Sleep Changes

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,

Caden has recently moved to 2 naps per day (he’s 6 months old now) with an occasional 30 minute catnap either early morning or late afternoon some days.

I think he is outgrowing being carried for his naps, because lately when he wakes up in the carrier, he gets very upset and pushes on me and cries. Plus, he fights going to sleep in the carrier as well, pushing me and crying all the while.

I decided to start putting him in his crib for naps (not letting him cry at this point) asleep just because he was getting fussy in the carrier while napping. I had been carrying him because he never slept well in his crib, and when I carried him he would usually sleep up to 1 1/2 hours sometimes 2.

Well, today he took a 45 minute nap this morning in his crib. And now, this afternoon, he has been asleep in his crib for an hour and is still asleep. This is so unusual for him! When he was a newborn, he would NEVER sleep more than 30 minute in his crib. Even a month ago, he wouldn’t (as far as I know). The few times I tried it, he was up almost immediately.

He is on no medication at this point (as a reminder) except Pepcid Complete occasionally at night.

I’m encouraged by this, but at the same time, his sleep is so erratic. Some days he sleeps ok (I can’t say good), but other days his sleep is horrendous. I’m assuming the reflux is what makes the difference day to day.

My kids have been so different with regard to sleep, that I can’t really rely on past experience to help me understand Caden’s sleep and what will help him, etc.

I try to see a pattern of ANY kind with him, and the only thing that I can see is that he is SO unpredictable. There isn’t a set schedule I can count on or anything.

Anyway, I guess I’m just posting this to see if any of you have had a similar experience with your little ones and whether their sleep seemed to improve with age (regardless of when they outgrew reflux)? I’m just hopeful that this is a new trend with him. I know some outgrow it sooner than others, and I’m really hoping he is outgrowing his! Our older 2 seemed so much better by 6 months, and Caden does too, but he still has those days when I can tell his reflux is NOT gone. There are days when he cries a lot and doesn’t want to sleep at all!

I am so ready for this to end! (As I know we all are)

Thanks for reading this and/or posting any suggestions or even just your experience. I really appreciate being able to “talk” to you all since no one else seems to know what to say about this.

[Anonymous]

Ben was a horrible sleeper too when he was little! It took forever to get him to sleep – I can’t tell you how many hours I spent in the rocking chair! He would usually only nap if I put him in his swing, or if I layed right beside him and kept putting the soother back in his mouth the moment he started to fuss. Then almost overnight, he became a better sleeper at 7 months old. He would fall asleep on his own, and would nap easier and on a more predictable schedule. Looking back, I think he must have started to outgrow his reflux at that stage, but he still wasn’t a great sleeper until about 11-12 months.

I sure hope he keeps sleeping better for you! And it’s great if he will nap in his crib now – we’re not quite there with Paige yet, but someday…

[Anonymous]

Alana has always been an inconsistent napper, meds or no meds. Some days she will do 1 1/2 hours, some days 30 mins, some days 20 mins. Who knows why. She might get hot, she might hear a loud noise during her transition, she might have gas, she might be snuffed up….and the list just goes on and on. Some days she goes to sleep on her own, some days I have to rock her. I have NEVER been able to make rhyme or reason of it. So now I just go with the flow.

I have worked out though that most days it all adds up to about 2 hrs of napping, whatever combination we get. And no napping after 3pm or she won’t go to bed a 7pm. Not helpful, but just to let you know you are not alone.

[Anonymous]

Hey Emily,

I would say that Caden sounds a lot like Ben, as we have noticed before . His sleep, naptime anyway, has always been inconsistent, and when his reflux flares, it is the first thing to be affected. If he is comfortable and feeling good, he will usually sleep two naps from about 1-2 hrs. each, but if the reflux is bad, then they are both about 45 minutes.

He has always slept in his crib, and I always rocked him almost to sleep, but now he doesn’t want me to do this. He pushes away and fusses. I have just been putting him the crib and letting him go to sleep on his own. It takes him about 20 minutes to do this, which I hate because if he let me rock him, he would be asleep much faster, but what can you do?

Anyway, all that to say… I do think sleep gets better as they get older.. and I would take him wanting to be on his own to sleep as a good sign. Gives you a bit of a break at least, right?

[Anonymous]

Addy’s naps were very inconsistent until about the age of 9 months. I do not know if this was bc of the reflux/FPIES or just bc some babies aren’t that great at napping?

Addy did go to 2 naps per day at around 5 1/2 months and to one nap a day at 14 months. It seemed the more I kept her on a napping schedule, the better she did. Morning nap started at 9:30 and afternoon nap started around 1:00. (She woke between 6:30 and 7:30, but I kept naps consistent no matter what time she woke in the morning.) Good luck and I hope it becomes more consistent!

[hellbennt]

Jonah was sir no nap- ugh it was terrible & who knows if it was reflux related or not- I tried everything under the sun- wearing him, shifting meds, different combination of meds, rocking him, routine, you name it-anyway he miraculously at 18 months old became a ‘napper’

this isn’t what you want to hear, but I’m letting you know that your lo isn’t the only one…

[Author]

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