Please help...I'm desperate!

Up until about 2 weeks or so ago they napped great...once in the morning, once in the afternoon and a short catnap at about 4:30pm ish. Then they started not going to sleep at their usual bedtime of 7pm and staying up until 10pm...so DH and I decided that it was time to drop that 4:30pm catnap.

Well..since then all **** has broken loose and I don't know how to fix it. We are all tired and cranky and have colds this week as well. (this not napping business started before we got sick).

I have tried putting them down earlier, later, not at all..and I get screams and tantrums and they eventually fall asleep out of exhaustion for about 1/2 hour and then the screaming begins again. My patience has run out..I'm exhausted, DH is exhausted. Today was my breaking point. They are now both in DD's crib as I needed to calm down and clear my head. I just don't know where I went wrong.

And of course, on top of all this I am trying to come up with the best times to do their meals....they have two at the moment and I am wondering if a third is necessary yet (they are 6 1/2 months). I have looked over all the 6 month schedules and I can't seem to make any of them work.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what went wrong? The only thing I can think to try is giving them back their 4:30pm nap and putting them to bed at 8Pm instead. I desparetly need my good sleepers back! HELP!

 

Ack! I think we're starting to have some nap issues here too. If I come up with anything, I'll let you know

 

Give us an idea of your current schedule. You never know, what works for me prolly won't work for you, but lets see!

 

Yeah, I would like to see your schedule as well....I would be more than happy to help you "fix" it! Or try at least!

Also....could they be teething?

 

If the problem started when you gave up the 4:30 nap, then restoring it seems like a reasonable thing to try. Ours took a 3rd nap (at least most days) until about 8 months, although it was often in the stroller.

Also, you don't really need a 3rd meal at 6 months. We didn't even start solids till 6 months. We added a 2nd meal around 7 months and didn't do a 3rd until like 10 months. The amount of solids they take in is pretty unimportant at this point -- it's just for practice. So if it doesn't work with your schedule, don't do it. HTH!

 

Do they nap in the same crib? Our little ones nap pretty well, and wake between 1-5 times per night (other story). What I tend to do in between their naps is go out and follow a routine before putting them down for a nap. I swear this has helped them nap better and more consistently. Before each nap and before bedtime, I try to follow the same routine. I pull out three short books to read to them. I then sing the same three songs after that. I usually place the less tired looking one (usually my ds) in the swing then go and nurse the other one. Once she's done eating I place her in the crib and then go get the other one. I swear they anticipate most of this, even the books and songs. I allow about 10 minutes of reading and singing before going off to nurse them. Here is my current schedule...

600-700am wake then nurse
800/815 cereal with applesauce
845 read/sing songs
900 nurse then nap
1030-1100 wake then nurse
1130 go out for a walk (I usually drive to this park that has a nice walking path)
1230 return from being out and start to transition them for their naps.
100 nurse then nap
200-300 wake then nurse. If one wakes early I wait until both are up before nursing them together
330 vegetable (still trying to figure out where to put the second meal- it's been 2 days now)
400 try to go out again (kohls, target, sister's house, parent's house) usually nap when we are out
430ish nurse
600 considering to place second meal here
630 bedtime routine, bath, nurse, sleep

Sorry for all the detail. I hope some of this is helpful. I truly believe they started napping better when I exposed them to the outside. Before I didn't go out a lot but realized they really enjoyed and wanted it. I really hope your little ones start napping better!!!

 

Ok....well, it's a bit of a mess right now, but I have been trying to do this:


7am wake
7:15am cereal +fruit, then bottle
9am nap
11am bottle
1pm nap
3pm bottle, snack (baby mum) (not everyday)
4pm veg & fruite
5pm bath
6:30pm bottle
7pm bath

seems fine right? Except I can't get them to nap any more. We used to do a nap at 4:30pm for about a half hour to get them through to 7pm until they started not wanting to sleep or settle then. Today is totally messed up...they napped all over the place today...they are on their 3rd nap...the first two lasted about a 1/2 hour each so I decided to put them down at about 2:30pm....I think DS is finally asleep, he has been fussing for a half hour. They are both so tired...DS even has bags. I will stick with a 7pm bedtime tonight and then tomorrow I will try and stick with the routine above but include that 4:30 nap and see if they will stay up til about 8Pm and then if we have a new bedtime so be it!
My dad came by this afternoon so it was nice to have the company and distract them from their distraught mommy for a while!

So, today went like this...

DD woke at 6:45am...I got her up at 7am and gave her a bottle...DS was still asleep so DH got him up at 7:30am when he heard him stirring...I gave him a bottle. At 8am...DD was getting fussy so I put her down and she slept until about 8:45am...meanwhile I played with DS and gave him half a jar of fruit...then he got fussy around 9:15am so I put him down...it took him about 20 mins to settle. I think my day went downhill when I decided to get him up at 10am to try and keep them on a similar routine for the afternoon. Sigh...this is such a hard job!

 

I think that your schedule at the top looks great, and we didn't drop that 3rd nap until 7 months or so, but kept it to 30 minutes or less. But if they are staying up too late, drop it. I am not sure what to tell you about the other naps...could they be teething?

I would absolutely, for your own sanity, keep them on the same schedule. Feed them at the same times, and put them down at the same times. Hugs, I hope they start napping for you better, maybe you can take them for a walk, the fresh air usually wears mine out. I'm sorry I am not much help here!



:laughing: I am laughing because everytime someone types 8 p m it changes to that smiley...which is how we twin moms feel at 8 p m. 8P

 

My girls went through phases where they would try and mess with the schedule, but eventually they would go back to the normal routine. We didn't drop the 3rd cat nap until about 9 months, and it took about a month of transition before they were really done with it. Some days they would act like they needed but would refuse to take it, and other days they would be fine without it. I would say try and stick to your normal routine even if they fight you. And I agree with a pp that they might be teething. Try giving them some tylenol or ibuprofen before nap time and see if that helps. Good luck

 

Any update as to how things are going with their sleep and third nap? Just curious and I really hope things have improved!