4mo Early waking

[Ginger002]

Hi,
I have read lots of notes relating early wakings but Im not sure in this case if it’s overtiredness or under tiredness. My LO has been having difficulty to fall asleep at bedtime since birth and the problem is still persists and now we have early waking adding to it. Yesterday was like this:
W: 5 something, I left him in bed for about an hour or so, did not go back to sleep, I tried BF him but did not work either, tried to rock him and finally went back to sleep at 6.45.
W: 7.47
S: 9.40
W: 10.45
S: 12.40 waked after 50mins, being resettled after 15mins, slept for another 15mins, being resettled again and slept really deep so I had to wake him up.
W: 2.38
S: 4:30
W: 5:10

Bt 7:10

During his last A time he seemed to be sleepy at 1.30min mark and I have noticed this for a few days already. Sometimes he is tired at 1h after his morning naps as well but he did not sleep when I put him to sleep at that time.
BT he woke up and cried every 15mins for the first 2hours (when he was smaller he woke even more frequently and stayed up really late until 9-11pm, I have posted another topic to ask abt this and the advice was overstimulation so 1h before BT I did not get him to see anyone, play with any toys, only bath, listening to music).
He is not self settling to sleep. We started on EASY and self settle from early but since his bedtime was always passed 9pm we had to  carry, rock him ect...for hours and he sort of got used to being carried to sleep. I really really want to fix his BT problem so I can at least have dinner at proper time without rushing to the bedroom every 10-15mins.

This morning he woke at 5am again so I gave him a 15mins nap in between and start the day at 7-7.15 as usual. Do you think it would work?

Thanks for reading my topic and any comments, advices I would really appreciate!

[becj86]

W: 7.47S: 9.40W: 10.45

This looks to me to be an UT nap - he made it through the transition at 40-45min but wasn't sufficiently tired to make it to 1.5hr. Given he'd had a disrupted sleep early in the morning also, that suggests he can take more A time first thing in the morning.

W: 10.45S: 12.40 waked after 50mins, being resettled after 15mins, slept for another 15mins, being resettled again and slept really deep so I had to wake him up.

Again here, 50min UT nap which you could resettle.

This morning he woke at 5am again so I gave him a 15mins nap in between and start the day at 7-7.15 as usual. Do you think it would work?

I'm not clear on what you mean by this. Can you please elaborate?

How does he go to sleep for naps and how does he go to sleep for night?

[Ginger002]

Hi Becj, thanks for your reply.
LO goes to sleep with swaddle, darkroom, carrying and shush pat. Take to the room 5mins before sleep time. BT keep everything quiet, lullaby and breastfeed.
I tried to increased his first nap to 2h another day and got 30mins nap so I keep his A time 1.50-1.55h. Maybe it’s time to try again.

Regarding the morning as he woke so early so I want him to take a short nap (assuming extended night sleep) to catch up with the night but dont want him to take a long nap so it would make the day long and early wake again the next day.

Regarding the 50mins sleep, my LO rarely sleep more than 1 sleep cycle without help. Only 2 times I noticed he ever slept for 2 hours stretch during nap.

Today we have a serial of short naps
W: 5 something
S: 6:55
W: 7:20 (assuming night sleep extended, I woke him up to start the day at usual time)
S: 9.15
W: 10:10
S: 12:00
W: 1:30 (wake the first time at 1 abd then shush pat to extend, fall back asleep very quickly, wake again at 1.30 cried badly, shushed and went back to sleep abit but some wprk noise in the building woke him up)
S: 2.50 ( I know this is a shorter A time 1h40mins but he seemed tobe very sleepy cranky, eyes rubbing..) woke up and cried after 30mins and then slept on and off after that.
W: 4:15 (is this nap a bit too long? As the previous nap I could not make it longer so I did not let him wake after 30mins mark, now think again it might be a good idea if it’s a catnap and betime will be easier?)

[becj86]

I tried to increased his first nap to 2h another day and got 30mins nap so I keep his A time 1.50-1.55h. Maybe it’s time to try again.

I think it probably is. Perhaps given he had an OT waking last time you did that, just be ready to resettle as its usually reasonably easy if you can be there before he's upset.

S: 2.50 ( I know this is a shorter A time 1h40mins but he seemed tobe very sleepy cranky, eyes rubbing..) woke up and cried after 30mins and then slept on and off after that. W: 4:15 (is this nap a bit too long? As the previous nap I could not make it longer so I did not let him wake after 30mins mark, now think again it might be a good idea if it’s a catnap and betime will be easier?)

I think its a reasonable nap actually - you're looking at a 6:15 BT with that. Once you can get those other two naps up to ~1.5hr each, that third nap will become a catnap.