Bedtime gets worse and worse

[Fien2016]

Hello,

DD is now 4,5 months old. One month ago we've did the transition from the 3 hours routine to the 4 hours routine and it went (suprisingly) very smooth. Even though, since last week, we have some huge bedtime problems.

Our EASY routine:
7.00: Breastfeeding
7.15 - 9.00: Activity
9.00 - 11.00: Sleep (mostly for about 1,5 hours and this after an easy settling which takes +/- 5 min)
11.00: Breastfeeding
11.15 - 13.00: Activity
13.00 - 15.00: Sleep (mostly for about 2 hours and this after an easy settling which takes +/- 5 min)
15.00: Breastfeeding
15.15 - 17.00: Activity
17.00: Catnap  (mostly for about 30 min and this after an easy settling which takes +/- 5 min)
17.30 - 19.00: Activity
19.00: Breastfeeding
19.15 - 19.45: Bath & bedtime ritual
23.00: Dreamfeed
6.30: Awake (but I can keep her in her cot till 7.00)

After the bath & bedtime ritual, she doesn't wants to settle. She goes down but then keeps waking after less then 5 minutes. This goes on for about 30 - 60 minutes, and finally she is asleep around 21.00 (way too late). Sometimes she wakes in the middle of the night (always at different timings) but then she goes back to sleep easily.

So there is something wrong, in my feeling with the timing of the catnap and/or the bedtime. But I don't know what. Do we need to increase the A-time before the catnap? Do we need to reduce the A-time before the bedtime? Does she needs the catnap or can we drop it (even though, she seems tired around 17.00)?
Is it the 4 month sleep regression? She is already teething so maybe that's also (part of) the problem?

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

FYI: We have never done the PU/PD, shhh-pat has always worked for us.

[Kfro]

Hiya,

I would say that she is ot. This is most likely due to the long a after the catnap. Most lo's need a shorter than normal a after a catnap so I would suggest having her in bed at 7. Maybe give that a try for a few days?

[FPT23]

Hi there

If your question is about the fussiness at the end of the day to BT or was there anything else? Just so I answer anything you need

Honestly, I think she's ready for a push in A time and she might not be as tired at BT anymore! At 4.5 months (as it just happened to me!) as she's nearing 5 months, A time might be closer to 2.15. She has such long naps which is great but she might be ready to transition for a bit more A time.

No, you do not need to rid the cat nap just yet! The cat nap fades on its own once A times increase closer to 3+ hrs... And they start refusing it all together or it affects their night sleep.

Most babies need a shorter A time at the end of the day but you can preserve the CN and BT still with a bit more of a gentle A push. 10/15 mins every few days. If you find shorter evenings work best. DS1 loved a short morning long afternoon. All babies differ!

If you feel she is teething, medicate as needed. And as far as PU.PD, it is used as a last resort of schedule and routine is right.

Xo

[Fien2016]

Hi,

Thank you so much for your reply! By reading your answer, I think you are right, I think she can handle more A time during the day. We will try now for a couple of days to increase the A-time from to 2.00 to 2.15 hours and keep the BT. Consequently, her A-time in the evening will decrease and hopefully make BT easier.

I was trying to put this in an EASY routine and I was thinking of something like this:
7.00: Breastfeeding
7.15 - 9.15: Activity
9.15 - 11.15: Sleep
11.15: Breastfeeding
11.30 - 13.30: Activity
13.30 - 15.30: Sleep
15.30: Breastfeeding
15.45 - : Activity
: Catnap 
- 19.00: Activity
19.00: Breastfeeding
19.15 - 19.45: Bath & bedtime ritual
23.00: Dreamfeed

But now I have some more practical questions
- Can you please help me with the question marks in the routine above: at what time do I need to put the catnap? Maybe at 17.30 since I now she can handle 2 hours of A-time after the 3th feeding? Or better 17.45, so this A-time will also be 2.15 hours?
- Do you know what is the latest time I can put the catnap so it won't interfere with the BT at 19.45 h?
- Am I right to keep the S-time for about 2 hours and consequently let the feedings become later? Or should I keep the feeding-hours and decrease the S-time? Because when I would use the EASY above, there will only be 3,5 hours between the feeding at 15.30 and the feeding at 19.00 (and I know she can handle 4.00 hours between feedings)?!

Many thanks!!!! 

[FPT23]

Good luck with your push! Do it slowly and gradually so it is not too much for her

Well, the CN is a small nap you want her to take just to be able to make it to BT. Everyday is different but try to PD after an appropriate A time. I can't really tell you when exactly but your above EASY is good. Just go by her lead and see how she handles it.

The latest for a CN is preferably not too late where it will interfere with her BT. You would want to try to have her on a 12hr day (some babies are different. I believe mine thrives best on longer days and shorter nights. Yay for me haha. But my first did awesome on 12hrs) ....so if your LO is up at 7am you want to aim for 7pm BT. So you need to keep your eye on that CN and preserve it but not to where it will push BT too far out and it can sometimes just cause more disturbance, make sense? So maybe aim for a CN around 5-5:30 (about 30/40 mins) and BT by 7. See if that works but again, it just depends on your LO and the new adjustment too. Give it some time also depends on nap lengths in the day too

As far as the feedings, mine naturally moved to a 4 hour EASY on his own but he's quite petite so I feed after he wakes as normal, then feed another small feed in between the A time before his next nap. I wouldn't shorten naps at all just to feed. As you transition into 4hr, just add an extra feed during the A time if needed.

Your welcome and good luck