[Emma H]

Hi Ana,

It’s wonderful to hear that your little one is sleeping well at night.

Regarding naps, unfortunately, the unpredictable nature of her naps is typical at this stage. Short naps are also common (and extremely frustrating). The other thing to note is The Period of PURPLE Crying would be peaking now, so that might be making afternoon/evening naps a little challenging.

The strategies in the course should help her nap in the crib. Have you had a chance to go through the course? If you have which strategies have you tried or continue to use? In particular, have you tried using the settling pyramid to help her fall asleep for naps?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Diana!

It sounds like you’re experiencing some changes with your little one’s sleep patterns. Before I can give you some suggestions, I have a few questions:

1. When did these changes start?

   • Did they begin when you moved him into his own room or did you move him into his own room at 5 months?
   • Did they coincide with him starting to crawl?

2. Can he roll from his back to his tummy on his own?

3. You mentioned his previous routine looked like this:

   • 6 AM: Wake
   • 1st nap around 8:30/9 AM (wake at 10/10:30 AM)
   • 2nd nap around 12:30/1 PM (wake at 2/2:30 PM)
   • 3rd nap at 5 PM (wake at 5:30 PM)
   • Bedtime at 7 PM
   • Overnight wake for a feed between 11:30 PM – 2:30 AM

Does his routine still look like this?

4. You mentioned he is waking often during the night—are there specific times he wakes, or is it every two hours from 7 PM onwards?

5. Also, you mentioned he is harder to settle for bedtime and naps. Is he still able to fall asleep in the crib by himself, or are you placing him in the crib and then moving up the settling pyramid, eventually picking him up and rocking him to sleep?

One possible reason for the sudden change in his sleeping patterns might be that he is ready to drop his third nap and transition to a two-nap schedule. Babies typically make this transition between 6 and 9 months of age. Do you think this might be the case? Here are some signs that indicate your baby might be ready for this change:

1. Trouble Falling Asleep at Nap Time: If he struggles to fall asleep during his usual nap time, especially in the afternoon, it might be because he isn’t tired enough and needs more awake time between naps.

2. Difficulty Falling Asleep at Night: If he used to fall asleep quickly but suddenly resists bedtime, it could be due to the last nap of the day being too close to bedtime, not allowing enough awake time to build sufficient sleep pressure for the night.

3. Waking Up Earlier Than Usual: If he starts waking up earlier in the morning, such as shifting from a 6 AM wake-up to 5:30 AM, it might indicate he needs to drop a daytime nap. As children grow, their overall sleep needs decrease, and excessive daytime napping can reduce nighttime sleep duration.

4. Shorter Naps: If he begins to have shorter naps, waking up much earlier than usual, it might be a sign that he’s ready to drop a nap. This often happens because they aren’t tired enough for a long nap due to shorter awake periods.

Thanks

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Harish,

I’m so glad you liked the course!

It’s great to hear that your six-month-old has been sleeping well. Feeding her to sleep doesn’t seem problematic at this point, especially since she only wakes once a night for a feed and her naps are going well.

There are potential issues that can arise from using a bottle as a sleep association. These include:

1. Frequent Night Wakings: Some babies who are fed to sleep might wake more often during the night. They may wake up every sleep cycle needing the bottle to fall back to sleep, or they might have a solid stretch of sleep at the beginning of the night and then wake every two hours from the middle of the night onwards.

2. Short Naps: Feeding to sleep can sometimes lead to short naps. Babies may only sleep for one sleep cycle (30-45 minutes) during the day and struggle to link sleep cycles for longer naps.

3. Dental Health: Going to sleep with a bottle can increase the risk of tooth decay.

If you notice these changes, you might want to start offering the bottle earlier in the bedtime routine so she doesn’t fall asleep with it.

I hope this helps!

Emma

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Maddie,

It’s often hard to see day-to-day improvements when you’re in the thick of it, but it’s helpful to be reminded of the progress you’ve made. It can definitely help keep you motivated!

It’s perfectly okay to climb the settling pyramid if she fusses immediately when you put her down. The key is to ensure she completes the last step by herself, which reinforces her self-soothing skills. Your approach is spot on.

It’s fantastic that she’s starting to self-soothe during naps and soon after bedtime.

Moving her into her own room is a big step, and it’s normal to feel mixed emotions about it. Moving her crib a bit further from you in the meantime is a great transitional step. Many parents find that both they and their baby sleep better with this arrangement due to fewer disturbances. Using a monitor will help you assess her needs while still giving her the space to self-settle.

