Regression or sleep transition

MommyMoru

Hi ladies. I haven't been on the forum in a while but recently I've been a bit stressed with LO. I'm a FTM so when these phases hit I'm usually scrambling for sanity. Im also a mostly stay at home mom.

Lately, naps have been a battle with LO. He takes a morning nap and that has been varying in time recently but his afternoon nap is so hard to get. Sometimes it ends up where he stays awake 5-7 hours without a nap because, though he rubs his eyes and yawns and such, he will not go down when I notice his cues.

I was just curious if this is regression or transition.

Right now, his top two teeth just came in so he now has four teeth; he's standing on his own and started walking two days ago though it's only a few steps every time. He's talking more too so I just figured is brain is just all sorts of excited and keeping him from sleeping but then I thought maybe it was something else.

If it is one of the two, what can I do to help him transition and get through it?

Thanks for advice in advance!

harmonicbabe26

I'd say it's because of the teeth and other developmental milestones he's hitting. When those things happen, sleep is the first thing to suffer. Also, maybe you are waiting a bit too long to put him down for that second nap. My first DD was really regular when it came to naps ans food. She ook short naps (1hr max) but at very even intervals during the day. Now, my second DD, i had to try a different approach. I read about a 2-3-4 approach. Firat nap about 2hrs after wakeup, second nap 3 hrs after they get up fron their first nap, then four hours later it's bedtime. I use a modified version of this since my DD would never stay up 4 hrs... She'd be a complete miserable mess... Anywho, i am saying all this so that maybe you could try a sooner second nap... 5-7 hrs of awake time for a baby this age seems like a lot. He may be overtired and unable to settle to sleep. Just a thought.

Bigboobsmcgee

I also agree it could be teeth or the new developments BUT what do you mean "he will not go down"? You say he's yawning, rubbing his eyes so clearly he is tired. But like every other baby in the world, he is simply fighting sleep. They all do that. I suggest feeding him (or whatever your pre-nap routine is), put him in his bed, give him a kiss and walk out. If he cries, he cries, but at least you know you've done everything he needs but he is just resisting the nap.

For me, it's easy to leave the room because I know my kids don't have a need. They have been fed and are tired but just don't want to go down. Whatever you decide, be consistent day after day.

MommyMoru

Well I've tried the early thing and I've waited for over an hour before listening to him play and shriek and try to fall asleep and not and stand and scream for me and I assumed he want tired. Every time I put him down I try to do it at the same time every day but it depends on when he wakes up but roughly I try to give him naps 3-4 hours apart as that's been the schedule he got into around 6-7 months. I also do the same routine with him which is talk about taking a nap, cuddles, milk, talking about a nap, running fingers through his hair and then saying sleep well and leaving. An average day for us is:
5:00-5:30 wake up and bottle
7:00-7:30 food
8:00-9:00 start nap with bottle
10:00-11:00 wake up and bottle
12:00-1:00 food
2:00-3:00 start nap with bottle
4:00-5:00 wake up and bottle
5:00-6:00 food/family dinner
7:00-8:00 bed and bottle

These at estimates based on when he usually gets up and we often go for walks and play all day when he's awake or run errands.

Today I worked and he slept from 10:20-11:50 for my mother in law. I put him down around 3:00 instead of 4:0 as he was rubbing his eyes and you ladies suggested trying earlier. He's been in bed for 20-25 minutes and is still not sleeping though he has seemed to be settling and then wakes/gets back up. I haven't gone in because I know that'll really wake him up so I'm just waiting it out. I hope he goes to sleep sooner rather than later but I can't assume too much at this point....

Bigboobsmcgee

How old is your LO?

Naps are estimates for us too, based on when DD wakes up BUT, I only put her down when she seems tired. I never pay attention to how much time has gone by between naps or how long she's been awake. For me, it's much easier to realize when she's tired and then put her down accordingly.

When your LO gets up at 5:00am are you sure he's ready? DD used to start stirring and cry out super early and if I did get her up, she would be a tired mess the rest of the day. I realized that I probably shouldn't get her up that early or at least give her a bottle and put her back to bed. Just a thought.

This is most likely just a phase and will pass before you know it even though that doesn't help you much right now

MommyMoru

He's 10 months. Should have said that in first post :0

And he's been on a 5am wake up schedule for the longest time. I think it has to do with how dad gets up at 5 to leave for work and he just fell into our schedule.

Yesterday he finally went down for a nap after about 30-40 minutes of being in his bed. Then he slept for 2 hours and went to bed around 8:40 and woke up at 4:30 for a change and bottle then slept again until about 6:00-6:20. I really hope this is just a transition but I just wish I could make things easier for him and help him better. I feel I'm just guessing so much and he's not getting the sleep he needs and just stays miserable most days ._.

Bigboobsmcgee

You're guessing because that's all you can really do. I felt the EXACT same way you are describing when I had my first kid. I thought that my LO's sleep was crappy because of something I was doing wrong, when in fact, it's impossible to get it all right because it's all trial and error. You have to guess!

My second kid, my daughter, is almost a year old and she is sooooo predictable when it comes to naps but SHE put herself on that schedule. When a baby isn't so predictable, like yours, you have to try to do what you can with the cues he gives.

Sorry if I'm rambling, I love to try and solve sleep problems I do it on my month board all the time.

MommyMoru

No worries! I appreciate all the different stories and trials people go through since I don't have anyone around me in the same position! That's why I joined the site was to get input from other moms and ask the 'stupid' questions

leela02

At that age my DD usually went for a morning and early-afternoon nap, and sometimes another one later in the afternoon. She put herself on that schedule. Also, putting her down at the first sign of sleepiness didn't work anymore so we would just wait for her to get a little more tired (not too long). She usually doesn't fight sleep too much unless she is teething or has a cold. As long as she gets some cuddles she is good. When she first learned to sit up though, she would sit up in her sleep and freak out instead of realizing she could lie back down. But that was just a phase, we just rolled with it.

Another idea is to try to teach your LO the sign for sleep. I have a niece who signed really well at that age and told you exactly when she was ready to go to bed lol.