I went in at around 30minutes and touched him and he was about to get up. I place my hand on his back and patted (hmm...the prop?) and he fell asleep after a bit. Then I tried again to entend it but w2s didn't work then. He stirred and slept and I stayed for a bit but woke the second I left. He did sleep for 1hr.
Yes, the patting and any support is currently a prop. We try to gradually reduce the amount until the prop(s) are no longer needed to fall asleep.
In my experience and from what I heard, w2s usually only works in the first cycle from light to deep sleep.
1 hr is some progress even if you had to stay. Hang in there!
1. He's UT so I need to extend the wake times...
But if he's getting OT...what does that mean? Doesn't it mean it was too much?
It might mean either that the awake time itself is too much, or he has just accumulated sleep debt/OT like you said.
I think what Fabi mentioned by extending 15 every 3 days may be a more comfortable route for you and your lo. We can always adjust later if we find that it isn't working, and in fact realize that she needs a big push.. or not.
What do you think?
2. There might be a prop...what do you think it is? I really don't think he's sleeping while I pat since he's moving his leg most of the time. Or maybe me just being there? He falls asleep by himself at BT just fine. At the start of STing, he was sleeping until about 3am when right before that (before ST), he was waking up every 2 hrs. Maybe it's habitual...he just expects me to settle him. If so, would w2s be my best option?
When you started ST and patting again, he could have gotten accustomed to it and wanting/needing it and hence a prop. If you can leave without a repetitive touch or your continued presence, I think he's an independent sleeper. For ISs, night wakes are a sign of distress, OT/UT, or hunger.
At this point, I wouldn't change the 3am feeding until we get naps sorted out if it's the only one right now. Sorting the naps may make the 3am wake disappear. Address the nw after we see some consistency with routine and naps.
Funny, this is the exact plan I had for today...even down to the patting method. I started it yesterday by lifting my hand quicker and at first he would try to get up but fall down the second he felt my hand (look how he's playing me! lol). I just put him down for his first nap (1015) with this method and it worked. Thank the Lord! Hopefully his naps are better today and at least go back to the normal 1hr. I dont know if I should just observe today, go in and w2s or just be there to resettle if he wakes up before he cries. If he wakes up at 30/40mins again, he sits up and starts crying right away. My baby does not play or babble...he wants out right away. What should I do? Should I just keep saying "it's sleep time" and make him lay down (he will just cry harder and sit up again)?
Yay for the method working, but I know that he didn't extend on his own. That's okay. I would do w2s if he gets worked up after waking and you find it hard to put him back down. But if after 3-4 days this doesn't work, consider the modified PUPD that Ali linked and you described. When we were at this stage, I worked with him for up to 30 mins to help him get back to sleep. My goal was to help him consistently get at least an hr nap. He finally did it on his own after a couple of weeks. I didn't expect more than an hr, but he went up to 1.10/15. The second nap was around 30-45 min and that was fine.