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Hi Rita,
I’m so sorry to hear that the sleep pyramid hasn’t been working well for you and your husband.
Let’s see if we can turn things around!
I just have a few questions to better understand what’s happening:
Night Wakings
You mentioned she occasionally wakes between 3:00–5:00 am.
- When she wakes during this time, do you usually feed her, or do you try to shush and pat her back to sleep each time?
- If she doesn’t settle after an hour of patting and shushing, am I correct in thinking that you get up (sometimes as early as 4:00 am), put her in the sling, and walk around with her until her wake-up time at 6:30 am?
- How often does she wake during this window (e.g., how many nights per week)?
Bedtime
You mentioned that your husband does the pyramid at night if she doesn’t fall asleep during the final feed.
- When he does the pyramid, does she fall asleep in the crib, or does he have to climb the pyramid and then rock, hold or carry her around to get her to sleep?
Bedtime and Nap Routines
Could you describe what her nap and bedtime routines currently look like?
- Do you use the same routine when planning for her to sleep in the sling, or do you have a different approach? If it’s different, could you share what you typically do when she’s going to sleep in the sling?
Short Naps
At this age, short naps are very common, especially when your baby is sleeping in the crib. This happens because they aren’t yet able to connect their sleep cycles (as you already know). In the catnapping video, I talk about a method where you can try to extend their naps by entering the room before the first sleep cycle ends and recreating the conditions they associate with falling asleep. However, this doesn’t work for every baby.
It’s also worth noting that while babies often sleep for longer periods in a baby carrier, the quality of sleep may not be as restorative. This is because they adapt—or “habituate”—to the environment. Essentially, they’re working harder to stay asleep when we make sudden noises, move, or change direction. This is why they may sleep for longer stretches.
That said, if babywearing works for you and she’s happy after her naps, that’s fantastic! I just wanted to explain why naps in the sling might be longer.
Am I right in assuming that most of her naps, except for one (which is in the pram), are currently in the sling? You also mentioned that the second-to-last nap might be in the crib. How does your husband help her fall asleep for this nap?
Pacifier
Does she use a pacifier? If she does, do you find you need to keep popping it back in until she falls asleep?
Sorry for all the questions!
Emma