15 - Feed, Diapers, Change of clothes and hangs for about an hour and 10 mins

7:15 - First Nap of only 20 - 30 minutes (falls asleep in my arms but Im able to put him down in crib with no pacifier)

7:45  Wakes and plays by himself for another 15 minutres

8 am - He is able to hang out for 15 - 20 minutes and then wants to sleep again

8:15 Second Nap - In arms for an hour or an hour and a half (he is  cranky when he wakes up)

9:45 Second Feed of the day

10 - Diaper change, active time for an hour and 15 mins  He is able to play alone for about 25 mins sometimes

11- I go for a long walk for my sanity and to get fresh air for him and I  (He sleeps for a long period of time)

1-  Back home - Cracky when he wakes up

1:30 Third Feed-  He hangs out in the kitchen with him while I eat and get a few things done around the house

2:45 - 3pm Third Nap- In arms, pacifier for first few minutes and sleeps for an hour or and hour and half

4:15 - wakes and is always super cracky. He cannot go back to sleep and cannot be calm 

From 4- 5 is the most challenging time for him. His hands are always in mouth and he crys non stop. Nothing makes him feel better, not even the damn pacifier.  It has been happening for a week and its always at the same time.

4:45-5pm  Fourth Feed-  he is calm afterwards and can have active time until bed time.  We have tried putting him down for a quick nap after an hour and 20 mins but he does not want to sleep so he is up from 4:15 until 7:15!!!

6:30 Last feed ( I do this so he can sleep longer at night) and bed time.  I lower the lights in room, I read him a story, we burp him and after 15 minutes is bath time.

6:55 Bathtime

7 pm - Lower light even more, tummy time in changing table, belly message and a last quick bed time story

7:15 in Bed  - We say good night and he can go to sleep by himself with no pacifier.  Sometimes he cries and we pick him up until he is calm and then put him down again.  This has been working since the his third week.


He used to get up twice, but we have been trying for him to wake up only once per night. That usually happens around 2am.    When he wakes up before or after we pat his belly and give him pacifier (always take it away after a few minutes)

A few details to add:

- For day naps rooms is as dark as possible
- I have tried white noise but it does not work, he still gets up after 20 minutes
-we are going away for 12 weeks so I know somethings we will not be able to accomplished before our travel. 

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!!! 

Thanks again!

[Lindsay27]

Hi hun! I am going to post more later because I am short for time right now, but just looking quickly I think one of the big things is your A time is really low for his age which is probably why your naps are wonky.  For a 4 month old A times should be near 2hrs, and looking at your routine it looks like your first A is only about an hour?  My DD is 3.5 months and is currently doing 1.45hr.

Like I said I will post more about the rest, just wanted to say that quickly for now.  I think if you push that first A time he will settle much more easily in the crib/bassinet (wherever you would like him to nap).

[Lindsay27]

Okay I am back!

So like I said, I think stretching your A times is going to help a lot with naps.  I think he is just getting OT which is likely why the 4-5pm hours are hard and especially that long A until bedtime is usually a indicator of OT. 

Have you tried shh/pat at all?  I think the best thing to do is just start with the first nap of the day, first stretch that A time until you are closer to 2 hours.  For wind down I swaddle my DD and then rock her until she's really drowsy.  She uses a pacifier for all naps and bedtime - there is absolutely no problem with using one unless you think it is a prop and if not there is no reason to take it away if it is a comfort item.  Once she is drowsy I place her in her crib and hold her with a firm hand on her chest/arms until she has transitioned through the jolts to a deep sleep...you can also shh/pay for this.  When I first started doing this it would take about 20mins and now after being really consistent with it, it takes less than 5mins. 

At night, it is perfectly normal for LOs to be feeding twice.  If you don't think the first waking is hunger related then it is okay to resettle, just know that feeding twice in the night at 4 months is normal, especially because there is a big growth spurt at this time.