Need help tweaking! Just can't seem to get it right for 8 month old!

[Laineybobs]

Hoping someone can help me tweak my easy please for my 8.5 month old? I can't quite seem to find a routine with him at the moment and I don't know what's off so hoping someone can help?

He's EBF, on 3 good meals a day and 2 snacks; is on 2 naps a day and has been for a few months now as they seemed to work for him.

He can wake between 1 and 2 times a night to feed but it's definately for comfort and to help him get back to sleep rather than hunger! We also some mornings battle the 5am wake up which I can't seem to break; I haven't managed to teach him to self soothe and I don't really know where to start with it? Or whether to offer him water instead and see if that makes a diff?

The issues I seem to have are getting a regular morning and afternoon nap at set times? He is teething at the moment, and starting to want to stand and walk which is bothering him as you can tell he's frustrated so don't know if that plays a part;

I'll post his easy for the last two days below and see if anyone can suggest any tweaks?

E 5am - wouldn't resettle so came in with us at 6 wide awake
A breakfast and BF before he goes down
S didn't show any sleep cues until 10 - slept for hour 20
Y

E 1120 - snacks
A lunch at 12, snacks at 2 BF before nap
S 315 - slept 40 mins
Y

E dinner at 5
A
S bf and then asleep at 715
Y

Woke at 930, 330 (fed), 5(fed) and then slept until 720

---------------------
Wake 720
E BF and then solids at 815
A gave snack here
S BF before nap at 1030 and got hour 40 nap
Y

E lunch at 1
A
S BF and then nap at 245 as couldn't keep awake? And slept 40 mins
Y

E snacks and then dinner at 530
A
S BF and then sleep at 7
Y

Slept until 2, had a feed and then back until 6

------------------

Today has gone like this so far

6am wake
E  BF and solids at 730
A
S desperate to sleep by 930
Y


My questions are what do I hold his awake time at? Do I set nap times would that work better? I'm wondering if perhaps he had a GS and that's what the extra sleep and wanting to feed when waking was about?? How do I get a routine where I know where I am?? Any help??

[creations]

Hi there

My questions are what do I hold his awake time at?

A times at this age vary from LO to LO. Some like super long A times which means one longer nap and one shorter nap, and possibly a later BT and shorter night. others like shorter A times and more nap or night time sleep. It's a little bit of experimentation to find out what suits your LO best.
Average A times- BOOKMARK ME!
So looking at your EASY times it seems he did okay on the super long A time of 5 hrs one morning but also he slept better after the shorter A time of 3hrs 10 mins.  something like 3 or 3hrs 30 would be a suitable time to aim for at this age, but like I say some like much longer.

Do I set nap times would that work better?

This can be useful especially with an unpredictable WU time in the morning. It can be more consistent for the routine if you do as you did with that earlier WU day and keep the nap at a similar time each morning, although the A ends up long your LO seems okay with that.
A times do not need to be equal across the day though, again all LOs differ. Some are great with all A times the same, some like the first one longer and the subsequent A times shorter, and some the other way around!

How do I get a routine where I know where I am??

Sleep training will really help with routine.
Looking at what is happening now I would guess that some of the naps might be due to BF and feeding to sleep :

S BF and then nap at 245 as couldn't keep awake? And slept 40 mins

Here his A was just 2hr 35 and he couldn't stay awake. Breast milk and BF do encourage sleep so this could be the reason.

With regards to sleep training I see you have another thread on this where katherine (jessmum) has linked some of the links I would have also linked. The gentle removal plan is great for weaning feeding to sleep props and she has also made some suggestions regarding routine, feeding and sleep training methods.
How to teach an 8 month old self settling??
You can continue to access support on sleep training on that thread.

hope this helps