If she’s been unwell, it’s natural for her to need more comfort and for her sleep to be disrupted. It sounds like you’re handling this well by giving her the extra cuddles she needs. Once she’s feeling better, you can gradually return to your regular sleep routines, and she should start stringing together longer stretches of sleep, particularly in the first part of the night.

Keep up the great work! She’s already showing she can self-settle, so continuing to give her opportunities to practice will only strengthen this skill.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Ana,

It’s so good to hear that the swaddle and pyramid work well for her bedtime. The reason this approach is effective at bedtime and not during the day is that her sleep pressure and circadian rhythm are working together to help her fall asleep. The fact that she has started to have a longer stretch of sleep at the beginning of the night also indicates that her circadian rhythm is starting to have an impact on her sleep, which is great.

At 8 weeks, the Period of PURPLE Crying might be peaking, which can make it tricky to get her to nap in the afternoon. During this fussy period, babies often find it challenging to fall asleep and may have very short naps, often preferring to cluster feed and be held.

Given that afternoon naps might be challenging, you might have more success with getting her to nap in the crib at the beginning of the day.

Here are a few things you can do to encourage her to nap in her crib:

1. Follow the Wake, Feed, Play, Sleep Routine:

   • At this age, you’ll notice that she is starting to stay awake after a feed. This is a good time to establish the wake, feed, play, and sleep routine. Often, a baby wakes from a nap, feeds, plays, and then shows signs that are often mistaken for hunger. We feed them again, and they fall asleep while feeding. This ‘sleep’ is very brief but enough to lower their sleep pressure, making them less tired and extending their wake window. To avoid this cycle, follow the wake, feed, play, and sleep routine. After she has been awake and starts showing tired signs, swaddle her, take her to her bedroom, complete her sleep routine, and then use the settling pyramid to help her fall asleep.

2. Embrace the Short Naps:

   • At this age, short naps (lasting around 20 minutes) are normal and can vary from nap to nap and day to day. If she falls asleep while feeding and wakes when you transfer her to the crib, her sleep pressure might have lowered, causing her to stay awake for another wake window (45 + minutes) before falling back to sleep. In these situations, if she wakes up and you can’t settle her back to sleep within 10 minutes, start the next wake, feed, play, and sleep routine.

3. Start Waking Her at a Consistent Time:

   • To help mature her circadian rhythm and encourage a consistent time for the first nap of the day, start waking her within a 30-minute window in the morning (if you haven’t already).

4. Settle Her in the Crib for Morning Naps:

   • Given that she is likely going through the peak of the Period of PURPLE Crying, afternoon naps might be more challenging. To address this, focus on using the settling pyramid for morning naps. When she shows tired signs, follow these steps:

     1. Take her into the bedroom and complete the sleep routine: swaddle her, turn on the white noise machine, and sing a lullaby while holding her.
     2. Lay her down in the crib while she is drowsy but still awake. Avoid feeding her as part of the nap routine to prevent her from falling asleep while feeding, which can lead to short naps (as she is likely to fall asleep briefly while feeding) and lower her sleep pressure.

     Once she is in the crib, use the settling pyramid techniques as needed to help her fall asleep.

Does this seem doable for you and your husband?

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Maddie,

First off, I want to say you both have done an amazing job helping your little one learn how to fall asleep in her crib. Just 13 days ago, you began the ‘watch and listen’ step outside the room and successfully settled her to sleep in her crib for her nap for the first time. Now, she is taking most, if not all, of her naps in her crib and settling to sleep using the settling pyramid for both naps and bedtime.

It’s fantastic that her naps have started to lengthen again too!

Since this ability to fall asleep in her crib for naps and bedtime is new, she might need a bit more time to get used to it before she starts dropping the overnight feeds. However, it does sound like she’s making progress, especially with that six-hour stretch of sleep the other night, which she hasn’t done since the beginning of April.

I still expect that with a bit more time, she will naturally start to reduce her overnight feeds. To help her along, you can try the following:

1. Complete the Watch and Listen Step Outside the Bedroom:

   • Are you still completing the watch and listen step while you’re outside the bedroom? If not, it might be worth trying this again now that she is comfortable being placed in the crib after the sleep routine.
   • Remember, if she calls out but there are pauses between the call-outs, this doesn’t necessarily mean she needs you. It could be her way of saying, “Hey, this is different!” or her way of settling to sleep. Babies can take up to 20 minutes to fall asleep, so if she calls out but there are pauses, give her the space to fall asleep without you in the room.
   • However, if she calls out and there are no pauses, that indicates she needs you. At this point, enter the room and move up the settling pyramid. Ensure you move back down the pyramid so she completes the last step of falling asleep on her own.

