Waking too soon from naps/Weissbluth

We have been trying to read Weissbluth and institute crib napping so they can sleep free from dogs, phone, etc. Problem is, they go down ok, for the most part, but will wake about 30 min. into a nap. We put them down with some soothing (rocking usually) and dd goes down pretty easily, ds, who has reflux, is harder to put down. We try to get him asleep to put him down (I know, opposite of what they say to do to learn self-soothing). We've tried letting him cry but after an hour he was a mess. We've also tried letting her cry to go back to sleep and it doesn't work for her either. We've been letting him take some naps in his bouncy in their room b/c of his reflux but he still wakes too early. It is getting beyond frustrating as I'm dealing with PPD, new killer tension headaches and a husband who is an airline pilot and thus is gone for about 3-4 days a week straight. Mother and MIL have been helping but that is getting to be another issue...I can't wait to go back to work in August (school) and I feel guilty for that...Any suggestions?

 

I wish I could help here. My boys are doing exactly the same thing and are about the same adjusted age as your twins. I've been trying to follow Weissbluth as well but no matter what we try they wake up exactly 20-30 mins after they go down for a nap. So they end up taking about 5 short naps a day. Perhaps this is just a phase they are going through? The other thing I have been thinking is that we need to lengthen the time in between naps so that they can sleep longer when they go down. They still get so sleepy after 1.5 - 2 hours that I put them down for a nap. But maybe if I could stretch this out then they would sleep longer.

 

What's their sleep schedule? I noticed that feeding them a little before a nap works better too, and yes, I do have them CIO anything shorter than 1 hour. And if you are consistent, they'll get it and eventually their nap will get longer. Also you need to make sure that they're tired before going to bed, but not overtired. Take them outside, be active with them, that helps.

But anyway, I think you should look at the total picture of sleep. When my oldest's napping got worse (and she was / is a great sleeper) Weissbluth suggested to put her down an hour earlier. So she went down at 6 pm, still slept until 7 am and her napping got better.

My twins have been on the following schedule since 4 months: wake up 7 am, nap at 9 am (1- 1 1/2 hour max), nap at 1.00 pm (1 1/2 hour minimum, 2 hours max), down at 6 pm. I may keep them up until 1.15 pm if they don't appear tired (no crying / whining).

 

QUOTE(luxlady @ Jun 25 2007, 06:11 PM) [snapback]306427[/snapback]
I wish I could help here. My boys are doing exactly the same thing and are about the same adjusted age as your twins. I've been trying to follow Weissbluth as well but no matter what we try they wake up exactly 20-30 mins after they go down for a nap. So they end up taking about 5 short naps a day. Perhaps this is just a phase they are going through? The other thing I have been thinking is that we need to lengthen the time in between naps so that they can sleep longer when they go down. They still get so sleepy after 1.5 - 2 hours that I put them down for a nap. But maybe if I could stretch this out then they would sleep longer.



I think I read that keeping them up longer will just make them overtired. Ours are sleepy too after just about 2 hours. Have you tried adjusting their bedtime? We went from putting them down at 8 pm (after bath,bottle) to putting them down at 7. Perhaps we might try making bedtime at 6-6:30. It's so frustrating when you know they're tired...Keep in touch with any questions/progress!

 

Mine are also the same age as yours, and doing the same thing! My DD could sleep all day in her swing, but we're trying to work on the crib naps. I got DS, who is really hard to get to nap, to sleep all of 45 minutes in his crib today, and I felt like that was a victory. I put them both in their cribs when they looked tired, and turned their mobiles on, and read a book softly. By the time the book was done DD was out, (no suprise), and DS was still awake but almost out, so I just started reading my own book out loud softy, until he was asleep, and then I just stayed in the nursery and read my book until DD woke. She didnt' sleep that long because she actually took a two hour nap earlier...so anyways my DS woke soon after that even though we left the room...I think he could her her being loud downstairs or maybe he would have slept longer. They do sleep well at night though, and do seem to get tired earlier and earlier. I too hesitate to put them down before 7 because I don't want them waking before 7 am, but maybe I should try earlier and just see what happens? Weisbluth does say "sleep begets sleep". So I think I'm gonna try staying in the nursery as a comfort measure for now, until they are napping better. I think if they wake briefly and see I'm still there, they may go right back to sleep instead of crying....just a thought.

 

My guys are 16 weeks old and we've been doing naps in the cribs for over a month now. They take 4 naps a day - about 45 minutes to 1 hour each. I'd love to get down to 2 or 3 longer naps instead, but they're not there yet. I'm hoping this will improve as they get older?
If you find the secret let me know!

 

There are many times that my boys will only take a 30 minute nap, typically when they are unswaddled. I usually swaddle them for sleep (they always sleep much longer this way). When I don't swaddle, their sleep is of a much shorter duration. I am trying to swaddle them less so that they can self soothe (also because it's been hot) and their naps have been short.

 

All I can do is empathize. I thought my guys were getting into a nap pattern around 5 mos but it only lasted a few days. No matter what I try, including Weissbluth's advice, they follow their own daytime schedule. And I've tried serious CIO to no avail.

As for the MIL/mom help, I also feel for you. My hubby travels in spurts and both have pitched in...but you get to the point where as grateful as you are for their help, you'd rather just haul the kids everywhere & handle it all yourself just to have some breathing room.

 

We also follow HSHHC and my girls did the same thing for naps. We ended up giving them three naps and bed at 6pm. Our naps schedule was wake at 6am, naps at 9,12,3, then bed at 6pm. As they got older their naps got longer. Good luck, I hope you find something that works for your family.