3rd nap difficult

[Curly Val]

Hello,
We just transitioned my 4 month old onto the 4 hour EASY.  Wow, did she ever need it!  Anyways, we are struggling with her 3rd nap.  She is and Angel baby and generally wakes up from naps with a slight whine, I give her a soother and she goes back to sleep.  I know she is done her nap when she wakes up and starts chatting to herself playfully.  However, her 3rd nap she wakes up crying (and she really isn't a crier) and requires significant soothing to get her back to sleep.  I suppose I shouldn't complain, because she is a really easy baby, I just feel bad, because crying for her means something is wrong.
Thanks
Val

[elmarie]

Welcome to BW 

Would you mind posting her EASY as it is now please.  Is she doing 2 naps and a catnap?

[Curly Val]

Sure!

E - 7:00
A - 7:45 - 9:00
S - 9:00 - 11:00 (Sometimes she does 2 hours, sometimes on 45 minutes, depends on the day)
E - 11:00
A - 11:30 -1:00 or 1:15
S - 1:15 - 3
E - 3:00
A - 3:30-5 or 5:15
S - 5:15 - 6 (wakes up crying, I'd let her stay up at this time if she was in a happy mood)
     6:00 - 6:30 comfort her until relaxed enough to sleep again, stays asleep for 15 minutes - 30 minutes
E - 7:00
A - Bath
S - 8:30

So any advice?
Thanks
Val

[elmarie]

The 3rd nap is meant to be a catnap, so the 40-45 min are fine.  However it is only meant as a catnap and not a restorative proper nap.  It is intended to get LO through bath and bed time routine.  I do think that you should bring bedtime forward to 7pm.   the 12h rule is usually applied from waking up to going to bed.  You probably have an OT baby and it will later start manifesting in EW and NW.  will that be posible? 

[Curly Val]

Thanks Elmarie,
I guess I'm confused about this.  How do I feed her 4 hours from 3:00 (that is 7) and still do a 7:00 bedtime?  Looking at my EASY routine, could you suggest a new one for me?  We have never really been into doing cluster feeding as my daughter has been able to eat lots at every meal from the get go (10'7 at birth)
Thanks for your help!
Val

[elmarie]

If you don't want to cluster feed, it's ok.  The reason that Tracy suggests the cluster is so that they can sleep a bit longer at night.  Do you do a DF?  If Lo wakes at 3 and you feed her do a catnap around 5 which will just help to get her through that extra hour to avoid LO getting OT.  During this hour being between 5.30-.6.30 do her bath routine.  Give her a feed and then sleepy time at 7/7.30.   Will that work for you?

[Curly Val]

Hi Elmarie!
I do a DF at 11.  Then my LO sleeps through until about 6am.  At 6 she starts to stir, I pop her paci in her mouth and she goes back to sleep until one of us wakes around 7.  I'm pretty content with the night time sleep (getting rid of the 6am wake would be fine, but its not really a big deal, she is back asleep before she even really wakes). 

I will try your suggestion re: bath after catnap and before feed tonight.  I suppose I should be keeping her awake for atleast 5 mins after the 7:00 feed?  so to avoid eating to sleep? 

Thanks again for all your help!  My LO had some really good naps today so I think we are on our way to getting it settled!

Val

[Claudiamummy]

Hi there, just jumping in

don't think of it as "keeping awake" just do something invetween to break feeding right to sleep.... Some suggest a nappy change, but I feed DD (to the point where she is dozing) but I gently rouse her and slip her into her sleepsack and then pop her into her cot..... She self settles so I know it's enough...

Good luck :-)

[elmarie]

Just to clarify.  It is up to you when the day starts .  EASY is a routine not time.  So if your day starts at 6 try and stick to the 12h rule.  And yes, keep her awake for minutes after her supper so there isn't an associating with feeding and sleep

HTH 

[Curly Val]

Thanks ladies!

Claudia, thanks for jumping in!  Its nice to hear what others are doing!

Elmarie, she is usually really good at going back to sleep at 6, I call it my warning call.  She lets me know wake up time is coming!  My DH and I really like starting the day at 7, so even though I would love to sleep past that, if she'd let me, we usually get going around 7.  Thats because, if we do so then daddy has the time before work to do her first activity time with her.  That way they get to see each other for a bit each day!

Thanks for your help guys!  We are on our way!

[elmarie]

  Keep us posted...

[Curly Val]

hey just checking back in to keep you posted!

After all this advice my LO got a cold and then went into a growth spurt, so I couldn't really make all the changes right away.

Anyways, we seem to be having great naps now... they range from 45 mins to 2 hrs (but if its a 45 min one the other nap is usually a nice long one) the average length being about i hour 15 mins or 1 hour 30 mins. 

She still wakes with a start after her CN, but I don't usually stress about it.

we are on to tackling NW and EWs as I think my LO's growth spurt is making her extra hungry (anticipating solids soon) so I'm adding an extra feed

Thanks again ladies!

Val

[elmarie]

Great to hear-you are doing a great job