Welcome To The Members Area! › Forums › Baby Sleep Help › Cat Naps, when do these get better?? › Reply To: Cat Naps, when do these get better??
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Hi Melina,
No worries about the delayed reply, and I’m thrilled to hear that the catnap issue resolved spontaneously!
In regards to the bedtime challenges there are a few things that might help:
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Consistent Wake-Up Time:
- The variability in her wake-up time between workdays and non-workdays might be contributing to the bedtime issues. Babies thrive on consistency, and maintaining a regular wake-up time helps keep their circadian rhythm stable, which also supports a consistent bedtime. I know it’s challenging, but would you be open to aiming for a consistent wake-up time of around 6:30 am on your non-workdays? This still falls within a 30-minute window of her 6 am wake-up on your workdays. If that is too challenging would you be able to manage a 7am wake up on your non-work days?
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Adjusting Her Bedtime and Nap Pre-Sleep Routine:
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It sounds like she might be struggling to self-settle, which could be why it takes her two hours to fall back asleep overnight and why you need to rock her in your arms. I think that when her eyes start to droop and her limbs begin to relax she might be in Stage 1 NREM sleep. This would explain why she wake up when you lay her down. Therefore, to help her fall asleep at bedtime and during the night after a feed, would you be open to trying to lay her down in the crib before she reaches this stage and then use the settling pyramid to help her fall asleep? If this is something you can do then it would be great if you could discuss this new routine with your mum, so that she can do this same routine when she has your little one during your workdays.
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Pacifier Consideration:
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If you try step 2 and she still struggles to fall asleep at bedtime and wakes frequently during the night, needing the pacifier reinserted repeatedly, the pacifier might be the issue. How would you feel about removing the pacifier just before she falls asleep? If you’re open to this, here’s how you can do it:
- Let her suck on the pacifier during the pre-sleep routine.
- Lay her in her crib with the pacifier still in her mouth.
- Use the settling pyramid to help her fall asleep.
- Just before she drifts off, gently remove the pacifier by placing your little finger between the pacifier and the corner of her mouth.
For some babies, this works well. If she stirs more, you can use the settling pyramid to help her. But, if she wakes up fully, you have a couple of options:
- Option 1: Continue using the pacifier and put it back in her mouth when needed. She should have the fine motor skills to do this herself around 7 – 8 months of age. If this becomes too frequent, consider removing the pacifier completely or only using it at the start of the pre-sleep routine.
- Option 2: Use the pacifier for fussy times during the day and at the start of the pre-sleep routine, but not for sleep. Give her the pacifier at the start of the routine, then remove it before laying her in the crib, and use the settling pyramid to help her fall asleep without it.
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Earlier Bedtime:
- Sometimes, shifting bedtime to an earlier time can help eliminate bedtime challenges. Would it be possible to start the bedtime routine a bit earlier, around 7 or 7:30 pm, and aim for her to be asleep by 7:30 or 8:00 pm?
I hope this helps a little!
Emma
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