2. Use the Settling Pyramid for the First Third of the Night:

   • Babies often start to have longer stretches of sleep in the first third of the night because this period primarily consists of deep sleep (NREM Stage 3/4). As the night progresses, sleep is dominated by lighter sleep stages (NREM stage 2 and REM sleep). This is the part of the night that we want to first reduce the feeds and help her fall asleep using the settling pyramid instead.
   • When she goes to bed at 7:30/8pm and wakes anytime before 12am, pause and watch her on the baby monitor to see if she is truly awake or just transitioning between sleep cycles. If she is awake, go in and use the settling pyramid to help her fall back to sleep.
   • For wakes in the first third of the night, consider asking your husband to settle her. She may find it easier to fall asleep without a feed if she can’t smell your breastmilk. You might also consider temporarily moving out of the bedroom for a few nights to avoid her smelling the breastmilk. If this isn’t possible, or you prefer to settle her to sleep, that’s completely fine.
   • If you don’t feel up to this, you could continue to feed her for the next few weeks and see if she naturally starts to have longer stretches of sleep at the start of the night. If after a few weeks, she continues to wake, you can implement this step then.

3. Consider Your Bedtime:

   • Since she is sleeping in your room and tends to wake every 1 1/2 – 2 hours, think about the time you and your husband go to bed. The noise of you entering the room, getting ready for bed, and getting into bed may accidentally rouse her from sleep.
   • For example, if she falls asleep at 8pm, she might enter a lighter sleep stage and briefly wake around 9:30/10pm. If you or your husband go to bed around this time, you might accidentally wake her. You might need to adjust your bedtime to avoid this.

I hope this helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Diana,

Thanks for the answers!

Based on what you’ve shared, there could be a few reasons for the sudden change in his sleeping patterns:

1. Learning to Crawl: When babies start learning to crawl, it can affect their sleep, making it harder for them to fall asleep and causing more frequent wakes overnight.
2. Having Too Many Naps: Another possibility is that he’s having too many naps during the day. He might be ready to drop that third nap. It’s easy to mistake boredom for tiredness and continue putting him to bed at his usual time. However, if he’s ready to drop this nap, it can result in changes to his sleep patterns. For example, he might fall asleep initially but then wake up soon after because he’s not truly tired enough to stay asleep. This can lead to shorter naps and more frequent nighttime wakes.
3. New Sleep Cues: Another factor could be the introduction of a new sleep cue. Often, when babies start having trouble sleeping, we introduce new habits or techniques to help them fall asleep. For example, you might begin to hold him until he falls asleep. While these methods can be effective in the short term, they can lead to your baby becoming reliant on them to fall asleep. This means that when he wakes up during the night, he may not be able to fall back asleep on his own and will need the same sleep cue to do so. This dependency can cause more frequent nighttime wakes, and shorter sleep stretches.

Since he’s waking every 1-2 hours overnight, it sounds like he might be relying on being held to fall back to sleep.

Here are some suggestions to help him sleep for longer stretches:

• Try transitioning to two naps a day. Reducing the number of naps can help consolidate his sleep, leading to longer, more restful periods of sleep both during the day and at night. Additionally, stretching out his wake windows during the day can build up enough sleep pressure for him to sleep more soundly. Here’s an example schedule for transitioning to two naps per day:
  • If he wakes at 6 am, his first nap could be around 9-10:30/11 am.
  • The second nap could be around 1-2:30/3 pm.
  • Bedtime might initially need to be at 6:30 pm and can be adjusted later as he becomes more settled with just two naps.

