How many hours in a day?

[MiniNs]

Ok, I feel like I’m posting on here a lot at the minute but this is my last plea for help I promise...

So my 11.5week old seems to have settled into a 3hour EASY, naps are a bit of an issue (have a thread open for that on the naps board that I’m awaiting advice on) but I wanted to ask about WU/BT.

Our EASY has looked like this:

WU:/E: 7:00
A: 1hr15-30
S: 8:15ish for an hour in the sling or 2 x 40min cat naps

E: 10:00
A: 1hr30
S: 11:30 for 2 x 45mins cat naps

E: 13:00
A: 1hr20-30
S: 14:30ish for 2 x 45min cat naps

E: 16:00
A: 1hr15
S: pre-bath cat nap, usually falls asleep (in sling while I cook for DS1) at 17:15ish and I wake him at 17:50 to avoid UT at BT.

A: 1hr10 inc bath
E: 18:50
S BT 19:00 (although can be 19:10 before he’s asleep...)

DF: 22:00-22:30
NF: 2:00-2:30 (this is changed in the last couple of nights - he used to wake at 1:30 and then 4:30)

It worked for a bit but now he is starting to wake at 6 -since he dropped to one NF -  which I don’t mind but then obviously it would mean his whole routine shifts forward an hour and then BT would be early and if he only needs 11hrs sleep then he’d be up at 5?
I’ve been AP by holding him at 6 (which I’m happy to do if need be) and he does doze for 45mins (if he was continuing to stir or show cues then I would of course get up and feed him) then we are starting our day at around 6:50 WU and E at 7:00. However, it does mean he’s now spending his first A time very grumpy & I think he’s getting tired earlier because really he’s probably actually really been half been awake since 6?
We are also getting lots of tears after bath time at around 18:40 (this coincides with when he has to sit in his bouncer for 10-15mins while I put DS1 to bed...not sure if he’s OT, hungry or frustrated at being left - but it’s HARD crying. You know, the kind that makes them cough?)

Any advice on what to try or do? Do I need to alter my timings?

[Katet]

It's really hard when they aren't exactly hard wired to fit themselves into 24hours.

At 3mo there is a growth spurt so the upset in the evening could be that he's hungrier & wants to feed a bit earlier at bedtime. It could also be that he's too tired after the bath & wants cuddles rather than being in the bouncer. (The juggle of 2 is really hard)
 
One thing I'd probably do, is not wake him at the last sleep & let him wake naturally & then if the bath doesn't fit in, either don't bath every day (they don't really need it) or give him a bath at a different time in the day. That may settle your routine down a little . I found with my DS2 that it was so much easier if I let him have a longer sleep in the evening & got DS1 sorted & had a slightly later bedtime for DS2, that way DS1 got that last part of the day with me 1 to 1, which was nice.

[MiniNs]

Thanks for your advice - it was really nice to see that someone had got back to me. I was wondering if I should leave him to have a longer nap on the CN - he definitely would sleep longer as this nap falls at teatime for DS1 so he is always in the sling because I am busy cooking dinner and eating etc [and he doesnt self settle for naps at all yet  so I don’t have time at this part of  the day to do it] - I normally wake him after 45mins ish to keep it as a CN...but if I don’t then it becomes a proper nap rather than a cat nap as is often  advised so I wasn’t sure if I should - because that puts him at 4 full naps per day.

Today  he was up at 5:50/6am WU - so, again, an hour earlier than he used to (defo linked to him dropping a NF), but I was this time unable to keep him going with any AP... so we will be on earlier timings - because of this I had intended to let him extend his CN today, and push some of his feeds further back to 3.5hrs  if I can (I’m fairly certain this will be possible as he’s never screaming for a feed after 3 hours and goes 3.5-4hrs in the night), to try and keep him to his normal BT. Perhaps his day needs to be 6am-7pm, with 4 full naps? With some feeds 3hours and other 3.5? But I’m not really sure how this would look as EASY?  Especially with a serial catnapper who doesn’t self settle and the school runs to fit in! Any ideas on something to try??

[creations]

Hi there
My DS never did 12hr nights.  I would agree with having the last nap longer if the night is shorter as it helps you to get through that later part of the day a little more smoothly and it may help his mood.  sometimes LOs need more sleep in the day and less at night if they can't/won't do 12hr nights.  Your DS's night sleep is probably the same amount but just not disturbed by taking that night feed.  11hrs is a good night, but yeah, you need to work the routine so that it's taken into account rather than putting him down earlier and then him waking earlier etc.

We are also getting lots of tears after bath time at around 18:40 (this coincides with when he has to sit in his bouncer for 10-15mins while I put DS1 to bed...not sure if he’s OT, hungry or frustrated at being left - but it’s HARD crying

I'd probably want this to be avoided, hard crying isn't nice for anyone.
Can he go in the sling while you put DS1 to bed?
Does extending the CN into a long nap help to avoid this 10 min crying period?
Kate mentioned shifting bath time which could be tiring him or making him hungry.
Does he go in this bouncer at other times of the day happily?  I ask because I bought a baby seat as my DS had reflux and I thought the angle would be good for him, reclining but with a good raised angle for his head, the seat naturally bounced if he kicked or rocked it.  He would initially look very pleased but it would only last about 1min and then he would kick off big time. He actually hated the baby seat/bouncer and after a few experiments I decided to ditch it all together.  Your LO may be the same and just have a dislike to the bouncer??

[MiniNs]

Thank you. That’s really helpful. This morning was a similar early WU so I think not he’s down to 1 NF he’s definitely altered his schedule and I will extend his 4th nap tonaccompdate.

Interesting about the bouncer and the crying. I use to like him on a baby pod cushion but he would also scream - but he did suffer from reflux, which is why I switched to the bouncer. I’m goijg to try the baby pod cushion again and see if now his reflux is better, if he is any better. I’ve also considered putting him into his cot (in the nursery, not the bedside crib he sleeps in) with the musical mobile on to see if that might just distract him and help him WD for 10mins. Will give both a go and see. Perhaps it’s just that he wants to be held..in which case I guess he just has to learn to wait! Eek!