SLEEP > Night Wakings

5.5months transitioned to 2naps but still NWs

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ZanesOTmom:
Hi there. My baby started on EASY about 2 months ago and we've come a long way. He now sleeps on his crib and goes down quickly during naps and bedtime since extending AT. About 2-3 weeks ago his wakings got earlier and earlier. Started at 5am (WU is 7am) then got worse to the point of several wakings from midnight to WU. It was suggested to start 3-2 transition and we are now on Day 8 of 2 day time naps and 3h AT. Problem is, we still have NW/EW but better - earliest had been 4am. When he wakes, he keeps moving in the crib and would slam his limbs. Sometimes he would go back to sleep by himself then the slamming would happen again after half an hour or so. Sometimes, he would do the cot party then after 15-20mins he would start to whine then cry. Depending how well rested I am, he may stay in the crib til 0645-0700 or I would take him to bed with me, also in the nursery.

Here's our EASY most of the time:

WU/pick-up 0645/0700
E 0710 then solids after 1-1.5h
A 3h
S ~10am 36m + 17m + 38m (he's always napped for 30mins for as long as I can remember. I've done WTS for about 2 months now and worked a handful of times. His naps are fragmented; if the shpattin/WTS didn't work he would open his eyes then need to be rocked then crib drowsy. No crying. He goes down between 3-15mins. I keep putting him back to slee until he sleeps for at least an hour cumulatively)

E ~11-1130 depending on wake up time then solids after 1-1.5h
A 3h
S ~1430 (again fragmented, he wakes up after 30-38m With or without support)

E ~16-1630
A 3-3.10h
~1830 Bath and bedtime routine then top-up
~1930 crib drowsy then sleep

NF once anytime between 2345-0330h. Out of the past 4 nights, he slept >5hrs 3 times which is very much an improvement since starting EASY. I don't DF as I go to bed early and it messed up our nights with more NW when I tried it. This morning, he woke up at 4am (NF was at 1am) and was able to self settle until NW again at 0530. I took him to bed with me <--- is this more trouble waiting to happen if I keep doing this? I just need him to be well-rested or it's hard to do 3h AT in the morning. He already gets cranky at 2hrs in...

Any suggestions? Thank you

ginger428:
Hi Zanesmom,


--- Quote from: ZanesOTmom on September 20, 2017, 00:31:07 am --- Sometimes, he would do the cot party then after 15-20mins he would start to whine then cry. Depending how well rested I am, he may stay in the crib til 0645-0700 or I would take him to bed with me, also in the nursery.

--- End quote ---

Can you clarify.. is he crying from when he wakes until you get him or do you get him once he starts crying?

My gut reaction is that he's OT at the moment... with a broken 10 hr night, and only 1.5 total day time sleep, I can imagine why he might be tired after 2 hrs in the morning.  But it's also true that you don't want to put down so early...

I'm confused about the last A time to bed... is his second nap only 30 mins and wakes around 1300? Or is the nap longer?

--- Quote from: ZanesOTmom on September 20, 2017, 00:31:07 am ---S ~1430 (again fragmented, he wakes up after 30-38m With or without support)

E ~16-1630
A 3-3.10h
~1830 Bath and bedtime routine then top-up
~1930 crib drowsy then sleep

--- End quote ---

If the nap ends at 1300, and he falls asleep at 1930, 4.5 hrs later, then bedtime is too late.  I would aim for bedtime of 1830 latest.

Because he is at the stage and age where we can go backwards in independent sleeping skills, I would try as best as possible to settle him in his crib.  I realize that this is so hard when you're sleep deprived... is there any way you can go to bed even earlier to be well rested to do this?

If he's anything like my son, he needed a lot of pressure to help him settle and sleep.  I would try almost hugging him in his crib to help him settle and eventually release pressure to where maybe a firm hand on his back or patting will help. 

ZanesOTmom:
Hi. Thanks so much for the detailed response.

No, he doesn't cry when he's just woken up. He would work himself up then eventually would cry if I don't come. Usually starts on mantra cry then escalates to please-come cry. I would wait and hope he would go back to sleep but when it's close to half an hour, I don't want him to get OT especially close to WU time.

Sorry, about the last/afternoon nap. I allot 1.5-2hrs for nap and always try to resettle him back to sleep. But it's always fragmented to 2-3 naps. This afternoon it was 36+5+40mins. In the morning, it was 40+11+41mins. I make sure that each nap, he sleeps at least an hour in total. With this much day time sleep, could he still be OT? It's actually an improvement from waking exactly 30mins into the nap, but yes, he's still not connecting them independently.

I'll try thealmost hugging to settle. Do you sh/pat as well while doing this until he falls asleep?

We actually had a breakthrough last night. He slept for 9hrs straight!!! We went to a party before his bedtime and AT was 3.16, slept at 1950h. Woke up at 0450 to eat. He wouldn't  go back to sleep but I left him in the crib and he eventually fell asleep, no crying. But woke up again at 0620. I just left him til he was picked up at 0700. Could he possibly need more AT before BT? He was very drowsy already before 3h tonight though, we were still on our BT routine...

ZanesOTmom:
Just an update. He slept 4.5hrs to eat last night then slept for another 6hrs. Woke up at 0640, picked up at 0700. AT was 3.15 before am nap, still wanting to play at 3h. That seems to be the magic AT as he slept for 45mins (I tried almost hugging in crib but he got more alert and started pushing and kicking me :-S). Once he's resettled (picked up then crib when drowsy, took 4mins) he slept another 1.15h and I had to wake him. AMAZING! Will try again tomorrow and hopefully this is not just a fluke. Maybe I can replicate in pm, we'll see. Maybe he's finally maturing sleep-wise? I've been waiting for this day to come!!!!

ginger428:
I bet you have and some have said that close to 6 months was the breakthrough.  I hope it is the case for you!!!
Yes, I wouldn't be surprised if after a good night, he wants close to 3.15 AT.  I think you're doing beautifully by watching his cues and you're within his range of AT.  It's never to the min anyway, right? So glad for his great night, too.  Hope you get some rest!

You could definitely do a very quiet sh/patt if it doesn't bother him.

If he does escalate to a cry in the morning waiting for you within that 30 mins, please attend to him right away even if you don't pick him up.  You could just lay beside him but calmly say it's still night night time and keep things dark and quiet until wake up.  Then make a big fuss about a Good morning. At BW, we want to be sure that babies aren't left to cry alone as that induces stress and what Tracy Hogg believed to break a bond between baby and parent.

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