• Reteach Self-Soothing: To help him sleep longer overnight and have longer naps during the day, he needs to relearn how to fall to asleep on his own. At this age, staying in the room after placing him in the crib can be confusing and upsetting since he’s more aware of your presence. So instead of staying in the room, you can try the following:
  • Pre-Sleep Routine: Complete your pre-sleep routine.
  • Place in Crib and Leave: After finishing the pre-sleep routine, place him in his crib while he’s still awake. Walk out of the room and close the door. Then, keep an eye on him using a baby monitor. (So what do in the Live Example: Reading Cues at 5 Months of Age video)
  • Watch and Listen: Observe and listen to him on the monitor. If he calls out, but there are breaks between the cries, he’s likely trying to settle himself. Give him a little time to do so without rushing in right away.
  • Respond if Necessary: If his calls get louder and more continuous without breaks, go back into the room to soothe him.
  • Move Up and Down the Pyramid: Use the settling pyramid method as needed, and move back down the pyramid as he settles so that he completes the last step of falling asleep on his own. This might mean you need to pick him up and put him back down a few times.
  • Consider the Timing: Reteaching him how to fall back to sleep on his own can be challenging when you’re also caring for a toddler. You might find it more manageable to focus on this at bedtime when another adult can entertain the toddler (and this might also be easier as sleep pressure and his circadian rhythm will work together to help him fall asleep). Alternatively, you could start this process on a weekend when another adult can help.

Is this something you could try?

I understand it might be frustrating to hear that he needs to relearn this skill. However, it might be comforting to know that this process should be quicker than the first time you did this with him. Plus, you already know he can do it! Once he relearns how to fall asleep on his own, his naps should lengthen, and the number of overnight wakes should decrease.

Let me know if you have any questions or need further help!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Maddie!

Yay! 2-hour stretches of sleep would feel so much better.

It’s great that she’s going down pretty easily now.

Before I provide some suggestions to help her sleep longer, could you tell me about her current nap and bedtime routine? What does her new routine look like?

Also, you mentioned before that your partner enjoyed contact naps during the day. Is he still doing this, or is she now napping in her crib during the day too?

Since she’s waking every few hours, can you also describe what her nights look like? Specifically, what time does she go to bed, when does she wake up for a feed, and if she still has that long period of being awake in the early morning hours?

Thanks!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Carter!

Another Aussie! Welcome!

It’s so nice when they start to stay awake for longer and you can actually play with them.

During the newborn stage, it often feels like it’s just feeding, changing diapers, and then back to bed again!

Enjoy the playtime!

[Emma H]

Hi Jennifer!

That’s fantastic news about her daytime naps! It’s great that she is starting to have longer naps too. As she approaches 6 months, you should notice she settles into a 3-nap schedule, with the last nap of the day being the shortest (around 30-45 minutes). Her morning and early afternoon naps should lengthen.

It’s also good to hear that her wake windows are lengthening again. It can change so quickly, can’t it? It’s not unusual for that final wake window to be slightly longer than the others.

If you feel more comfortable, you could try reducing the speed of the patting very, very slowly until you eventually stop. This process of slowing down the patting could take a few minutes. Once you stop patting, rest your hand on her chest for a few minutes before moving away. You may find that she doesn’t get as distressed if you do it very slowly. What do you think?

Regarding overnight: Since she goes back to sleep easily after a feed for the 11 PM and 1:30/2 AM wake-ups, I recommend continuing to feed her to sleep.

Also, just wondering what time you and your partner go to bed? If it’s around 10:30/11 PM, it might be interesting to see if going to bed a little earlier or later affects her 11 PM wake-up. It’s possible that entering the bedroom at this time might be rousing her if she is in the lighter stages of sleep or partially waking.

For the 4/5 AM wake-up, it can be more challenging to get her back to sleep because sleep pressure is low (as she has already been asleep for 8-9 hours) and she’s likely in a lighter stage of sleep.

In the meantime continue:

• Keeping the environment as consistent as possible: Ensure the room is dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. Use white noise to mask early morning sounds that could disturb her.
• Helping her learn how to fall asleep on her own: As she learns the skill to fall asleep on her own, these wakes should start to naturally reduce.
• To pause when she first makes a sound: This allows her a chance to drift back off to sleep if she is just briefly waking between sleep cycles.

I hope this helps!

Emma

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  Emma H.

[Emma H]

Hi Jennifer,

It’s great to hear about the progress you’re making with Eva’s sleep routine!

I’m glad you’ve been able to move away from rocking to sleep, using singing and patting instead. However, I understand your concern about these becoming new sleep crutches. To prevent this, you can gradually reduce your involvement before she fully falls asleep. For instance, you might start by singing to her as she lies in your arms, then place her in the crib and move up the settling pyramid as needed and then back down so that she does the final step of falling asleep by herself. For example, once she’s calmer, slowly decrease the patting, eventually resting your hand on her chest, and then step back, continuing to shush from a distance, and finally stopping altogether before she falls asleep.

