Sleep/Schedule Question - SAHM

[mfsunshine]

I don't want to post this on the "sleep thread" because #1 I feel bad (I have a great night time sleeper) #2 I need advice from you ladies that have babies that are actually sleeping.

My husband and I work alternating shifts so essentially we are a SAH family as far as LO's schedule is concerned. DS is a wonderful night time sleeper usually sleeping 12-13 hours (8:00pm - 9:00am) with one MOTN (5oz) feeding.  As of late he has been having an extra "wake up" at 6-7am.  I'm usually getting ready for work at this time so I leave it to my DH to handle. DH just gives DS a diaper change and another bottle and puts him right back to sleep which DS does willingly and sleeps until 9:30ish. But I'm in disagreement with this.  To me this is DS getting up for the day and needing some awake time; DH says this is the new "schedule" and it is fine.  On one hand I understand that DH does not want to get up at 6am, he works until 10pm doesn't get home until 11 and needs some time to decompress before he goes to bed @ 12-12:30; but on the other hand I believe this long ass night time sleep is screwing with my happy day time baby.  We are having issues with DS napping (he is a 30 min cat napper...always has been), and is an absolute bear by bedtime every day, which means I'm the one with the cranky child Mon. - Fri.  I can't help but think if DH would get DS up we might start having better luck with the naps and maybe an all around happier child. 

On the weekends I get up with DS when he wakes at 6-7 and we watch some cartoons and play for about 1-2hours and he usually takes a fairly long nap and then the rest of the day is the same old story of the "crap naps".  So I don't really know if my theory is correct or not, but a 2 day weekend isn't really long enough to test it.

So...how long are your babies sleeping at night?  Do you think I should push DH to get up with LO when he wakes this "second time" or just let DH handle his shift as he sees fit?

TIA and sorry for the novel...

[weeklyplanner]

My LO goes to bed around 6:30-6:45pm. If he wakes before 6 am, I don't go into his room and he usually talks himself back to sleep. If it's after 6am, I give him 5-10 min to see what will happen. Sometimes he goes back to sleep until 7-7:15, other times he is up for the day. He does "down" (I have to hold him) for his first nap 1-1.5 hours after waking. He, too, has always been a cat naper and light sleeper during the day. I spend my entire day holding him for naps or nursing. But, without naps he is one angry kid!

I'm not sure with your LO. I'm kind of surprised that he will go back to sleep until 9:30. Part of me says, if he will go back to sleep, he must be tired. My LO def wouldn't eat and go back to bed until 9:30. He usually eats and then starts smiling at the ceiling fan or playing with my hair. He tells me that he's definitely up for the day! If by chance he falls asleep nursing during that first feed, it's usually a 40 min nap and then he's wide awake.

[redhorizon343]

I think that 13 hours of night time sleep is a lot for this age, and that you are right in thinking that wake up time may be between 6 and 7. I also think that babies don't believe in weekends. You'll have a greater chance of success if you're consistent 7 days a week.

As far as extending naps - I can't help you. It may be a separate issue. Our LO goes down at 8 and is up between 6:30 and 7:15. Also takes 30 minute naps (unless in the car) so I don't know what to tell you.

[rbl]

If LO goes right back to sleep after the bottle your H gives him, I would be inclined to say that LO is still tired. DD does not STTN but if I feed her in the MOTN she goes right back to sleep after. By the time she is ready to be up for a bit for the day she will not go back to sleep after her morning feeding, even if I try.

Also, just to throw it out there, DD does not STTN and is still a crappy napper. Yesterday she had a whopping 17 minute nap at daycare.

