Anyone want to join me in the NCSS 10 day sleep plan challenge?

[leomom]

I have read the book and have attempted to follow my sleep plan several times, but have never followed through. After participating in the live chat with Elizabeth Pantley on mommychats this week, I have a renewed sense of determination- and I'm just exhausted and needing more sleep!

But, I sure would like to take this journey with some others, so I'll be accountable and have to follow through..any takers?

Yesterday I did my nap log and night-waking log to use as a jumping off point.

Here were my results:

Nap Log:

Naps she should be getting: 3
Naps she is getting: 4
Hours she should be napping: 4-5
Hours she is napping: 2 hours, 45 min.
No formal nap routine
No consistent naptime, but consistent length of 45 minutes each

Night waking log:

Asleep time: 7:40
Awake time: 55 minutes
Total # of awakenings: 9
Longest sleep span: 2 hours
Total hours of sleep: 11.5

I'm off to write my sleep plan and start following it today. I'll post it when I get a chance. I'd for someone to join me on this journey! If you're interested, please list your sleep plan and your starting out log and let's touch base daily with how it's going...if we aren't too tired!

[drea2447]

I'm in! I have to reread my book though. I'll do that today and tomorrow we'll begin. I'm tired and desperate! I'll be back to report my current situation shortly.

[cancat]

ooh, me too!

I have to get the book, though (almost have it memorized from taking it out from the library). Can certainly start with the logs! My dd is a great napper, and we have a great daytime routine, but the nighttime wakings are well into the double digits...

Let's post the ages of our DCs as well.

[nannymom]

I want in just as soon as I get my copy in the mail.

[leomom]

I'm using my library copy!

Kate is 5 months.

[duckat]

I'd love to do this with you! However, ds is sick with a cold that keeps him up coughing, so I don't think this is the best time for us to start.
When he's feeling better, I hope I can still participate.

[wrzos]

I'd love to try - and will get the book back out from the library and start the logs today. But - I'm sceptical of any success b/c we will be travel through different time zones near the end of the month. But - doing this with a group will probably be the only thing that will get me started! LOL My DS is 4.5 months - I don't have a nap or sleep log, but know that his longest stretch is 4 hours. Naps are my big concern b/c I know he isn't getting enough sleep during the day...

Thanks for starting this!
Heather

[leomom]

Well, Kate is on her 4th nap for the day...40 min, 1 hour, 30 minutes, ? who knows how long this will last- probably the typical 40 minutes...I really would like to stretch them out....

I'm trying to get her to nap without her paci, but to no avail. I've been too beat to try the gentle removal today..I have been slinging her and trying different ways to get her to nap, though. I tried the removal last night and she did sleep 1 3 hour stretch, so I'll continue doing that tonight. It's easier to do it when she's breastfeeding at night because I'm right there and comfortable. I've been too tired to stand at her crib and remove the paci as she's falling asleep. But tomorrow is another day.

Hope everyone's night goes well!

[AngelBee]

What book? :

[leomom]

Elizabeth Pantley's No Cry Sleep Solutions

[AngelBee]

Duh!!!

I am slow today...

[Kokomom]

Just wanted to say Good Luck!!! I think it is a great book and many of the methods have worked for me, especially the Pull off and just moving away from my daughter a bit...she seems to like to stretch out now I may join in next week when the schedule is not so hectic! Really need to work on getting her to lay down drowsy but awake.
Again Best wishes!

[cancat]

I'm getting the book later today (so don't have all the "shoulds" here, but I will post yesterday's log:

Arta (4.5 mo.)

Nap Log:
Naps she should be getting: 3
Naps she is getting: 3
Hours she is napping: 3
Naps every 2-3 hours, VERY formal nap routine

Night waking log :
Asleep time: 7:15 pm
Awake time: 1 hour
Total # of awakenings: 9/10
Longest sleep span: 2.5 hours
Total hours of sleep: 11

Fight with DH over sleep routine: 1 big one!

[leomom]

Cancat, Please share your nap routine-I've tried but I just can't seem to make one stick.

DH and I have lots of heated "discussions" about dd's sleep, or lack thereof...

Day 1 of Sleep Plan results:

Sleeping is about the same
Napping is about the same
Cannot get her to nap/sleep without paci
Was too tired to use the gentle removal last night
Still exhausted

[shershine]

We'll try to start tomorrow! I'm almost finished with the book (been almost finished for a couple of months now) and need something to get me motivated. Dd has been going to sleep as late as 12am, not napping and waking up allll night long! If I could establish some sort of routine for her, I think that would help. Routines are so hard for me, I can't tell you what I'm doing until 5 minutes before I'm doing it!

[cancat]

[QUOTE=leomom]Cancat, Please share your nap routine-I've tried but I just can't seem to make one stick.

Sure thing! First of all, it's very cheat-y in that I haven't gotten to putting her down awake yet (don't want to screw up a good thing!).

Basically, I figured out that Arta gets cranky every 2-3 hours, and that cranky = sleepy. Nothing makes her happy, and she starts to rub her eyes, and kind of close them a little. Immediately I go to OUR BED lay her down, and either nurse her, or use the paci (see, I cheat), or encourage her use her thumb, etc. Then, after a few minutes of sleep, I tiptoe away (but now that she's rolling, I put her in the crib usually). Because she didn't fall asleep literally IN MY ARMS, she doesn't notice my absence as much. If your baby wakes up during the transfer to the crib, you could always just do the same thing on the floor! I mean, a nap is a nap, right?

She used to sleep only 30 minutes, but I lengthened the naps by:
1. lots of physical activity after nap (practicing rolling, knocking over blocks, etc)
2. getting her used to longer naps by taking her for hour-long strolls at nap-time, and by having "quiet time" if she woke up too early.

