new nap troubles (5 month old)

[katemom]

Hi,

I made the switch to the 4 hour EASY at around 4 months, and that solved all the nap problems my lo was having then.  She's been great with the new routine, until we went on vacation to NYC (at 4.5 months).  She actually slept well in terms of taking regular naps and being portable - we were really grateful.  But I started to notice that her naps got gradually shorter.  I didn't know if it was because we were out and about or if she was headed for new problems.  We've been home a week, and things are a bit more back to normal.  But her 2nd nap of the day has been 45 minutes almost every day this week despite my efforts to reposition her, hold through the jolts, shush/pat, etc.  She's happy though, most of the time when she wakes up.  But she has started to be more difficult to put down for a nap.  She sort of whimpers upon entering the bedroom (this is what she started doing right before I made the switch to the 4 hour EASY a month ago).  Anyway, here is my schedule, let me know if you have any suggestions:

Wakes up daily on and off from 5am to 7am, plays and puts herself back to sleep, or cries out and I roll her onto her side and she puts herself to sleep there.  I get her up for the day at 7am.
7:00 Up
7:30 EAT
8:00 Activity
9:00 Sleep
10:45 Awake
11:00 EAT
11:15 Activity
12:45 Sleep
1:45 Awake (more often earlier, after 35-45 minutes)
2:00 EAT
2:30 Activity
4:00 Sleep
4:45 Awake
5:00 EAT
5:30 Activity
7:30 EAT
8:00 Sleep

*I realize she doesn't eat on a 4 hour rotation, which is because I wanted to keep her on 5 feedings a day, since she doesn't do a dreamfeed.  I also realize there are some longer awake periods during the end of the day - which I would so love to avoid - but since her naps are short, I don't really know how to get around that!  And I don't want to move her bedtime up any earlier because she already has difficulty sleeping in those wee hours of the morning!  But I'm open to suggestions since I know she's capable of better sleep - only 2 weeks ago she was taking two 1.5-2 hour naps and a 30-45 minute catnap.  It seems like she's dropped quite a bit for only 1 month after we made the 4 hour switch.  Anyway, sorry it's long, I welcome your feedback...

kate's mom (kate is 5 months)

[stheo]

hey kates mom..... prob not the best person to be giving advice since i too am strugglin with short naps but it looks like her eating is all over the place... first she eats at 3.5 hr, then at 3hr, then at 2 hr and then at 1.5 hr.. not every 4 hr like the schedule suggests. It looks like she is up for 3 hr of A time at the end of the day and she could be overtired.. but my DD is also 5 months and we have had issues with teething and milestones... could that be going on?

[*Natasha*]

Were you advised to give 5 feeds a day? At this age my DD was only on 4feeds a day and putting on weight no problems. I think you need to move the second nap back a little to 1/1.15pm so she is tired enough for a longer nap. Also if you want to make sure she is getting enough food intake try a smaller feed before bath and then her normal feed before bed. Also i would bring bedtime forward as 3hr awake time before bed at this age is to long.

[katemom]

Thank you both for taking the time to respond - it's so helpful to get other perspectives when you're out of ideas.

To answer both of your questions about feeding - yes, her feedings do range quite a bit from 2.5 to 4 hours depending on the day, and part of the day.  I agree it would be nice to be a bit more regular in the intervals.  No, I wasn't told to stay on 5 feedings a day.  I would love to have 4 feedings a day if I thought my lo would drink enough at each feed to get the same total of oz.'s she's used to.  (Am I wrong in assuming that if she eats less, then she might find herself hungry during the night if she doesn't get her daytime calories in?)  I've tried offering her more at each feed so that I could drop one and spread the feeds out closer to 4 hours, but she doesn't eat the extra I offer.  Maybe she would though after a day or two of only 4 feeds per day?  Natasha, what time would you suggest that smaller feed before bathtime? (So that she'll still be hungry for her last feed?)

I will try pushing the 2nd nap back - that would actually help spread the day out if she'll go for it.  So you're suggesting (up to) a 2.5 hour awake period?  I'm curious about this, Natasha, is the protesting behavior I described usually a signal that they need an increase in awake time preceding their nap?  (If it isn't, what are the typical clues).

And I will try the earlier bedtime too...

Thanks again!

kate's mom