Author Topic: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?  (Read 13545 times)

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Offline becj86

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #60 on: July 06, 2016, 08:59:13 am »
Maybe try for 2:30 and see how you go - that shorter A time in the morning could be compensating for the NW in the early hours of the morning (which is why I often advise to push especially the first A time) but some children genuinely do better with a shorter first A time. That's a mater of playing around with it and finding what works for your individual child.

Offline SarahE

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #61 on: July 06, 2016, 10:37:19 am »
Okay I'll stick with 2.5 - and actually stick to it and not go over for the next day or two and see how it goes. I'll stay in tomorrow morning and try for the 2.5 first A time as I think post 2 hrs and the motion in the car is leading to her sleeping at the 2 hr mark. My plan was to get somewhere to walk with her in the stroller for her nap but she seems to fall asleep on the way bless her!

Offline SarahE

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #62 on: July 06, 2016, 18:21:59 pm »
So usually we are aware DD is awake 6.30-7am - hubby's alarm gones off at 6.30 and she's usually awake but making very little noise sometimes she does call out just after the alarm goes off maybe 10-15 mins after. Today he's up earlier for work 5.50am and he checked DD and she was awake in her bed again making very little noise.

I know we've previously discuss A time being eyes open to eyes shut, but with the first A time starting when she calls out.

So I'm wondering if her morning A time if classed from eyes open is actually a lot longer that I think which is why I'm getting a few good morning naps - albeit in the car/stroller but the afternoon naps are still short except the one onMonday?

Offline becj86

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #63 on: July 06, 2016, 20:20:37 pm »
Quite possibly. I think something to take into account is that she may not be lying there awake for hours so much as waking and going back to sleep in between.

How old is she now?

Could you go out somewhere suitable for walking a bit earlier and let her play, then put her in the stroller, if you want a stroller nap?

Offline SarahE

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #64 on: July 06, 2016, 20:35:28 pm »
She's nearly 19 weeks.

I'm not necessarily after a stroller nap, I went out with her over the weekend in the stroller for the first time in the middle of A time and she fell asleep close to nap time for an hour so it seemed to help with her  getting a long first nap. The last three days she's done long naps in the stroller in the morning ranging from 55 mins to 2 hrs.... She doesn't seem a fan of the stroller when awake - she screams after about 10 mins. Someone suggested it might bebecause it's forward facing and she can't see us...prior tolast week she was in the capsule attached to the stroller facing us.

Offline SarahE

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #65 on: July 07, 2016, 02:44:43 am »
Naps not going so well today...stuck with 2.5 hr A time...at about 2.10 she started to display tiredness cues - that previously I thought was hunger. First nap she slept 35 mins, second one she only did 20-25 mins. I've just fed her and she started going to sleep (1.45 after last nap ended) so I stopped her eating and took her to bedroom r some low stimulation activity to try and g et to the 2.5 mark however she fell asleep on the way which was about 2 hrs A time.

I'm at a loss... 
« Last Edit: July 07, 2016, 02:48:41 am by SarahE »

Offline SarahE

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #66 on: July 07, 2016, 08:09:42 am »
So here is today....

6.00 - already awake in cot making very little noise
6.25 - called out
6.30 - feed
8.50 - sleep - settled in 3 mins - started giving cues which I previously took as hunger cues 20-25 mins before but was distracted by playing to push A time to 2.5 rather than 2 - taking start of A time as when she calls out.
9.20 - woke but resettled self - from watching on monitor seems to be going in and out of sleep.
9.30 - wake - activity
10.20 - eat
12.05 - sleep
12.30 - wake - quiet, looked like trying to resettle so left - didn't resettle but looked very tired
2.05 - feed -
2.25 - starting to fall asleep feeding  - stopped feeding and fell asleep on way to bedroom - was doing to bedroom for some low stimulation activity to try and get an A time of 2.5.
2.55 - wake
5 - feed
5.25 - sleep
6.00 - wake
7.15 - feed
7.30 - BT routine
8 - sleep

Yesterday on waking I noticed that she was quiet initially then called out. Today I noticed she was quiet initially and then attempted to self settle but didn't quite get there. Tonight when I popped her in her bed she was awake, no crying at all just two little whimpers and the she self settled without me in the room in about 10 mins (eyes closed). I'm wondering if the short nap issue is now more her ability to self settle and what I've observed over the last day or two is her working on it? Today she definitely looked like she was trying to get back to sleep after each nap.