You mentioned her naps are going well. Does this mean Eva is settling easily, or are her naps becoming longer? Based on your description, I’m picturing a daily schedule like this:

• 7:30 AM wake-up
• 9:30 AM nap for 2 hours
• 11:30 AM wake-up
• 1:30 PM nap
• 2:00 PM wake-up
• 4:00 PM nap
• 4:30 PM wake-up
• 8:00 PM bedtime

During the night:

• Wakes at 10:30/11:00 PM, stays awake for about 1.5 hours
• Sleeps from 12:30 AM to 1:30 AM, wakes for a feed
• Wakes again around 4:00/5:00 AM for another feed, followed by contact napping until 7:30 AM

Is this correct?

Additionally, when she wakes for the 1:30 AM feed, does she return to sleep immediately, or does she stay awake for a while? Are you feeding her when she wakes at 10:30 PM?

I’d love to hear how the last few nights have been for both of you.

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Vivian!

I’m thrilled to hear that adjusting the wake windows has led to longer naps—that’s a big win!

I have answered your questions below.

Should you cap naps at 2 hours?

Generally, capping naps can be helpful to make sure your baby sleeps well at night. If longer naps during the day are making it hard for your baby to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, you might want to keep daytime naps shorter. However, every baby is different. If he still seems tired after waking up from a two-hour nap, it might mean he needs to nap a little longer. You could experiment with letting him sleep up to 2.5 hours, and see how that affects his overall mood and nighttime sleep.

What time should the last nap end?

It really depends on what your little one can tolerate. As a general guide, babies from 4 – 6 months of age can usually stay awake for 2 – 2 1/2 hours. So if you’re aiming for a 7 PM bedtime, try to end the last nap by 4.30 pm. This should give him enough time to build up enough sleep pressure to be ready for bed at 7 pm. However, if he still seems wide awake at bedtime, you might need to end the last nap a bit earlier to ensure he’s ready to sleep by 7 PM.

Understanding “watch and listen”

When your child starts fussing as they settle down for sleep, it’s helpful to pause and observe without immediately stepping in. This can tell you if they need your help or if they might fall asleep on their own:

• If there are pauses between the callouts or cries, he might be settling himself back to sleep.
• If the crying gets louder or continues, he might need you to step in and help him settle.

This approach gives him the space to learn how to soothe himself to sleep and lets you know when he truly needs your assistance.

In regards to toddler resources on sleep, I do have a few videos on YouTube. But I don’t currently have a course.

I hope that answers your questions!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Vivian!

Yes, what you’re describing is quite common among infants who are going through the catnapping phase. When babies take shorter naps throughout the day, putting them to bed early can help offset the lack of daytime sleep and prevent overtiredness from building up too much, which indeed helps them sleep longer stretches at night.

If you notice that the early bedtime consistently results in longer, more restful night sleep and a happier baby the next day, it might be a good strategy to continue during this phase of frequent catnapping.

I hope this helps!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Maddie,

It’s good to hear about those longer stretches of sleep you’ve been getting, though I understand last night was a bit rough.

Adjusting your feeding strategy as you described—feeding before the bedtime routine and topping up as usual—sounds like a good plan. This could help ensure she’s full and potentially help her sleep longer stretches.

Your question about the menstrual cycle potentially affecting your little one’s sleep is an interesting one. It is possible that your milk supply may change during your menstrual cycle. Some mothers notice a drop in their supply during the luteal phase, the second half of your cycle leading up to menstruation. This might be why your little one is feeding more frequently at this time.

It might be worth noting this down and seeing if it is a pattern that continues to happen.

Let me know how it goes with the adjusted feeding strategy, or if there’s anything else you need!

Emma

[Emma H]

Hi Maddie,

It’s great to hear that she slept for 3.5 hours straight the other night and went back to sleep after her overnight feeds – that’s a significant improvement!

It’s also encouraging to hear that she went down easily for her first nap and slept for an hour and a half. Even though the rest of the day’s naps weren’t as successful, it’s a good sign that she’s starting to get the hang of things.

Turning up the white noise can definitely help, so it’s great that you found that adjustment useful. Just make sure to test the sound levels to ensure it stays within a safe range.

It sounds like you’re on the right track with the transition to her own room, especially if she’s already napping there. Introducing her to the crib and letting her nap in her own room should help make that transition smoother when the time comes.

Were you able to leave the side of the crib up and try the watch-and-listen step from outside the room for the next bedtime?

Hopefully, things keep getting easier for your little one!

Emma