XP from Mult.: Suddenly Crappy Napping

smeyer

My LOs just turned 7 mo (actual) and for the last 2 weeks or so their naps have been crap.  They used to take 3 naps per day- 45 min to 1 hr around 8:30-9, 1.5-2 hrs around 11:00, and 45 min to 1 hr around 2:30 or 3.  Lately, if I'm lucky I'll get 3 45 min naps but it's usually less.  Needless to say, both are a crabby hot mess most of the time now because they aren't getting sufficient sleep during the day.  Did anyone else go thru this?  Did you do anything to ease the situation or did you just wait it out?  We've been trying "check and console" about every 5-10 min if they wake up crying but it's not working.  It just wakes the other baby and causes more screaming, and later crabbiness.  I've also tried rocking one (or both) to try to get them back to sleep but when they're up, they're up.  Period.I also should mention that they are tired but not overly so when I/we put them down, so it's not like we're trying to get them to nap when they aren't tired or are too tired.  They also go down pretty easily for naps.  The issue is that they're waking up way too early and we all pay the price later. 

mbjmaybebaby

My DD is doing this right now so I'm interested to see what others say.  She will fall asleep in my arms but the minute I put her down she's awake. 

Kmarie823

My girls are only 5.5 months but we have days like this sometimes.  We also check and console but I ended up having to separate them for naps.  I realize this may not be feasible for you.  We have the generally "better sleeper" in the nursery in their crib and the other in a pack n play in the guest room.  It took a good week of doing the check and console before they "got it". They do sleep in the same room in different cribs just fine at night.  But during the day my bad napper always wakes the good napper. 

Have you been doing the "sleep training very long"?  My bad napper often wakes before she should.  I know she's still tired.  So at first check I give the bink.  Secon check I check for comfort (hot, cold, dirty) But I always try not to pick them up.  Only as a last resort.  Sometimes they will cry for 15 or 20 minutes and then I won't hear them anymore.  I wish I had better advice for you.  It is very stressful!

Are they going through a growth spurt?  Maybe increase feeding amounts for a day and see if it keep them nice and full?  

Good luck! 

Million$$Baby

I think they're at the age where they may be ready to transition to 2 naps instead of 3. I believe when mine were around that age we did nap at 9:30 - 11:00 and then 2:30 - 4:00. They might not be tired enough to fall asleep three times a day, but if you switch to two naps you might see the return to longer periods of sleep. Good luck!