Given that, I am thinking that I should either stick with the 2.5 awake time or maybe pull it back to 2.15, given she seems to be showing tiredness cues just after the 2 hr mark..

If guess I'm wondering if.giving her 2.5 hr A time if it was a bit much for her, could level of tiredness affect her ability to self settle?




Offline becj86

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #67 on: July 07, 2016, 20:10:36 pm »
could level of tiredness affect her ability to self settle?
Yes, it can.

Average at 5 months is 2:20-2:30 A time, so I'd probably leave the A time as is and maybe try sneaking in to assist the resettling to extend naps - just a hand on her (no interaction) can help her get through that transition.

Offline SarahE

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #68 on: July 08, 2016, 08:58:52 am »
Here is today...bit messy due to swimming lesson at nap time. She was very tired this arvo.
Only 2 more weeks of swimming at this time then it changes to earlier, though her nap will be a little later.

7am - wake
7.20 - eat
9.15 - sleep in car on way to swimming
9.50 wake
10- eat - top up prior to swimming lesson
11.15 - eat
11.40  sleep - early due to swimming stimulation - in capsule whilst food shopping
1.30pm -wake
2 - eat
4.05 - sleep
4.35 - woke crying unable to resettle
5 - eat
5.30 - fell asleep during independent play
6.15 - wake
7 - eat
7.30 -BT routine
7.50 - sleep.

Offline becj86

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #69 on: July 08, 2016, 19:37:27 pm »
11.40  sleep - early due to swimming stimulation - in capsule whilst food shopping1.30pm -wake2 - eat4.05 - sleep4.35 - woke crying unable to resettle5 - eat5.30 - fell asleep during independent play6.15 - wake
Hmmm... this makes me wonder if her sleep cycle is extending (or maybe we were wrong all along) and she's a tad OT at 2:35 A time. How does she behave generally when she wakes after 30-35 minutes?

Offline SarahE

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #70 on: July 08, 2016, 22:30:11 pm »
Generally crying, sometimes hysterical, but once up she's generally happy, though I've noticed she's more fussy, not enjoying independent play as much or for and shows boredom signs e.g. Yawning during activities after a relatively short time. She very occasionally wakes happy unless long sleep or shorter A time.

Yesterday after her 4pm na she was very quiet. Since we pushed it to 2.30-2.35 (this is 7th day) I've notice her getting cranky around the 2 hour mark and I've had yo work hard to distract her to get her to 2.5.

Do you think I should pull back on the A time?

This morning she slept 35 mins I sneaked in but couldn't resettle her, she woke crying but obv stopped when she saw I was there. Once up she cried a little whilst I was getting her out her sleep bag and is quite quiet.

She's seems to be self settling through the night now as not had any wakings where I've had to assist for a few days now and she's clocking 10-11 hrs at night unassisted.


Offline becj86

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #71 on: July 08, 2016, 23:40:36 pm »
Yeah maybe dial back just a bit. Is she going to sleep independently?

Offline SarahE

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #72 on: July 09, 2016, 00:36:19 am »
Yes, though since she started doing 30 min she didn't settle herself and would resist naps with lots of tears so started pupd as shush pat wasn't helping.  Last three nights she's self  settles through the night usually only occasionally I have to assist. Last week when I had to assist twice was very unusual. For last 3 mornings she's resettled herself at that early 5 something wake up.

I have wondered if she is struggling to self settle when še wakes after first sleep cycle in day. If there a difference between day and night as she seems to have no problems at night.

So shall I try 2.20?
« Last Edit: July 09, 2016, 01:13:46 am by SarahE »

Offline becj86

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #73 on: July 09, 2016, 05:26:48 am »
Yes, 2:20 would be reasonable.

There can be a difference between day and night - the skill is the same but the stimuli are different - she can presumably hear other people out and about, animals awake, etc. during the day where at night she can maybe hear you breathing deeply while you sleep and different animals/quieter.

Offline SarahE

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Re: Catnapping - overtired cycle, how to break it?
« Reply #74 on: July 09, 2016, 06:24:38 am »
So it sounds like the good news is she has the skills...just struggles to apply them in the day?

Today has been a bit crazy A time wise...did 2.5 and got a 35 min sleep, then another 2.5 and got an hour (in car) on way to park. I sat in back of car on way home to try and keep her awake....she sleep asleep after 1.5 awake for an hour 15! We were parked up at garage getting petrol at time and nothing I did could keep her awake! - poss catching up if OT?