45 Minute Naps - Again!

[KB]

Hi all

I know this topic comes up a lot & I have read through all the posts but still have some questions.

DD is 4 months and on a good 4 hr EASY.  She was doing really well, having 1.5 to 2hr naps am and pm, catnap before bath, bed by 7.30pm.

Then the am nap went to 45min, then the pm, now all naps are 45 min.  Given the following information can anyone help?

A time is 1.45 to 2 hours
Always goes to bed awake and drops off to sleep on her own almost immediately every time
Wakes at 45 minutes and begins talking quietly to herself
If I go in and retuck, tell her to go back to sleep she smiles and talks to me.  I have tried not going in but she will just happily stay awake and talk to herself for the next half hour to 45 minutes on her own.  By then it is almost time for next feed.

Very rarely will she cry - if she does I have used pu/pd and pat/shush, usually resettles after a really good cry within 20 minutes then sleeps for another 45 but out of every 10 times she wakes up only once will she cry and I can use these techniques.

If I get her up after 45 she seems in good spirits and just hangs out with me till next feed but then the afternoon A time is shorter as she gets tired sooner more like an hour to 1.5hrs but now still only a 45 minute afternoon nap.

She is in bed by 7.30pm, DF at 10 or 11 and sleeps through till 7am from then.  The nights are always good.

Should I try an EASASE type routine or is this all the sleep she needs?

Any help would be most appreciated

Kirsten

[Meg's Mom]

After beating the 45min nap monster and having a few weeks of great naps it (the 45min nap) came back.  I thought I would fall off the deep end. 

But what I didn’t take into consideration was she was older now.  So I increase her A time by 15min and poof…the monster was gone.

At approx 4mos 2.25hr of A time was the magic number for us.

If it were me, I would try that first.

Hope that helps!

[KB]

Well read the sleep interview and my book again and really hit home to me to have a look at her whole day to solve the 45 minute naps.  We are on day 2 of big improvements so just wanted to share what is working.

Tracey talked about babies not being able to get out of the way of toys hanging over their heads.  My lo was lying under a play gym at every activity time!  So maybe overstimulation part of the problem?  She sleeps so well at night - never hear her stir so I thought it doesn't seem to be a self settling problem.  Only difference is before bed time she doesn't spend any time in the play gym.  So this is what I tried.

Keeping the activity time a little more low key, only under the play gym for 10 minutes then took the hanging part off and played on floor.  Being careful about winding the activity down as the day progressed.

Her morning nap yesterday was 45 minutes, I went in and patted for 10 minutes - almost settled then she pooed!  :roll:  Changed, reswaddled and straight back to bed, took about 20 minutes of talking to herself but went back to sleep for another 45!

Afternoon nap was 45 minutes then I pat/shushed for 30 minutes which resulted in 20 more minutes of fitful sleep with me in the room.  Left her quietly talking to herself after she woke again for 20 minutes to next feed.

Today same, kept activity lower key.  Today though I went in at the 40 minute mark, she woke, I just retucked her and said go back to sleep now honey and she did!  Went another 45 minutes - big improvement.

This afternoon I went in at 40 minutes and laid a hand quietly on her back, supported her through the REM sleep.  She cried out but stayed asleep.  That was at 12.45.  I stayed in the room until 1pm to be sure then left.  It is now 2.20 and she is still asleep!!!

I am over the moon!!  So it is only early days but each nap gets better.  So in a nutshell I just commited four days to staying home and changing this pattern (only on day two!) and really looked at the activity of the whole day to get a bigger picture.  I really believe she was overstimulated.  Also as suggested by meg's mom (thank you!) slowly extending her activity time.  I am finding this easy with the new lower key playtime - not wearing her out as quickly.  Just wanted to share what is working for us!
 

[jennc123]

congrats, I am glad its working for you, I am still having problems with my little one, she sleeps 45 minutes then rolls over and plays, even though she is so tired!, its getting very difficult for me, she was doing great for about a week now its back to square one.  Its nice to read other mom's ways of dealing with it, i wonder what happpens to a baby who dosen't sleep at all?  can't be good for them.

[micah'smom]

i'm so glad i found this thread!

my 4.5mo was a 45min napping fiend until several weeks ago when he straightened out to a 2hr morning nap, 1hr afternoon, and 1hr evening.

now he's learning to roll over tummy to back. he's a tummy sleeper so this disrupts his naps at 45min.

i was considering extending his A time. i wind him down after 1hr 45min. should i keep him up a full 2hrs and wind down a little after 2hrs?

i like your tip about the overstimulation. sometimes i wonder if my ds is UNDERstimulated tho b.c he always kicks his legs around and seems restless during his sleep. i wanted to get him an exersaucer too - do you think this is way too much going on for him?

also, when do you know it's time to move to 2 naps? i know it's too early but i just want to know how to work towards that.

thanks!

[Meg's Mom]

Hi
Try this:

Time the nap - from when they fall asleep to when they rolled over.  When it gets near the time, go to the room and place your hands on them (one the back and one on the thigh).  Be as subtle and quite as possible.  Stay until they return to deep sleep and then slowly lighten the pressure of your hands.

Developmental blips like this are expected. After rolling in the sleep, it'll be sitting up.. then pulling up to stand.. fun fun fun! 

During the day, give your little one tons of opportunities to play on his back and roll around.
Author Message

micah'smom: increasing awake time couldn't hurt if you do it as part of the wind down.  As for 2 naps, when he starts his 45min naps again, then you will slowly increase A time and that will elimate the 3rd catnap.  What you will work towards at that time is A times of: 2.5 and 3.0 and 3.5.

Jennc123: how old is your LO?  try what i recommend above and let us know if it helps or if you need more support.