What does this mean?

[GraysonsMommy]

I had posted previously about my son sleeping too long.  Two days have passed since that post and this is what is happening now.  He is 5 months old.

His morning nap has extended to 2.5 hours long, which he has done consistently for four days in a row.  Yesterday, he wouldn't go down for his last nap of the day, a 45 minute cat nap, so I kept him up.  But he was soooo tired by the end of the evening, it was obviously too much awake time by the time bedtime rolled around.  He fell asleep while I was giving him the last bottle of the night.  So today, he did his long morning nap and I put him down for his second nap an hour ago.  He is STILL in there talking and rolling around.  He's not fussing at all, he's just not sleeping.  As a matter of fact, I just went in there and he JUST fell asleep, exactly an hour after I put him down.  This would mean that he has been awake for three hours between naps.  He usually goes two.  Can he jump from two hours between naps to three that suddenly?  He sort of did that with his eating too, when he went from three to four hours, it was like he made the decision overnight and woke up with a new plan for himself, he he.

I guess this would mean he is dropping his third nap (catnap) because he wouldn't have time for it, by the time he wakes from this nap.  So, tomorrow, should I see if he can go longer between his naps?  I thought he was acting tired, when I put him down today, he was rubbing his eyes and had that glazed look, but appearantly, he wasn't all that tired if he played for an hour.  Hmmm, just when things seem consistent, they change, lol.

Jessica

[Aarismom]

2 things you can try:

1. Wake him after 1.5 hours in the morning nap. This will hopefully make him tired enough to take a longer afternoon nap.

2. Extend wake time for the afternoon nap, as you are thinking you might. This might also help.

Babies can only sleep so much during the day. If they get all their nap time in in the am, then they may be tired in the pm, but won't be able to sleep. How much sleep is he getting at night? That may also be part of the problem. If he's not getting 11-12 hours at night, he may be struggling with naps during the day. But my main thought is that his am nap is too long.

Hope this helps!

*HUGS*
Sonya =P

[GraysonsMommy]

Thanks Sonya,
He goes down at night around 7pm and gets up around 6-7am.  He wakes in the night and sometimes in the very early morning and usually puts himself back to sleep, but there are times (more frequently now) when he is awake for an hour to an hour and a half for those wakings, like at 4-5am.  So although he is in bed for 11-12 hours, often he is not getting quite that much sleep.  He was sleeping for a good 4 1/2 hours during the day though, until this change started to ocurr.  So he was typically getting the 15 hours they should get in a 24 hour period.  Now he is napping more like 3 to 3 1/2 hours during the day.  He lasts until bedtime, but he's just sooo tired and sometimes a little cranky or short temptered.  We did a bath tonight to help him along, he did well and went right to sleep when I put him down at ten of seven.

Do you think it would be better to try to extend his awake time a little since he definitely doesn't want that last catnap?  I could also limit his am nap to 2 hours, or do you think it would be better at 1.5, like it used to be?  I thought by extending his am nap, he was trying to get more sleep into his first two naps in order to drop the last one.  I guess that isn't the case?  Isn't 2 1/2 hours normal for one of two naps?  I think I am getting confused...lol.

Jessica with Grayson - 5 months

[HeatherC]

I do think your lo is trying to drop the catnap, and along the way, things will change during the day as he sorts this out.  I agree that a 2.5 hour nap in the am is wonderful, and we hate to "wake a sleeping baby", but after that long it becomes necessary if you want to get an afternoon nap.  I struggled with that today.  Knowing full and well what would happen, I let my dd sleep for 2.5 hrs this morning, then never got an afternoon nap.  Anyway, if your ds lays in his crib and babbles, that's great.  I think any crib time without crying is rest time, and at least he can put himself to sleep.  I think you'll notice several changes in naps from week to week, so just go with his cues.  I think a 2 hr am nap is good at 5 months, and maybe 2.25 hrs of A time until pm nap.

[GraysonsMommy]

I keep a sleep journal and looking back on it, it seems that he is lasting around 2 hours and 10 minutes to 2 hours and 25 minutes awake between waking for the day and his first nap.  So today I pushed it to two hours and 35 minutes (by the time he fell asleep).  He did fine with that.  So I think for the next three days, I will try to keep him up for 2 hours and 20 minutes, giving him about 10-15 minutes to fall asleep which is typical for him, that will total 2 hours and 30-35 minutes of awake time.  Then I can try to stretch it a little more.  I am also thinking that I will wake him after 2 hours, if he doesn't wake on his own first.  Again, keep him awake for 2 hours and 25 minutes, which will bring us to about 1:30.  If he naps for 1.5 to 2 hours for this nap, he will wake at 3 or 3:30, which is still too early for dropping his pm catnap.  He started the day at a more normal hour today, waking at 6:30, so it pushed everything back by an hour....arghhhh.  Maybe he will need a small catnap around 5pm then.  Hopefully he will take it.  I guess we will find out, won't we?

Jessica with Grayson - 5 months

[GraysonsMommy]

I am glad to announce that Grayson is now down for his second nap of the day!  And he went easily.  I woke him from his first nap after 2 hours.  He was groggy at first, but perked up eventually.  He went 2 hours and 20 minutes between his first and second naps.  Do you think it's safe to let him sleep as long as he wants for this one, in case he doesn't take a third?  I am not sure what to expect, if he sleeps 2 hours, that would bring him to 3:30, kind of early still for staying awake all night, although, I think he could do it.  If he wakes earlier, he may need that catnap by 5pm.  If he is able to do 2.5 hours, he would wake at 4 which would be perfect for lasting until bedtime, around 7pm!  My fingers are crossed!!

Jessica

[Mom to M&M]

Hi there. I would wake him after 2.5 hours for this nap (3 hours at absolute most). I do this with Marisa almost every day - I have to wake her after 2 hours for first nap. She's upset at first but then will wake up and play until she's hungry/it's time to eat. I let her second nap be no longer than 2.5 hours (unless she seems abnormally tired, doesn't feel well, etc) and then hopefully still get a 45 minute catnap in later. But she is younger than Grayson (12 weeks today).

Good luck!

[GraysonsMommy]

I didn't have to wake Grayson from his second nap, he woke after an hour and 45 minutes, that seems pretty good.  So far he has had 3 hours and 50 minutes of naptime today.  He was acting tired again after an hour and a half of awake time, so I laid him in his crib to see if he would do the catnap.  He's in there quietly playing and has been for 20 minutes.  He may not end up taking this nap at all, but at least he will have some quiet time.  When daddy gets home, he can come out and play, if he's still awake. 

Marisa's mom - You are very lucky to have a 12 week old who naps so well!! Grayson didn't start really catching on to sleep, in general, until he was 3 1/2 months old!  And even then, we still had to work on it.  He's 5 months now and sleep great, but it took a lot of work, sleep training. 

Jessica with Grayson - 5 months