Re: Change to 4hour Easy-night wakings and early morning wakings!

[debo620]

Teezee,
just read your suggestions. I to am dealing with a 5 -5:30am start with my 4month old son. It has been this way for about 1month. I have read before that the early nap can reinforce the early waking but i am not sure how to change this when lo is so tired.
With the early waking, my son's first nap starts at 7:15 or so. He will sleep off and on until about 10. He never sleeps this whole time d/t 45min naps. Usually will awake at 8, fall back asleep on his own or I do pu/pd--to get at least 2-45min in this time. I have been doing the earlier bedtime but really we have not been able to make up that night sleep.

I fear that we are currently in a cycle of overtiredness.
Although he is in bed by 6:45pm--asleep by 7:15pm---he really is only getting btwn8-9hours of sleep at night once I add up the wake-up etc. The last two nights he has awoken after 45min at 8pm and put himself back to sleep. He has then awoken at 10:15pm crying. Then starts day at 5 or 5:30am.

I think that the evening wakings have gotten worse since moving to 4hour easy. He is on a four easy with am nap and then 2nd nap starting at 12pm-2pm---again does not sleep this whole time. bf at 2pm, cat nap falling at 4pm or so for 45min. He still seems very tired after catnap and I am worried that he is overtried by bedtime? Do you have any suggestions?

Thankyou, Deborah

[teezee]

deborah - would you mind starting a new thread and posting your routine as well as answering the questions in the sticky ' read before posting '? that would be very helpful and we will take a closer look

actually i am just going to start a new thread for you i will pm you the link and then you can add the additional info k?!

[debo620]

Thanks Teezee,


How old is your child? 17weeks
What’s his/her daily routine? 4hour easy bf at 6,10,2,6, df at 10:30pm,
What’s nap routine? 3naps ---first nap starts at 7:15  or 7:30am--until 10am but is broken, second nap starts at 12pm or so until 2pm but is usually broken, cat nap at 4pm
How long are naps?vary--depending on 45min wake-up, usually at least total 1.5hrs
What's bedtime routine? Time? bath, bf, bed--starts btwn 6 and 6:30pm, bed usually at 6:45 at latest
Do you bottle or breastfed?? bf
How much? or how long? varies day to day , have never really timed it
If breastfed.. one side or both?? (at each feed) usually 1 side, offer 2nd if still seems hungry
How many wakes per night? last 3nights has woken at random times hungry, otherwise I hear him awake occasionally but not crying
What’s your LO like when waking at night? How long is he/she up? if awake and hungry, takes up to 1hour after bf to fall  back asleep.
When you go to him/her is she fussing or crying? Or is it a mantra cry? Usually only cries if hungry
What have you tried to settle?? pu/pd if crying for another reason
What do you do for A time and how long is it?1.75hrs including bf, change diaper, random activities--playing on our bed with rattle, exersaucer, walks outside, rarely have major outings to stores etc---maybe 1/week.
Are there developmental issues such as teething or milestones? lots of saliva but not sure that he is teething, nothing else
Have you introduced cereal? Why, how much, and how many times a day? (for LO’s under 6 months)no
Do they have a prop? If so what is it?no
Do they have a lovie?no


with 5:30am wake-up---usually leave him in his room until 6am, and then start routine from 6am bf, but b/c awake so early---I do count this as part of his first A time and thus first nap starts at 7:15 or 7:30am.

[teezee]

from what i can tell your lo isn't up long enough in the early am before the first nap. if lo is waking early, and making up for the sleep with a long early morning nap then chances are it won't change. i think you should start extending that A time slowly (and keep it very very low key 15 min or so at a time) and limit that first nap also. if lo 'makes up' some of the sleep with a long pm nap but i wouldn't let lo sleep any longer than 2-2.25 hrs for the second nap also. catnap leave at 30min -45min. if lo is tired give any earlier bedtime til the sleep is caught up.

lo could be waking up at 45 min b/c  he isn't tired enough to stay asleep kwim? i am sure he is tired from waking so early but that A time really needs to be slowly extended so that he will start sleeping later and therefore staying awake later before the 1st nap.

i think that will help you although it will be rough to get there as i said take it slow - and if you put him to bed a bit earlier for some time then hopefully that will help with it also.

if you want to post your routine like this:
e
a
s
e
a
s  then i could take a closer look at exactly how long A times are but i think i have a pretty good idea...