Author Topic: Looking for general feedback  (Read 2070 times)

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Offline SEP's Mom

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Looking for general feedback
« on: August 01, 2005, 04:45:55 am »
I always post when I get frustrated with my 7 month old son's sleep and I am starting to sound like a broken record.  We've been doing pat/shush since he was 2 weeks old.  His sleep was awesome and the envy of all the other mother's, but the last 4 months has been a roller coaster of ups and downs (getting sick, getting better, getting sick, getting better, teething, getting off track, getting back on track etc).  I created a spreadsheet to record and calculate how much he sleeps to see patterns as his sleep had lost it's predictability and his sleep behaviour has become quite erratic.  I even carry a stop watch with me to track him sleeping in the car or in his stroller.

Here's some numbers for the last 2 weeks, although I've been doing this for over a month now.

Morning
- average # of naps = 1.7 totalling 1.5 hours
Afternoon
- average # of naps = 1.7 totalling 2.5 hours
Evening
- average # of naps = .07 totalling 15 minutes
Day Total
- average # of naps = 3.5 totalling 4.25 hours

Night
- average bedtime = 8:45 pm; earliest - 7:45
- average night wakings = 3 totalling 1.75 hours (only 1 feed and will go to none once we can get his current sleep under control)
- average sleep (minus night wakings) 8.5 hours

Average sleep in a 24 hour period is 12.75 hours

Based on the announcement posted regarding sleep, he should be having 2 naps (not 3.5) totalling 2.25 hours (not 4.25 hours).  He should be sleeping 12 hours at night (not just 8.5 hours).

You would think that would tell me to cut back how much he sleeps during the day.  I experiment with that but can not get just 2 naps out of him.  He gets just way too exhausted and will fall asleep whenever he has the opportunity.  The average used to be 4-6 naps a day, so I have gotten that down, but now his naps are longer and his night sleep has not improved (and if anything possibly got worse).

That's our story.  Any feedback would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

Offline Maggie and Nathan's Mommy

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Looking for general feedback
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2005, 00:36:33 am »
I don't think at 7 months we were down to 2 naps yet.  I think you have to do what your baby needs and try to go from there.

Maybe if you post your daily schedule eating and sleeping, it could give me an idea as to what to suggest.

I know he should be sleeping more hours at night, but I think the night wakings are messing you up.  Does he eat a whole bottle because usually at 7 months they don't need to feed at night.  However, he could just be used to it.  You could try giving a watered down formula (assuming you use formula) and gradually add more and more water.  Most babies will not wake for water.  I know this has worked for others.

Just post back your schedule.  I know from experience it is hard not to become obsessed with sleep.  You need it and so does your baby.  I have also learned that there are a lot of phases that come and go.  I will see if I can help you!!
TARA

Maggie  06/18/02

Nathan   01/30/06

Offline SEP's Mom

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« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2005, 02:37:13 am »
I can't say he does this at this time and that at that time.  It all depends on when he gets up in the morning, how much sleep he got the night before, how long it takes me to get him to go to sleep (5 minutes or 60 minutes), and how long his nap is (45 minutes or 2 hours). 

He usually gets up between 6:30 and 7:30.  He eats breakfast of cereal and fruit.  I usually don't breast feed first thing, as it is generally too close since his night feed.  I breast feed every 4 hours, but if that coincides with a nap, I feed him at the 3 hour mark.  He may have 1 or 2 naps in the morning. For lunch he gets a fruit and vegetable.  Again he will nap 1 or 2 times in the afternoon.  After 4 o'clock I breastfeed him closer to every 2-3 hours.  He doesn't nap in the evening unless absolutely necessary.  If an afternoon nap extends into the evening, we don't let him sleep past 6:30.  He gets cereal and a vegetable for supper.  It is then his bedtime routine of a bath, massage, story, then breast feed, and we swaddle him for bed.  We put him down with pat/shush.  We aim to have him asleep by 8:00.

Last night he was asleep by 8:30.  He woke up at 9:30 for an hour.  Then he woke up one other time in the night, can't remember when, but was back asleep within seconds.  Then was up at 5:00.  That took 30 minutes to get him to sleep.  He was then up at 6:00.  I fed him then on one side.  He slept until 7:00.  I then fed him on the other side and he slept until 8:30.