been tring to extend naps for 2.5 weeks NOT WORKING

[alison toms mum]

am trying to get tom to take longer naps, he use to sleep 1.5 hrs now no more than 45 mins (even if i cheet and stick him in car)

Have tried
-leaving room once hes asleep and only going back when he crys
-going in after 30 mins to try and help him through transition (it doesnt work as he wakes when i go in)
-staying in room and putting hand on chest when due to wake(this sometimes wakes him)
-staying in room and putting hand on chest when first stirs
-staying in room and only going to him if he cries
-shh pat once he wakes if starts crying]
-piock up put down if shh pat doesnt work

he only wakes a couple of times a night and goes back to sleep as soon as shhed or given dummy (dummy doesnt seem a problem, as he only requests it if hes worked up and drops it out his mouth happily when hes calm again).

hes only recently started sleeping 12 hrs a night, and never needed much more than 14 hrs as a newborn....... do you think he just needs less sleep, or does anyone have a suggestion as to what else i can try.

starting to go mad shut in a dark room with him 3 hrs a day!!!!!


ps altjhough ive trued a lot of different things i try to be consistant on trying one variation at a time, amnd never leave him to scream

he is now on a 4 hr routine as of today (have been gradually extending routine for last 3 weeks

[Meg's Mom]

I am sorry you having such a struggle.  My LO started the 45min nap at about 3 months.  I searched high and low for information and found Tracy’s work, then this site.  By this time Megan was now well into 4mos and I moved her to 4hr EASY as Tracy recommends and the short naps got a bit better.  I then used shh/pat and pu/pd to get her body used to sleeping thru the 1st sleep cycle as by now it was a habit.  We had success almost immediately and I was sold on Tracy’s work and thought it was a godsend.  Things were great for 2 wks and after beating the 45min nap monster – we had a few weeks of great naps.  But then the monster came back.  I thought I would fall off the deep end.  But what I didn’t take into consideration was she was old now.  So I increase her A time by 15min and poof…the monster was gone.  At 4-5mos 2.25hr of A time was the magic number for us.

How long has he been doing the 45min nap?  Do you think he would be able to handle any extra A time?

What is his mood like when he wakes from the short nap?

Hopefullly we can come up w/ some ideas that might help.

PS: i want to add that it is very common at this age and sometimes takes until they are 5-6mos to sort itself out regardless of what you do.  But it does get better, i promise!

[alison toms mum]

Quite often his mood is very good when he wakes, yesterday for instance he only had 3 45 min naps but was alert and non grumpy all day....this is one of the things that made me think he doesnt need a lot of sleep (when he was a newborn he also only took 12 hrs out of 24 no mater what we did and he never seemed tired and grizzly then either....so his total sleep time has actually increased)

Today he majically took an 2 hr nap in morning with NO help from me and a 1.5 in pm with only a v quick shh pat but wouldn't take a cat nap in afternoon!!!

He tends to get sleepy 2 hrs after feed whether he has woken earl or not (meaning he sometimes has 2hrs 45 between naps with a feed in middle) he gets too tired if i try to extend his activity and make nap time later (so he often does easa!!)

I was thinking i might try putting him to nap when tired, leaving him to sleep and then going back in and trying to get him back to sleep if he cries when he wakes, but only for 20 mins and then giving him some subdued activity in cot until food time if he wont go back to sleep (cant continue shh pat and PUPD for the full 45 mins any longer and certainly cant continue to sit in a dark room for 3 hrs a day waiting for him to wake!!! :shock: )

[Meg's Mom]

You could be right, Tracy does say some infants need less sleep and if are happy on 45min then out of luck. :x

BUT since he took the nice long naps yesterday you maybe on to something.  Try seeing if there was anything different about that day.  But it could just be that what you have been doing for the past few weeks is now taking hold.  It does take 2-3 wks to rest the bio-rhythms.

I agree and would recommend you put a time limit on it.  I know some mom's (myself included) who would only work on the am nap as that usually develops first and then let the rest of the day fall as it may as this is HARD work.

If would also recommend you swaddle if you don't already and look at the room environment.  Some, especially spirited and touchy need TOTAL darkness (room darkening shades and curtains) and nothing to fixate on. 

Hope that helps, keep us posted on you are getting on and good luck.

[alison toms mum]

Thanks for the advice, i have just started darkening the room more (since i don't sit in it with him any longer!!!)and that seems to make a difference, also hv suggestedput something to look at in cot so if wakes wont be bord and may go back to sleep (put a hourse at top of cot that he can look at if gets bord but not directly in line of site if only opens his eyes briefly).

also managed to extend activity time yesterday, without him getting over tired! and he took a 1.5 hr nap am (45 mins last 2 naps). Isuppose its possible he needs more sleep in morning, as this is his best nap time!

Anyway were continuing to try and improve nap length, but the big difference is im not getting as stressed if some days he does 45 mins and then i simply cant get him back to sleep. hv sais that often babies that need less sleep will do 1 day 45 min naps and then longer naps thje next day then back to 45 min naps the day after and that if hes really awake and happy when i go in not to worry that hes not had as long nap as usual, because it prob means he slept more soundly at night (i have noticed if he has a restless night he has better naps, and if hes had good naps he has more restless sleep :roll:

Thanks for the advice anyway, hopefully hell fall into a pattern soon and i cvan stop spending all day on comp asking for advice!!!!! :wink: