I've got 4 weeks to sort routine for 8mth old

[MrGEnglish]

Hi,

Being a teacher means I've got the hols to get my gorgeous little girl into a proper nap time/night time sleep routine.

How things currently stand:

• wakes btw 5-5.30am (but still sleepy). Have tried letting her whinge for up to 15mins (have just read about toys and books being in the cot to occupy her)
• will take downstairs to let my partner sleep (will play with or let her play by herself until either a) she shows signs of tiredness and naps for 1/2 hr or b) it's bottle #1 time btw 6.30/7am.
• usually has a nap by 8.30 for 1/2 hr
• breakfast at 9 (porridge/fruit)
• possibly a nap by 10.30/11 for 1/2 hr
• solid meal btw 11.30 & 12
• bottle #2 by 2pm
• nap by 2.15/2.30pm for (you guessed it!) 1/2 hr
• solid meal + dessert btw 4.30/4.45
• bath time begins at about 5.45/6pm
• bedtime routine begins at 6.30pm (she now waves goodnight to mummy/toys etc), story whilst in my arms, lullaby teddy bear in cot with her.
• has been waking up once/twice after 1 hour - easy to settle
• has recently started to wake at 12am - solved is by giving her btw 4 & 5 oz

What I would like over the next few weeks:

• longer nap times (she has gone for 90mins but she neglects to tell us this before she goes to sleep - usually she's bang on 30mins)
• later start to the day (6.30am would be ideal because I find she still needs sleep shortly after taking her downstairs).

Open to ALL ideas/tips/constructive criticisms. Also, I count myself as being extremely patient and one thing I certainly have at the mo is time.

Thanks in advance.

She seems to be sleeping very little in the day - 90 mins in total, is that right? I would try to avoid getting up with her at 530 but instead try to get her back to sleep - maybe try giving her some milk when she wakes up?

Also, what childcare will you be using? I'm assuming you're going back to work in 4 weeks?

Agree with the pp....at 5.30 try giving her a feed and putting her straight back down.

My dd wakes at 6, has her morning bottle, then can be put bqck in her cot and sleeps til 7.30 (she is 7.5mo). She can then only do two hours awake so goes back.down (into buggy in dark room) at 9.30 and does 1.5hrs. Im struggling with her afternoon naps atm as I cant work out the ideal amount of awake time between her am nap and her pm nap but no matter what, she has bath at 6, then massage, bottle, bed. Always asleep.between 6
30/7pm.

She then may wake once for a dummy but other than that its 6am for.milk.

Oh, someone on here said a 30min nap means their over tired when they go to sleep
45min nap means they arent tired enough when they go down.

My 9 month old goes from 7ish to b/w 6 and 6.30. What happens if you leave your DS at 5/5.30? Does she start to cry? If she's whinging, might it be sleepy whinges and worth waiting longer than 15 mins to see if she goes back.to sleep for an hour? Of course, if the idea of leaving her isn't for you, then that's not the answer. If you're worried about your dh not being able to sleep when she's a bit whingy, is it worth him sleeping downstairs for a night or two if you decide to try leaving her a bit longer? Or try at a weekend when he isn't at work. Anyway, out routine is:
6/6.30 - wake up and get breakfast
8.45/9 - nap for 30 mins
9.30 - bottle
12.00 - lunch
12.30/1 - sleep for 1.5-2 hours
2.30/3 - bottle
5 - supper
6 30 - bath
7 - bottle and bed

I think I have an extra bottle in there - no idea of that makes a difference. Also, is it at all possible to drop the second morning nap - the one at 10.30? Maybe this would.mean a longer lunch time nap.

hope you find what works for you soon xx

Some babies are just short nappers by nature. Both of my children have been. It could be the intervals between her sleep periods are too short. What happens if she misses second nap?

Is she just having 2 bottles a day? if so i think i would increase to three. Milk is calotific and filling, often more so than early foods - unless that is you are giving plenty of high protein and full fat dairy products.

Sorry to say but early waking is sometimes a tough nut to crack. Some ideas to try if you haven't already....:

blackout blinds to keep out morning sun ; waking her and resettling her shortly before she world normally wake -look up 'wake to sleep'

Overall her sleep sounds fairly ok but hope you manage to make progress ;)