April 2013 Moms

Short First Nap?

Our nearly 5 month old is getting better at soothing himself to sleep.  He basically just hugs 2 binkies he has in bed with him and drifts off to sleep, often with a bit of protest crying (usually 1-2 minutes).  He was sleeping well for first nap, usually at least 1 hour.  However over last 5 days, his first nap has been 40-45 minutes tops.  Because of that he becomes very tired and can't make it to 2nd nap.  This is his schedule:
Wakes usually between 7-7:30 am
1st nap goes down usually 9:15-9:30 am, wakes after 45 minutes
2nd nap barely makes it to 1:00 pm, but sleeps for long time - often have to wake at 3:00 pm
3rd nap goes down usually 4:30-4:45 pm
Bedtime around 7:45-8:00 pm
Wakes usually for 1 feeding at night, timing still erratic, usually around 4 am

My logic is that if he is self-sooting for naps, why does he wake after 45 minutes from the first nap?! Makes no sense, especially since he is clearly tired and can't make it to his usual time for 2nd nap.  Please help, no clue what I'm doing wrong!

Re: Short First Nap?

  • CanukMamCanukMam member
    edited August 2013
    I would not be waking him from the 2nd nap!

    My LO has a short first nap too, up at 7-7:30 then down again by 9, for 45-1hr after that he has two more naps for 2-3 hrs (on a good day)
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  • I have to wake him from the 2nd nap, because if he sleeps too long won't be tired enough for 3rd nap, but too tired to make it to bedtime!
  • Maybe you should try putting him down earlier for the 2nd nap? I always go by how tired my LO seems to be getting and how long he has been awake since his last nap rather than the clock. He usually doesn't make it much past 2 hours between the AM wake-up and Nap 1, and same thing between Nap 1 and Nap 2. However, he will often go three hours between waking up from Nap 2 and going down for the night.
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  • danuli8 said:
    Maybe you should try putting him down earlier for the 2nd nap? I always go by how tired my LO seems to be getting and how long he has been awake since his last nap rather than the clock. He usually doesn't make it much past 2 hours between the AM wake-up and Nap 1, and same thing between Nap 1 and Nap 2. However, he will often go three hours between waking up from Nap 2 and going down for the night.

    I agree with this. I personally focus less on the clock and more on my baby's cues.
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  • I have a baby sleeping through the night now. She goes down around 9 and gets up around 6:30-7 but now she is refusing to nap except in the car to and from the babysitter (20 minute ride) not what I wanted and the babysitter would love if she napes. Playing all day with a baby is hard.
  • Honestly that sounds very normal.
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