Author Topic: when do you know to extend A time?  (Read 1560 times)

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Offline Colesmom

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when do you know to extend A time?
« on: September 23, 2005, 12:42:09 pm »
Hi there,

I know this may seem silly, but how do you know that 45 minute naps are caused by too short an A time...or too long an A time and they overtired and therefore can't make it through the transition?

A little background.  DS had his best night sleep last night EVER.  He went down at 6pm (due to three short naps yesterday) and slept until 5:30am with one feed at 10:30pm, and no other wakings (usually wakes 2 or 3 times but goes back to sleep).  I would like the wake up later...but that's for another thread.  Anyway, the last few mornings with early wake-ups I've been keeping him up until 8 to try to maintain a decent schedule.  So he's been up 2:15-2:45A.  I know this is long but wanted to salvage the rest of the day.  Some days I can extend this nap with anywhere from 5-20 minutes of shhh/pat.  Yesterday I couldn't extend his first or second nap so we were done nap two by something crazy like 11:45!

Today I thought I'd try something different and put him down for what should be his regular A time 1:45.  So he was down by 7:15.  Went down without much fuss either!  He woke at 8am happy and playing.  Since starting sleep training 4 weeks ago he has never woken happy.  He always cries.  I let him play 10 minutes then he started to cry to I attempted to shhh/pat until 8:30.  He was just staring at the wall.  So, since he woke up happy...is that an indication that this interval can now be extended?  It seems I've just gotten my A times down and now they are changing :roll:

any help/advice much appreciated.  On a positive note I went to sleep at 9:30 last night so I had a full nights sleep!

Traci
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Offline Meg's Mom

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when do you know to extend A time?
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2005, 15:33:28 pm »
Hi Traci

Generally speaking i have read:
-under 3mo with 45 min naps: overtired
-3-4 mos and over w/ 45min naps: too short an A time

It sounds like the day you went for the long A time you extended it too far...tooo fast and he was overtired.

At his age, yes i would extend his A time to at least 2.00 but gradually!  At 5mos Megan needed 2hr A and at 6mo it was 2.25.

Hope that helps.

Offline Colesmom

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when do you know to extend A time?
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2005, 00:20:18 am »
thanks Michelle, it does help.  I didn't intend for him to have those crazy long A times and not be overtired...I just thought I should keep a decent schedule.  After the past few days I realize that napping at 7:15 IS his schedule since he goes to bed at 6pm :D   Today he went down after 1:45 of A and slept for an hour so I was happy with that.  He then had a 1:30 pm nap and 1:15 catnap.

It's been a great day.  I was really proud of him.  His grandparents were here so his wind down wasn't as long but he went down for his catnap like a star in LESS time than normal :)

fingers crossed for a good night too

Traci
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Offline Meg's Mom

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when do you know to extend A time?
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2005, 02:00:02 am »
FINGERS CROSSED - i proud of you both! :wink:

Offline Colesmom

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when do you know to extend A time?
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2005, 13:12:37 pm »
just wanted to let you know about our night:

woke at 9:00 for feed (kind of early but he had last fed at 5:10)
woke at 2:30 for feed (right back to sleep which is very unusual)
woke at 6:00 for the day...and played for 15 minutes til he cried for me.

so, a great day of naps and a great night of sleep.  That was our best day since we started sleep training a little over a month ago.

Can you see my smile all the way in SO CAL???

woo hoo

Traci
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Offline GraysonsMommy

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when do you know to extend A time?
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2005, 13:33:23 pm »
Traci,
I just wanted to respond to your post, because it sounds like my own experience with our son, Grayson.  There was a time when I never thought this could happen! 

Things were happening a little at a time, here and there.  And now, sort of all of a sudden, he naps for 1.5-2 hours twice a day and then takes an evening cat nap for 45 minutes to an hour.  He sleeps 10 1/2 to 11 hours at night, with one DF and one waking of his own, at 4:30am, but he is able to put himself back to sleep.  He is waking somewhere between 5:30-6am, but is able to play by himself in his crib until I am willing to start the day around 6-ish.  Now that we have had three consistent days like this, I can comfortably say, I think we've finally gotten to the point we were trying to reach!  It sounds like you are right around that same corner!!  We just have to bare in mind that there will always be regressions of some sort now and again.  Since we've got good routines going, it should be easy to get back on track when needed!  Way to go Traci, you should be proud of yourself!

Jessica with Grayson - 17 weeks
Grayson born 5/28/05
A Spirited and slightly Touchy little guy

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a214/luckylot1999/6f36d4a2.jpgimg07610qs.th.jpg[/img][/URL]