Author Topic: Short Napper  (Read 1549 times)

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Offline esmith

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Short Napper
« on: September 14, 2005, 03:21:04 am »
I'm hoping someone can make some suggestions for us.   My son is almost 9 months.  Up until about 3 weeks ago he was on a pretty good schedule: waking at about 6:30am, then taking 1.5 hour nap in the morning and 45 mins in the pm and one more cat nap before bed.

Now, for the last 3 weeks, he wakes early (4:30 or 5 am!) and takes 25 min naps!  Can anyone suggest ways of extending the naps?  He already stays awake for 2.5-3 hrs and sometimes longer--so I don't think extending the wake time would help.

Here is our current, untenable, schedule:
5:00 am  Wake! and Nurse
6:30 Breakfast - solid
7:30 Bath
8:30 Nap  (wakes after 25 mins)
10:00 Nurse
11:30 Lunch - solid
12:00 Nap (wakes after 25 mins--sometimes a little longer)
3:00 Nap
4:00 Nurse
5:00 Dinner - solid
6:30 cat nap
8:30 Nurse and Bedtime

He wakes from naps crying and reject me trying to settle him in his crib.  If I take him out and rock him he will sleep in my arms but as soon as I try to lay him down again he wakes, stands up and cries.

Also, in the morning (at 4:30) I have wondered about just leaving him in his crib until a more reasonable hour--but I am afraid he will just cry and cry--haven't tried though.

Any suggestions?

Offline Matthew's Mommy

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« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2005, 00:10:37 am »
How does he fall asleep at the beginning of his nap and bed time? I think this may be the issue.
Jane
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Matthew July 27th, 2001
Brendan October 21st, 2004

Offline esmith

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« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2005, 02:24:05 am »
I usually rock him for about 5-7 mins.  His eyes are closed when I move him too the crib.  Since the beginning, I've tried to make sure he is just moving into sleep when I put him in the crib--not "rocked to sleep"--but I think I have "accidentally" created a prop.

From reading the other forum pieces, I think that he is not falling to sleep independently.  So today, for his morning nap he woke up after 30 mins.  I kept him in his crib and tried to comfort him, but he cried and fussed for about 40 mins.  then I took him out and kept him up until nearly the next nap time, but he was so sleepy I had to put him in bed.  This time he slept for 30 mins and woke, then I shh/pat and he fell asleep and slept another 30 mins.  Then I got him up---I wasn't sure that I could try to make him sleep more than that.

I'll keep working on putting him down "relaxed but awake" as one contributor put it.

Thanks for your help on this.
Ellen

Offline Matthew's Mommy

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« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2005, 19:28:43 pm »
Yep, I think you hit it on the nail.

I would start winding him down less, and putting him into his bed more awake.  It'll be tough in the beginning, but he'll get used to it. Just stick it out and be consistent with it. Eventually, he will fall asleep.
Jane
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Matthew July 27th, 2001
Brendan October 21st, 2004

Offline esmith

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Should I have done something different?
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2005, 20:48:05 pm »
I am I on the right track?

This is what happened at nap time today.
We went to the doctor.  Owen fell asleep in the car (after being awake for 3 hours).  He had only been asleep about 20 mins, so I moved him from his car seat to his bed.  He slept about 10 more mins then woke crying.

I went in and did PU/PD, started patting him and singing his bedtime song.  He continued to fight me by pushing my hands away, throwing the pacifier and continually standing up.  When he stood, I picked him up, told him it was time to go to sleep and laid him down again.  I guess I did that about 30 times over 25 mins until it seemed to me fruitless--all semblance of sleepiness was gone from him.  (FYI - Earlier naps were 9:00 for 25 mins and  11am for 1 hour--kind of a funky day anyway)


I'll keep doing that if that is how this is supposed to go. It feels different in action than the simple, bucolic scenarios that Tracy describes in the books and interview. Just wondered if I am missing something.


Thanks  Ellen

Offline esmith

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Help! This is not working...
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2005, 14:44:34 pm »
I'm feeling so frustrated.  My 9mo son just took another 30 min morning nap.

We did a wind-down and I put him in his crib.  He started flipping and standing up, but I finally got both arms swaddled so he could not move so much and held him down and he fell asleep.  I laid down on the floor next to him so I could be right there when he woke at 30 mins--as he did.

So after he woke I did shh/pat, but really I just had to keep picking him up, reswaddling, holding him down and fighting him.   He settled and just laid there totally awake and kicking me with his feet while I shh.  After 10mins he was clearly awake and my back hurt so bad from leaning over the crib I thought I would start crying.  I gave up.

Both yesterday and today this process has reduced me to tears and I am so frustrated I don't know what to do.
Someone please give me advice or encouragement.

Thanks
Ellen

Offline albertasweetpea

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« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2005, 16:04:31 pm »
Hi Ellen. So sorry that you are having short naps with your LO. It is a trying time that's for sure. We often have 35-40 minute naps with Molly as well. I have tried extending them as suggested in other posts. Sometimes it is sucessful (she will sleep then for 1.5 - 2 hours), sometimes she is just wide awake and happy so I get her up. Anyways, what I have done is go into the room at the 25 minute mark - 25 minutes after he has settled in to sleep. Put a chair beside the crib - that will help your back!! I have back problems and I couldn't do the crib-hover either! Sit down and put your arm on your DS's legs so he has pressure when he gets to the 40 minute jolt. I don't look at Molly when I am in the room. I keep it quite dark and I also swaddle her. If she seems to be coming out of sleep, I quietly Shhhhhhhhhh her while keeping pressure on her legs. You should stay for at least 5-10 minutes past the 40 minute jolt. At first it will seem like you are in there all day!! It does get better though. I have sometimes drifted off to sleep while in Molly's room. Try not to be discouraged if it doesn't work the first few times or if it only works occasionally. Just try to go with the flow and keep trying and be persistent and consistent.
I have cried many, many tears over sleep training Molly (also suffer from PPD) but am so glad I found BW and this site. The advice and support on here is invaluable.
Hang in there OK?
Post or PM me anytime!
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Offline Matthew's Mommy

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« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2005, 20:35:37 pm »
Hi there,

I hope I can shed some light into what's going on.

First off, big hugs to you!  You are in the toughest part of changing a sleep habit, what I refer to "in the thick of it." Because he's an older baby, and is used to being mostly rocked to settle down, he's reorganizing how to fall asleep.. relearning it.  Typically, it takes an infant 3 weeks for their circadian system (body clock) to adapt. In this time, you going to have challenging days and awesome days.  Kinda like two steps forward, one step back.  This is normal, and it's my fault, I should have warned you about this.

It does take time and patience.. and a support system, but I encourage you to keep at it.  It will get better, and i know right now, you don't believe me!! (don't worry.. I've been exactly where you are, with my first son!) 

Big hugs to you and hang in there! Take it day by day!
Jane
Whispering since 2001
Matthew July 27th, 2001
Brendan October 21st, 2004