Overall Jacob is a pretty good sleeper. He usually goes between 11-13 hours straight at night without waking, and takes 2-3 naps during the day. That being said for over a month now his naps have been really erratic. He mostly goes down for his naps at around the same time each day, however, how long he sleeps is ALL over the place. We always get one 45 minute "sleep cycle" out of him, however, after that it's up in the air. Sometimes he'll sleep for an hour, hour and a half, two... even up to three sometimes in the afternoon.
The thing is I know he needs more than a 45 minute nap those times he wakes up, but the only thing that I 've tried that will get him back to sleep is nursing him (a habit I really don't want to get into, considering it will mean I can't leave during his naps since he won't take a bottle). I've tried letting him cry when he wakes up (he just keeps crying until his "nap time" is over), he uses his thumb to sooth himself to sleep and hasn't taken a pacifier since he was 3 months old so I can't just go in and give him the paci and hope he falls back asleep!
I know the 45 minute nap is a problem for a lot of moms around this age (baby's age not ours...I have no problem napping for more than 45 minutes:). So I was wondering if anyone out there has any tips or advice? I'm not super stressed, since he takes good naps 50% of the time... I just don't want to rob him of the sleep he needs the other 50% of the time! I love hearing what has worked for other people so bring on the advice!
Suzanne
Hey Suzanne! This is a great blog! Please keep it up. My only two cents on this is that if Josie naps poorly, then it's earlier to bed with her to make up the difference. We learned that in a sleep training book (sadly I can't remember which one!). It works for us, although since Sam has come she's been waking up at 4:30, 5 or 5:30 am every day and we have to get up and send her back to bed. So my advice is try the getting him to sleep for night time earlier and see how that goes. Josie isn't a great napper either, but she goes to bed really early and typically sleeps 12hrs straight. Good luck and let us know what you find works.
ReplyDeleteLeah
Looks like I accidently commented on the wrong post! Oops :)
ReplyDelete-Katrina
Hey Suzanne, Makayla is just like that. She sleeps great at night and its a struggle to get good consistent naps out of her. With M, I usually going in and try to do the going to sleep routine again if she wakes up in 30-40 mins, so soother, seahorse, rocking, placed in crib and blanket on. I let her cry it out a bit. Sometimes this works, mostly not though. If she gets the short naps I always try to get the 3rd nap in or even sometimes a 4th depending on when they were. I also agree with the going to bed earlier. M usually is in bed between 7 and 730, if she has bad naps sometimes she's done by 6 so she's in bed and sleeping by 630. I find she still wakes up at the same time around 7 am. As my sister says, as long as you get the good sleep at night be happy. (She has the opposite problem!)
ReplyDelete-Chelsea
Thanks girls - Perhaps I should try the earlier bedtime when this happens... J goes to bed so early anyway (usually between 630-7) so I"m always worried that he'll wake up at 530 or something other ridiculously early time:) And in the end it is true that I'm well rested at least!!
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