Sudden trouble with putting LO down for naps

[Wiki]

Hi all,

My LO, now 14 weeks, has always been a good napper, but as he is getting older, and staying awake longer, I am suddenly finding it hard to put him down. I used to be able to read his signs, put him down, and he would chat himself off to sleep. He is currently (to our amazement) sleeping 7-7 at night (2 weeks now) and having 5 feeds of 7.5-8.5oz formula during the day.

Now, for example, this morning he was up at 7am, I saw some eye-rubbing at 8am, one yawn at 8.25 and another at 8.40 (by this time I was already starting to wind him down). But, it took about 15 mins of him crying and me rocking/patting/shhshing to calm him enough to get him off to sleep (I really struggle with shh/pat in the cot itself, I never previously did it, and he looks at me like I am mad). But yesterday, around the same time, I put him down and he was quiet, and he drifted off.

I am having trouble telling whether I am putting down too soon (so he is crying in indignation) or just a little too late (crying as over-tired). He is on 3 EASY but I am working slowly towards the 4 EASY, as I know he can last at least two feeds a day on 3.5 EASY, so I'm trying to move it slowly as we move towards 4 months.

So, help, what should I do about him staying awake longer and putting him down.
Should I try at 1hr 40, instead of 1hr 30 awake time?
I'm really confused and feel that I am causing trouble for him and me where previously all was OK for naps!
The other thing is his naps can be 45 mins, 1hr15min, 2hours, I can never tell - I never thought this was a problem until I read BW!

Vic & Caspar

[Colesmom]

Hi there,

Sorry you're having nap troubles.   Babies sort out their day sleep from 3-6 months so your little one is just learning new skills.  I know most babies like a shorter first A time, so I am tempted to say that you may want to try shortening A time before lengthening it (or keeping with 1:30), at least for first nap.  Were your morning activities any different today?  Is it possible he is a little more stimulated and therefore having trouble settling?  Since you've never had nap troubles you may not know the importance of the windown being consistent.  Do you do the same thing each time?  If so, great, if not, I suggest doing so.

You are certainly not causing trouble for him.  It's great that he has a loving mommy that is concerned about him.  It will be a little rocky for a while so hang in there.  Figuring out A time is tricky business!

[Wiki]

Thanks for replying. I am sat here in tears as I feel like it has been such a rough day. He has only fallen asleep on his own (ie without some comforting needed) once out of 4 times today. Its so hard as he used to do it all the time by himself, I feel like I'm going backwards. I'm also confused about shh/pat (which works on my shoulder to calm him) and pu/pd, because he seems to be pulling back & "fighting" me which I know is him trying to get to sleep. I get him quiet and put him down, and he starts crying, should I pick him up straight away (I can't work out shh/pat in the cot, and it does seem to make him cry harder) or let him cry 30 secs or so in case he calms himself?

I do need to work on the wind-down routine. I just don't know what kinds of things to include. I am worried I am putting him off his cot, as he started to cry before we even got to his room last time, and I was only going to change his nappy! He cried when he went down last night too (he still slept OK) and he has only done that 3 times in the last 6 weeks.

[Wiki]

After 4 nightmare naps yesterday, I just managed to get Caspar to close his eyes and drop off in his cot, WITHOUT me having to hold him on my shoulder for 5 mins first...seems I shhhed loud enough near his ear for once, YAY!

I need to settle him in the cot, at 14 weeks and 14lb he is too heavy already to carry for long!