Early wake protocol

[LaraAndrea]

Hello,

First off I want to thank everyone for your help getting me through a stretch of short naps and helping me with the 3-2 transition (still working on it)

My question is around early wakes.

This has not become a trend as yet, but my LO woke at 6am today (chatting/ babbling etc.) Twice before 7am she fell back asleep. I would guess for ~ 10-15 min then waking again.

I was not sure how to proceed with her am AT. We just pushed her to 3h for past couple days. I was not sure how this early wake would effect her.

I decided to watch for signs of fatigue and be ready to PD early. She did not show early signs so I put her down at 10:00 as per recent routine.

Was this an appropriate response? Should I have put her down earlier?

Any other thoughts on early wakes?

[jessmum46]

How was her nap?  Sounds to me like you did just fine   Some people only ever start counting A time from when they get LO up - so 7am in this case, or if LO has been fully awake in bed for a while perhaps counting that time as 'half A time' (30 mins awake in bed = 15 mins A time counted).  Its basically a case of experimenting and just seeing what happens

[LaraAndrea]

She woke up 4 times in first 80 mins if her nap, 2 of those times required support to resettle (soothing words and pacifier) she slept the remaining time for 2h nap...

Second nap similar.

She doesn't seem to sleep longer than 30 min straight for naps since this 3-2 transition

[LaraAndrea]

Getting frustrated again....

I get a couple good naps... Then it falls apart

She woke up about 15 min early today crying... Wide awake
I put her down after 3 h as she was showing signs of fatigue. Up after 45 min...

It is exhausting to find ways to entertain her for 3h and also spend 45-60 min of her nap trying to extend.

I am loosing my mind

[jessmum46]

(((Hugs))), baby sleep is totally frustrating at the best of times.  Do you want to post your routine for me to see if I can help?

How old is she?

In terms of entertaining her, you don't have to be 'doing' something all the time, for young babies just watching you getting on with life can be as entertaining as anything else.  Can you create a safe space and sit her up with a few toys/books or a 'busy box' to explore while you get on with cooking, cleaning, whatever?  Also, once she can handle 3h A time it's far easier to get out and about between naps - and probably good for you too.  Trip to the park, walk in the buggy, take yourself out for coffee and cake??

Also, possibly controversial (!!) but how about just not resettling??  I took that approach with my second one as I just couldn't afford to leave a toddler alone for ages.  Basically if I could get a quick easy resettle in 5 mins or less, I did, and if not, we got up and moved on with the day.  Honestly it was quite liberating!  Perhaps something to consider?

[LaraAndrea]

7:00 WU
730 BF * this depends on when she fed at night (she does 3.5-4h)
830 solids (just started... We do 1 h after BF)
10:00 nap (we had good 2 h nap here for few days.. now sometimes 25 min... Sometimes 40 min... Sometimes it can be extended)
1200 WU
1230 BF
We're working on extending this AT, she was doing 2:45-3h prior to her short napping again
2:00 BF top up
3:00 nap
430 WU/ BF
BT 630-7 with BF top up
1030-1100 dream feed
She usually wakes up once  between 230-430 for feed...

If she has short naps we usually do a 30-40 min cat nap

She is 6 months old tomorrow...

The issue now that she started short napping is trying to figure out how to proceed... Historically if she has short nap I try to extend to within her 3.5-4h feed window... Then feed, then PD 30 mins after feed finished (that used to work for us after a short nap... Now I can't figure it out)

My LO can play independently for quite a while... But she does get bored easily, so they I have to change her space or position or toys... Running out of ideas there... I live in Canada and the weather has not improved yet... But I do hope to get out for more walks soon.

But right now... Her 2nd AT ends up short to avoid OT

[jessmum46]

Is she teething or unwell?  Those 25 min naps used to be discomfort-related for us usually...if not that, how long has she been on 3h A time? It could be she's got a bit OT from short/unsettled naps and just needs it pulled back for a day or two to catch up a bit?  Honestly I know it's frustrating but this is pretty typical for a baby this age just emerging from the 3-2.  It's a bit hazy now but from memory there was a lot of backward and forward!

With resettling, honestly don't spend that long.  Really, you'll not do yourself any favours   If it's not happening within 5-10 mins, just get up and move on with the day.  Low-key A time until feed, then put down for next nap a touch early.  30 mins after feed sounds too soon though - I wouldn't shorten A time by loads, just count from WU time and maybe do 2h30-45 instead of 3h x

[LaraAndrea]

Thanks... We tried that after a short nap yesterday. We did 2.5h AT and she slept for 2h.

I have not seen any teeth yet... But she is drooling and chewing so who knows when

I think you are right about settling... It is emotionally draining and rarely worth it... If she is going to settle she usually does pretty quick.

I will solider on...

[LaraAndrea]

I have decided to limit my resettling efforts...
So waking up after 30 min... Just cooing and talking?

No discomfort that I can diagnose...
OT? I brought her back to 2:40 AT today...
How long would you let her coo in crib? Similar to resettling?

I am so confused. I try to follow her lead and she is still up after 30 min...

[jessmum46]

Remind me - how old is she?

Waking up cooing and chatting sounds suspiciously like she was UT...I would leave her to it for a while to see if she will resettle, or just chill out a bit, and then go to her if she starts getting louder/upset. 

[LaraAndrea]

She is just 6 months April 3.

I thought​ that meant UT too, but I was curious about her waking after only 25-30 min which I thought was OT.

I find at night if she food at all she will soon fall back asleep. Doesn't happen as often for naps

[jessmum46]

30 min naps are often OT, but honestly sometimes anything can happen!  25-30 mins is the typical transition point from light to deep sleep during naps so anything which disturbs LO at that point can cause them to wake fully.  Overstimulation can sometimes cause that sort of happy delirious waking too - but in general I would take a good mood on wake-up from a short nap to be an UT nap. 

[LaraAndrea]

Thanks!
We pushed her to 3h AT this AM, she did wake after 30 min and needed a bit of help to resettle, but she went in to have 1:40 nap. Here's hoping the 2nd nap goes as well

[jessmum46]

How are you getting on?

[LaraAndrea]

Much better, thanks for asking.

She continues to wake up a bit early, but it used to be 615 now it is closer to 645 and I still put her down for her nap at 10 AM. Sometimes she will need resettling after 30 mins, but she usually will continue on for a 1.5-2h nap.