[theteno]

I follow the 5 mo schedule from MyLydia's Sample Sleep Schedules and FAQ

community.babycenter.com/post/a51116617/sample_sleep_schedules_faq?cpg=1. Its from baby center. At 5 mo they need about 15h sleep a day. If hes sleeping 13h at night, i would not expect any good naps. Imo your lo needs to get up at 6 to 7am and your bedtime is fine. Anything after 7/730 can cut into night sleep, i was told. I do bedtime 645, wake up 7, nap 9 to 1030, nap 1245 to 2, nap 4 to 430. I have an early wake up issue at 530am but i believe its a paci problem.
Edit to correct

[bobloblaw]

Now, we are not SAH so take this with a grain of salt...but I don't think it makes a bit of difference how long he sleeps at night and how he naps. LO is grouchy at 6:30 PM regardless of his napping situation. It's bedtime.

If he's sleepy and falls asleep, I let him sleep. I don't care where we are, what we are doing, or if it falls into his usual sleepy range. I want him to equate sleepiness with falling asleep, no matter what. 

He is a cat napper so we don't expect a nap that is more than 30 minutes but it does happen occasionally. He is getting 14ish hours of sleep a day total (with about 12-13 being at night) which pedi said was fine. I know this may not work for everyone but I just got tired of fighting it.

[theteno]

In the end its whatever works for you guys... if your h likes him sleeping until 930... what are your wawkrwawke times? Is he up 2h to 2h15m before you try a nap?

Edit thats supposed to say awake times wth

[DVMmomma]

First of all - FWIW, all sorts of sleeping woes are welcome in the sleep thread! My LO sleeps the same as yours overnight (usually) and takes three 1-2 hour naps during the day. I just think she should be STTN by now so I still bitch about it because I want a 6 hour block of sleep but can't make myself go to bed at 7:30p.

Other than that, all I really have to say is that if you think it'll make a difference and you're the one experiencing a cranky LO all the time, it's worth asking DH to try something different to see if it helps. If it doesn't, then you can go back to how things are now. My kid was doing the same thing for a while with the 6a wake up and going back to sleep easily till 9:30a. I did have her keep sleeping because the times I tried to have her stay up, she was a grumpy mess. As usual, things changed with her and she now gets up at 7:30 and is ready to go for the day. Our lives seem to be ever changing with these kids because they can't seem to make up their minds.

[mfsunshine]

Jan 28, 2015 12:29:57 GMT -5 DVMmomma said:

First of all - FWIW, all sorts of sleeping woes are welcome in the sleep thread! My LO sleeps the same as yours overnight (usually) and takes three 1-2 hour naps during the day. I just think she should be STTN by now so I still bitch about it because I want a 6 hour block of sleep but can't make myself go to bed at 7:30p.

Other than that, all I really have to say is that if you think it'll make a difference and you're the one experiencing a cranky LO all the time, it's worth asking DH to try something different to see if it helps. If it doesn't, then you can go back to how things are now. My kid was doing the same thing for a while with the 6a wake up and going back to sleep easily till 9:30a. I did have her keep sleeping because the times I tried to have her stay up, she was a grumpy mess. As usual, things changed with her and she now gets up at 7:30 and is ready to go for the day. Our lives seem to be ever changing with these kids because they can't seem to make up their minds.

Thank you this is some great advice!  Maybe I will have my husband try an earlier wake up to see if it works.  I really don't mind LO sleeping until 9:30 I just don't want him to have to do it because my DH doesn't want to get up! 

What is your secret for the 1-2 hour naps?  I would kill for just 1 of these a day!

theteno LO usually wakes up (whenever that may be) in the morning stays awake for 1-1 1/2 hours then has a crap nap, up 3 hours(ish) then takes his longest nap of the day a wooping 45 min, up for 2 or 3 hours and I try to give him a nap between 4:30-5:30 this is a crap shoot and a crap nap if any (last night he fell asleep while I was rocking him when I put him in his crib, which he loves, he slept for 5 min and then woke up.  I tried to let him grex it out but no go. I put him to bed 1/2 hour earlier due to him being a cranky pants.

