What should I do

[cwolff]

Lately, we've been having tremendous problems with sleeping in general.  She used to go down good for naps and bedtime, now it's hours of struggle.  She flails her arms and legs and won't settle half the time.  So here's my latest question.  When she wakes early from a nap, I've tried to be in there for this but it doesn't do any good, can I just leave her to talk and thrash or whatever?  Today, she napped from 9:50 am till 10:25am.  I heard her at 30 min, went in and she was up.  I am really getting sick of this, and I do feel like she is testing me to see what will happen when she wakes.  I've discovered she's touchy, so nothing is ever consistent or the same in our day, no matter how much I try.  Varying awake time doesn't do it.  Nothing has any significant affect so I'm going to try to accept that this is the way it is.  However, I do not want her to get the message that it's up time if she's awake after 30 min.  So is it OK to leave her in there?  If so, how long should I leave her in there?  And then how long do I keep her up after that, because she hasn't been sleeping this entire time?  Thanks.

[Robincoo]

Hi!

  It seems that our babies are doing the exact same thing, and I'm feeling the same way as you.  I don't know what to do anymore either!  He's 6 months and 8 days old.  He used to nap somewhat okay, better than now, but he's up after only 30 min and I don't know how to get him back to sleep.

  Check out my post, "Help with extending 6 month old naps", it explains what he's been doing and what I've been doing.  I don't know what to do anymore, I am totally understanding what you're going through.  I spend half my day in his room, sitting and talking to him, trying to encourage him to go to sleep!  Half the time I want to get him up, but I'm afraid to reinforce bad habits.

  Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone.  I noticed that your baby is 6 months old, so maybe it has to do with age?  I don't know.  Hopefully this works itself out or we figure out what to do!

Robin

[Aarismom]

You are definately not alone.

My lo is now 6.5 months old. She suddenly started fighting nap time with a vengence about 2 weeks ago.

What I did was extend her wake time. I was putting her down at around 2 hours and 15 mins...but when she started fighting me, it was 2 hours and 45 mins before she finally went to sleep for her second nap, and 2 hours and 30 mins for her first. She seems soooo tired around 2 hours and 20 mins, but she refuses go to sleep. So I'm just keeping her up rather than fighting her. After she goes down, she takes a 1.5 - 2 hour nap, so I know I must be doing something right It was like an overnight change.

So now she's officially up to 2 hours and 45 mins. She still fights a little bit, but she's starting to just drift off to sleep like she use to.  I think part of it though is the developmental changes...she's become more aware of her surroundings, wants to play with her crib animals more, teething (she has 2 teeth in now), and more recently, she had her shots, including a flu shot, so she's been a little sick for the last few days. Also, she's dropping her third nap now because of the extended wake time.

So, just thinking, it might help to extend wake time slowly by 15 mins every few days. Who knows? That could be the problem.

Hope this helps a little!

*HUGS*
Sonya =P

[Robincoo]

I just wanted to let you know that I did what was suggested, I extended my ds A time, and it worked!!!  I put him down at 9:30 for his nap and he slept for 1 1/2 hours!  I feel so much better, and the solution was right there infront of me.  Thanks so much

Robin
mom to Naolin
Angel baby

[cwolff]

I will try it.  So far, she was up this morning at around 8am, then down for a nap a little after 10am.  But she did the 45 minute thing and wasn't to be resettled.  Then, I had her up till around 1:00pm, and I knew she was tired.  She fought me, but went down.  But it's been awful.  She woke at only 20 minutes and I had to pick her up and totally wind her down again.  Put her back down and she's been tossing and turning and waking intermittently for the paci which she usually doesn't do if she's had some rest.  I'm afraid by this nap she is overtired.  And even if she sleeps long, it's not been a very restful nap.  I will try to extend A time, but she's touchy and so I have to be careful what I do.  That's why it's hard to extend, because that means either we go walking longer, or I walk around with her longer before the nap because nothing else winds her down.  But thanks for letting me know I'm not alone!

[Meg's Mom]

We have now been thru the 45min battle several times over, every time she is ready to increase her A time she starts the short naps.  So when that happens I know it is time to adjust her schedule or prepare to drop a nap.


My LO Is touchy too and I also walk to extend A time.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.