No problem getting to sleep - its staying asleep !!!

[hana1978]

Ive been doing shh/patt & some PUPD with my 5 month old DS just over a week now.  Before i started he would only take 30min naps in the day and woke serveral times in the night.  The sleep training has worked wonders, and it just one week the situation has turned around in that he can fall asleep independantly - sometimes without me having to reasure him at all.  The problem is he still only wants 30min naps and no more no matter what i do, and still wakes in the night - i thought once they no how to settle themselves this would improve?  In some respects its actually got worse.  Am i being impaitent?  Will his naps improve or is it possible that is all that he needs?

[Colesmom]

Read the announcement "teaching 3-5 month olds to overcome 45 min. naps" (although yours are 30 min.)  The part at the bottom about it being biology. Also, a girlfriend of mine summarized another book for me about naps and this is what it said:

"-   It may be difficult to establish regular naps at 4 to 5 months of age in some babies because their biological nap rhythms are maturing slowly. 
-   Some babies don’t evolve into a schedule of regular naps until 5 or 6 months of age, especially if they were colic or if their parents were inconsistent or irregular about naps during the first four months"

Cole has definitely improved in his overnight sleep, but the last two nights he has played for an hour and a half after his 4:45 am feed.(better as he used to be up between 1 and 3am) and loudly, sometimes crying out.  DH had a fever last night and we were up late so I intervened more than I should have probably to keep him quiet.  Someone else mentioned to me as well that they are in that range when they are learning to roll more etc (cole just started rolling in his crib this week and has already started to roll back-just not all the time) and it will take a week or two for night wakings to pass at this stage.

I think it's just a matter of patience.  It sounds like you've had improvement...let's both take heart in the fact that our los have both learned how to go to sleep independently.  That's such a huge step!  Think back to the early days last week and just know that it will get better.

wishing you more sleep in the near future :wink:

Traci

[hana1978]

Hi Traci - i tried going into his room before he woke yest, and did shh/patt when he did but it didnt work he was WIDE AWAKE - thinks hes just got too used to 30mins  :cry:
His naps have definately been inconsistent and irregular up to now so theres no real surprise i have a problem.  Its like you tackle one and another one comes along  :x
Teaching him to sleep was the biggest one tho and things are sooooooooooooooo much better now he can do it alone - no more shh/patt for 45mins he just fake crys for 10mins then falls asleep by himself - im amazed how clever they are to be able to pick this up so quick!  DP says its coz i played him mozart whilst pregnant  :roll:
Playing at 4am gotta be tough, even if there not crying they still keep you awake dont they - and i bet that throws you off your rountine as hes more tierd at 7am?
But your right weve both taught our LO how to sleep and that is a massive achievment - remember what are posts were like just a week ago?

[Colesmom]

i tried to extend his feeds yesterday and therefore had one less feed.  I think this caused him to wake multiple times throughout the night.  I almost poured milk into my coffee brewer this morning i'm exhausted.

oh well, up i go to extend a nap...i am spending the most beautiful part of our summer in a dark nursery and it's getting just a tad frustrating.

[Matthew's Mommy]

What happens at the 30 min. mark? Does he wake up alert or does he cry out?

Also, how long of an awake time does he have prior to his naps?

[Colesmom]

when he wakes up he cries out.  sometimes (rarely) he'll settle back down.  I am just now learning that I was interfering with him settling. so maybe tomorrow i'll try to go in a just say "time to go back to sleep" and leave again to have him sort it out?  does that sound okay?

his awake times are approx:

1.75 hr before nap 1
2 hrs before nap 2
2.25 before nap 3
2.25-2.5 before nighttime. 

seems to work okay unless I have a 30 min. nap.  then I'll just do quiet play and watch his cues to go back up maybe after an hour.

he's had a 45,30,45 nap today so I just put him up for another at 4:40 after being up 1.5 hrs.  He settled himself in about 5 min. and i went in once to say time for sleep.

Most times he's alert and happy coming off a 45 min. nap. After nap three today he was fussy and tired.  I would have extended nap 2...but DH was letting ME nap for once...and DH has had back probs and a fever this weekend.  He tried to shush and pat him back for 10 min. but he said he was wide awake and playing with his fingers. 

anyhoo, i just tried to call you, and i may try again later.  if not, i'll try tomorrow.  OOPS, just realized your reply was for HANA.  OOPS!  oh well, there's a bit of info on our day too

I pray he sleeps through the night tonight!

Traci

[hana1978]

What happens at the 30 min. mark? Does he wake up alert or does he cry out?

Hes very alert normally, i have tried to go in when he wakes and shh/patt but i have to admit after just 10mins i give up as im convinced it wont work when hes just had a nap and is wide awake.  Hes still tierd tho, thats the thing but is determined to get up and coz im on my own when i do all this, i lack convidence, bail out and just get him up  :oops:

Also, how long of an awake time does he have prior to his naps?

About 1h 10mins i start wind down, hes normally asleep in 20mins so 1h 30min up time but thats regardless of how much nap time he has (25-45 mins but average 30)

I tried once to go in at 25mins and watch him, when he stirred i shhed and patted but he still woke and was wide awake - should i keep trying this do you think?

[hana1978]

bump

[Matthew's Mommy]

Hana-- I looked above and I noticed that you posted that your little one is 5 months old?  If so, it's time to extend the awake time. That's what is throwing a wrench into his sleep.  His body can handle a longer awake time.. and at his age it should be 2 hours. Now to do this, you have to do it gradually, in 15 min. increments/2 days.  So, extend it to 1 hr 25 mins, and then do the wind down routine for 2 days, and then extend it to 1 hr 40 mins for 2 more days.. and so on.

To extend it, do a little pre-wind down ritual of a neighbour hood carry walk, or slow dancing, or cuddling with a stuffed animal. Something low key.  I'm more particular to the neighbourhood carry walk, fresh air always helps.

Then, when you put him into his bed, make sure that he is more awake but drowsy. You want him to settle to sleep in his bed. So try not to wind down too long.

If he wakes up at the 30/45 min. mark, give him a chance to settle on his own, if he doesn't and is very very upset then do pu.pd.

It will take time and patience.. Hope this helps!

[hana1978]

Hi Jane thanks for your reply he is 5 months but his corrected age is 3 months as he was 9 weeks prem so its extra difficult for me to judge him.  He seems tierd after 1h20 mins or so... :?
Do you think i should still extend the awake time?  He does seem to fall asleep quite quickly when i put him in his cot, and most of the time with out much fuss.
This morning i kept everything v low key, no telly, no bouncy chair or playgym and he slept for two hours  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:
Every nap since then has been 30mins tho so he lured me into a false sence of secuirty  :roll:

[Colesmom]

Hi Hana,

Did he do that all by himself...or did you help him through the jolts?  I've read the morning nap is the most important...so give yourself a huge pat on the back.  Hopefully the others will follow suit soon enough.

Cole slept through last night so I got some much needed rest...and he's gone down swimmingly for his two naps so far.  fingers crossed.

Traci

[Matthew's Mommy]

Okay.. everything changes now.  If he's 9 weeks prem., that makes a difference. I would keep doing what you are doing.. this is going to be one for maturity, time and patience to guide.

You have the right idea.. keeping everything low key and easy going. A nice wind down routine will help.  I wouldn't do any extending of awake time just yet, since technically he's 3 months developmental age.

Hang in there, and be patient with him. The day sleep will improve.