[theteno]

Would it work to extend the first wake time? Usually at 5 mo it would be 2h then 2h15m then 2h15m then 2.5h? Just a thought if maybe lo is up longer theyll sleep more, your lo is probably undertired. Eta. I get what youre saying though about baby being exhausted at night. Maybe evening out wake times so they dont have to goto bed super quick in the am and stretch it super long in the pm?

[bobloblaw]

Jan 28, 2015 13:25:59 GMT -5 mfsunshine said:

Jan 28, 2015 12:29:57 GMT -5 DVMmomma said:

First of all - FWIW, all sorts of sleeping woes are welcome in the sleep thread! My LO sleeps the same as yours overnight (usually) and takes three 1-2 hour naps during the day. I just think she should be STTN by now so I still bitch about it because I want a 6 hour block of sleep but can't make myself go to bed at 7:30p.

Other than that, all I really have to say is that if you think it'll make a difference and you're the one experiencing a cranky LO all the time, it's worth asking DH to try something different to see if it helps. If it doesn't, then you can go back to how things are now. My kid was doing the same thing for a while with the 6a wake up and going back to sleep easily till 9:30a. I did have her keep sleeping because the times I tried to have her stay up, she was a grumpy mess. As usual, things changed with her and she now gets up at 7:30 and is ready to go for the day. Our lives seem to be ever changing with these kids because they can't seem to make up their minds.

What is your secret for the 1-2 hour naps?  I would kill for just 1 of these a day!

 We only get random 1 hour naps when LO has been REALLY physically active. As in jumperoo/exersaucer/bumbo/tummy time, lots of visual input, lots of motor skills work, both gross and fine. It's when he's totally immersed in learning and playing and just get super exhausted.  BUT that doesn't happen every time he gets that kind of activity. Some kids are catnappers. I was and it appears LO takes after me in that respect. 

[DVMmomma]

Jan 28, 2015 13:25:59 GMT -5 mfsunshine said:

Jan 28, 2015 12:29:57 GMT -5 DVMmomma said:

First of all - FWIW, all sorts of sleeping woes are welcome in the sleep thread! My LO sleeps the same as yours overnight (usually) and takes three 1-2 hour naps during the day. I just think she should be STTN by now so I still bitch about it because I want a 6 hour block of sleep but can't make myself go to bed at 7:30p.

Other than that, all I really have to say is that if you think it'll make a difference and you're the one experiencing a cranky LO all the time, it's worth asking DH to try something different to see if it helps. If it doesn't, then you can go back to how things are now. My kid was doing the same thing for a while with the 6a wake up and going back to sleep easily till 9:30a. I did have her keep sleeping because the times I tried to have her stay up, she was a grumpy mess. As usual, things changed with her and she now gets up at 7:30 and is ready to go for the day. Our lives seem to be ever changing with these kids because they can't seem to make up their minds.

Thank you this is some great advice!  Maybe I will have my husband try an earlier wake up to see if it works.  I really don't mind LO sleeping until 9:30 I just don't want him to have to do it because my DH doesn't want to get up! 

What is your secret for the 1-2 hour naps?  I would kill for just 1 of these a day!

theteno LO usually wakes up (whenever that may be) in the morning stays awake for 1-1 1/2 hours then has a crap nap, up 3 hours(ish) then takes his longest nap of the day a wooping 45 min, up for 2 or 3 hours and I try to give him a nap between 4:30-5:30 this is a crap shoot and a crap nap if any (last night he fell asleep while I was rocking him when I put him in his crib, which he loves, he slept for 5 min and then woke up.  I tried to let him grex it out but no go. I put him to bed 1/2 hour earlier due to him being a cranky pants.

Re: the 1-2 hour naps- probably mostly luck. But she used to be a crap napper and then one day I laid her in her crib awake (but I knew she was tired because she'd been rubbing her eyes) and she fell asleep on her own. She slept 2 hours. That had NEVER happened so naturally every nap from then on I put her down awake after the first "I'm sleepy" cues. Sometimes she fusses for 5 minutes or so but she always falls asleep on her own and the naps have been better than when we'd bounce her to sleep ever since.