Hello BW,
I am veteran to this forum and have read the book religiously for every pregnancy (currently on LO #3) and although I thought for the third time around I wouldn't be this anxious (this damn pandemic is not helping) I feel like it is now more than ever that I need this to work so that I can have a little bit of quality time with my daughters!
My little guy is 5 months (23 weeks) and has been a pretty great sleeper from the get go. He did have some developmental 45min intruders but we past that at 3.5-4 months. I also weaned him from the pacifier because although he had eliminated his MOTN feedings, he started waking up 6-10 times a night for his Paci. We went through that great, actually I think that is what really helped him connect cycles during nap time too.
Over the past week, my LO has been waking earlier and earlier in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep as he used to just two weeks ago. He used to sleep for 12 hrs (sometimes even more) each night, and now we're a little shy of 11 (10.5-11 to be exact, never past 11). Although I try and leave him until his DWT of 8:00, he is suddenly waking 30-1 hour before this time. Today, for the first time, he even cried for a few minutes trying to resettle, with no luck. Also today, naps haven't been great either and have been going downhill for about a week. Usually he naps 1.5-2 hrs for the first nap and 1-1.5 for the second nap + a catnap of 30-45 min, but he has gotten older and since his awake times are increasing, I feel like the catnap is getting so close to bedtime that is disrupting his night sleep... could this be possible?
I am starting to think he needs more awake time throughout the day? Or maybe he needs longer A times? Should we drop the catnap?
I will post our schedule for the past few days (on a good day). Please help!
8:00 DWT/ Feeds 8oz expressed milk (lately he wakes up 30min-1 hour early, although I pick him up at 8. He does not cry just stays quietly and regularly fell back to sleep, although lately he doesn't.)
8:15 - 9:50 Activity Time 2 hrs
9:50 Wind down consists of diaper change, sleep sack, lights out, white noise and put down wide awake. Usually takes 1-5 min to fall asleep.
10:00 Sleep - he usually takes close to a 2hr nap. Never less than 1.5 (today 1.10
)
12:00 Wake up / Feeds 8oz of expressed milk
2:10 Wind down, same conditions as above.
2:50 Sleep - he usually takes close to 1 hr - 1.15 (today 40 min
)
4:00 Wake up/ Feeds 8oz of formula
6:00 Catnap 30-40 min, I tend to cap it at 6:40 if he is not awake by then. He doesn't fight the catnap because he never does it on his crib, it is usually outside with sisters, on stroller.
8:00 Feeds 9oz of formula
8:15 Bedtime, wide awake. He can take 5-20 min to fall asleep independently. Hoping that when I eliminate the catnap I can put him down at 8.
He regularly sleeps through 11.5-12 hrs, although lately he has been waking up earlier each day
Do you see something I can tweak to make a difference?
Thank you so much for your help!!!!
