Author Topic: Struggling with A times for 6 mo  (Read 3702 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline sunny90

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 197
  • Location:
Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« on: July 26, 2016, 21:20:57 pm »
He was having 30 min naps and it was suggested on the boards here that his A time may be too short. I pushed it to 3 hr (because he wasn't managing a catnap) and he's still taking 30 min naps. I can't figure it out. From all the other websites I see it looks like 3 hours may be too long at his age (he's turning 6 months old this week), but he'd have to have seriously long naps to manage less A time and still take two naps. Like each one 2 hrs long. He's not even close. I end up holding him and then nursing him to keep him asleep for the full hour and a half as it is.
It's not a sleep association problem because he falls asleep by himself.
Can you do wake to sleep with a 30 min nap?

Offline becj86

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 346
  • Posts: 10859
  • Location: Brisbane, Australia
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2016, 21:59:43 pm »
Yes, 3hr may be a bit much, but sounds like wake to sleep or hold through the jolts might help him learn to get through that stage of sleep that he's clearly struggling with - I'd probably try hold through the jolts first for a week and then if he's still not extending his naps, try W2S at 20min - I think its probably worth a try, though it can backfire.

Are you reducing the next A time at all after the 30min nap?

Offline sunny90

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 197
  • Location:
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2016, 06:50:45 am »
No because I then extend the nap through nursing him back to sleep so he does get a longer nap. I guess I'll try httj. How much A time should I give him? Yesterday when I tried 2.40 he slept for 20 min. Is that OT or UT?

Offline sunny90

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 197
  • Location:
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2016, 07:44:56 am »
I just put him to bed for his first nap. Put him in the crib at 2.45 he fussed on and off for 10 min and fell asleep at 2.55 and then woke up 15 min later! So would that be UT or OT?

Offline sunny90

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 197
  • Location:
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2016, 08:05:29 am »
I nursed him at 11 and he fell asleep right away nursing on and off. So if I wake him at 1130 I should try for a nap at 2?

Offline becj86

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 346
  • Posts: 10859
  • Location: Brisbane, Australia
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2016, 09:10:01 am »
Are you sure there's no pain involved? Seems like very short naps. Maybe overstimulation?

Offline Haribo2012

  • Toddler Sleep
  • Forum Moderator
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 75
  • Posts: 4924
  • Location: England
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2016, 09:42:31 am »
Hi there my DS2 is 6 months this week as well and we do 2.45. A first nap and if it's 1.5 hours plus then 2.50 A second nap.

I often have to resettle at 35/40 mins but just a quick cuddle back in cot and back rub or pat and keep pressure on him for 10 mins.

Agree with pp and wonder about pain, my DS had reflux and wakes a lot if it's playing up, we've also had NW at the min (extra from usual 1) which I think is teeth.

Zoe


Offline sunny90

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 197
  • Location:
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2016, 20:51:47 pm »
Its starting to seem to me like he's even tired at 2.5 but should I be trying to push the A time at this point?
Not sure if there's pain, he doesn't seem to be. He sleeps through the night TG and takes minimal fussing to fall asleep at bedtime.
Can there be a shorter A time for the first nap and a longer one for the second?
I really can't figure out what to do...do I just play around with A times every day? We're packing to move in 2 weeks in with my parents for a few months and he'll be back in the room with us unfortunately and I wanted to get this down pat before then. As far as I can remember all my kids settled into a decent 2 nap schedule at this age. I remember doing w2s with them all but don't remember if they were 30 or 45 min naps...
Today I went in to try to resettle at 30 min, no chance, he was totally not going to sleep again.

Offline Haribo2012

  • Toddler Sleep
  • Forum Moderator
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 75
  • Posts: 4924
  • Location: England
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2016, 21:03:59 pm »
You could try a push of just 5 mins sometimes that's all it takes hold for a few days and push again.

Yeah some have shorter first A then bit longer until the next if it was a good nap. It's a bit trial and error to get the sweet spot.

With DS1 we weren't on decent 2 nap schedule for a month or so from now, so I'm not expecting it yet.

I used to hover outside the room at the 30 min mark then as soon as I saw a twitch I'd put some pressure on back or hip and shush to transition to next sleep cycle.
Zoe


Offline sunny90

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 197
  • Location:
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2016, 07:18:10 am »
The question is a push of 5 min from 2.5 or 3? Whats better OT or UT? Should I be erring on the side of UT at first to see when his ideal A time is? Like maybe go back to 2.45 and see what happens?

Offline Haribo2012

  • Toddler Sleep
  • Forum Moderator
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 75
  • Posts: 4924
  • Location: England
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2016, 07:20:27 am »
Well if 2.5 gives you UT 45 min nap push from there. I personally prefer OT as wake at 30 min is easier to resettle.
Zoe


Offline sunny90

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 197
  • Location:
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2016, 07:44:58 am »
I just did w2s on my baby at 20 minutes. He slept a grand total of...36 minutes instead of 30!
HELP.
Because he kind of fusses himself to sleep, I think I'll leave him in there for 10-15 min to see if maybe he can settle himself back down.

Offline Haribo2012

  • Toddler Sleep
  • Forum Moderator
  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 75
  • Posts: 4924
  • Location: England
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2016, 17:48:38 pm »
I never actually touched mine unless he was really twitching and not looking like going back to sleep.

If he's not crying is leave him, my DS2 at BT fidgets, shouts bangs the mattress but doesn't cry so I just leave him to it x
Zoe


Offline sunny90

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 197
  • Location:
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #13 on: July 31, 2016, 06:52:56 am »
No he actually cries at 30 min. I try leaving him for 15 min or so to see if he can get back to sleep, no dice.
Although on Friday he actually slept for an hour and 20 min without any intervention and I'm still trying to figure out how!

Offline sunny90

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 1
  • Posts: 197
  • Location:
Re: Struggling with A times for 6 mo
« Reply #14 on: July 31, 2016, 06:53:55 am »
What puzzles me is sometimes (like today) he seems tired at 2.40ish so I start changing his diaper and getting him ready for bed and he suddenly cheers up and looks fine. I just put him in today and he cried for 1 minute and fell asleep at 2.45 so we'll see if this helps!