Also, I am fairly religious about the naps - if we're out for a stroll during nap time, I don't come home until at least 45 minutes are up.

It's a completely horrible CIO book, but Weissbluth's "Healthy sleep habits, Healthy babies" has very good information about how long babies are usually awake at what age, and how many naps they might need. Just please ignore any advice he gives!

Completely OT, but Arta just fussed and was quiet - I went up to our bedroom and our cat had curled up next to her feet (forgot to move her to the crib) I think he settled her back down again! Too bad I just can't toss him in the crib with her! (just kidding).

[leomom]

[QUOTE=cancat]

Originally Posted by leomom

Cancat, Please share your nap routine-I've tried but I just can't seem to make one stick.

Sure thing! First of all, it's very cheat-y in that I haven't gotten to putting her down awake yet (don't want to screw up a good thing!).

Basically, I figured out that Arta gets cranky every 2-3 hours, and that cranky = sleepy. Nothing makes her happy, and she starts to rub her eyes, and kind of close them a little. Immediately I go to OUR BED lay her down, and either nurse her, or use the paci (see, I cheat), or encourage her use her thumb, etc. Then, after a few minutes of sleep, I tiptoe away (but now that she's rolling, I put her in the crib). Because she didn't fall asleep literally IN MY ARMS, she doesn't notice my absence as much.

She used to sleep only 30 minutes, but I lengthened the naps by:

1. lots of physically activity after nap (practicing rolling, knocking over blocks, etc)
2. getting her used to longer naps by taking her for hour-long strolls at nap-time, and by having "quiet time" if she woke up too early.

Also, I am fairly religious about the naps - if we're out for a stroll during nap time, I don't come home until at least 45 minutes are up.

oops, gotta go as naptime is up...will post more later!

Thank you for sharing! I love the idea of getting her used to longer naps. Have you noticed any pattern in when naptime is, or do you just wait for her to get cranking and then start your walk? I've been walking her right before naptime and getting home right about the time she'd usually get tired (1.5 hours) and putting her down. Then she sleeps about 45 minutes. Maybe for the second nap I'll try walking DURING it for an hour!

[drea2447]

OK. I'm back and not doing so hot so far. In the middle of the night I am to tired to write down all the times she wakes up. I also fall back and don't wake uo until she's whimpering because my nipple fell out of her mouth.

Here's our info.-

Ella is 9 months old.

Naps should be 2.5-4 hours
Currently are about 2 hours per day
Night time sleep should be 11-12 hours
Currently 9.5-10

Should be getting 14 hours total
Is getting 12

We are tired around here. We start off the night with Ella in the crib next to our bed. She usually wakes once or twice before I come to bed. I get her up and nurse her out on the couch where my dh and I are usually watching television. Usually when we go to bed around 11pm she wakes and comes to bed with us and wakes at least 5 to 6 more times through out the night. My dh wakes for work around 5:30 and the sound of him getting up and showering usually wakes her up and she is up for the day around 6:30. I am feeling like she would sleep better in her own room, but the only room there is for her is a loft style room. I was thinking about making a curtain to cover the half of the wall that looks down into the great room, but I don't know if I want her by herself. That room is upstairs with the other bedrooms and our bedroom is downstairs, so if it doesn't help her to sleep better, it will just be more trips for me, stumbling up and down the stairs in the middle of the night.

I don't know what I should do....

[leomom]

Day 2 Sleep Results

Andrea, you do know that you only write down times every 10 days as a point of reference, right?

Also, I was thinking maybe it might help if you nurse her in your quiet room instead of in the tv room...Pantley suggests making things "middle of the night" like once they've gone to bed. Just a thought...

Have you tried the suggestions of moving her away from you after nursing and possibly turning your back? Don't know if this would help or not...


Well, Kate was up off/on from 2-4 this morning with teething pains. :

She DID give me 2 three hour stretches last night, though. I usually only get one.

I've been following my sleep plan well, but the removal thing in the middle of the night is rarely happening, as I can't seem to stay awake?!?

[wrzos]

Ok - I still haven't re-read the book, so I may not have all the info I should have. Regardless, here is what I've noticed in the last two days:

Naps Day 1:
9 - 9:30 = 30 minutes
11 - 12 = 1 hour YEAH!
2:15 - 2:50 = 35 minutes

Night Day 1:
7 - 9:15 = 2 1/2 hours
then I fell asleep with him, and couldn't stay awake during the night to figure out the rest! ACK!!! I vaguely remember seeing the clock around 12 and 2, but don't remember if there were more times or not. I do know that he woke up for the day (like wanted to play - nothing was getting him back to sleep) around 4 or 4:30 AM!

Today so far his naps look like this:

Naps Day 2:
8 - 8:20 = 20 minutes (after being up from 4:30 or so)
10 - 11:25 = 1 hour 25 minutes
2:30 - 3:30 = 1 hour
6 - 6:25 = 25 minutes

Night Day 2
I put him down at 8 PM, and haven't heard a peep yet.

I have gotten long night stretches out of him voluntarily (6 - 8 hours depending). I think my real concern is that 1) he isn't getting enough sleep - but I need to calculate the night hours to be sure of this; 2) he is waking us up too darn early in the morning!

I love the nap routine in a PP. I've been incredibly lax about naps b/c I'm trying to get some work tasks done from home (part of my extended maternity includes me doing some telecommuting tasks), so it ends up being easier for me to let him nurse to sleep and then keep him on the boppy in front of me to keep him asleep as long as possible. But, these short frequent naps can't be good for him - he gets tired again so quickly. I'd love to extend his naps, so I think I'll try some of the above nap ideas and report back in a few days...

Heather
Oh - btw - DS is 4.5 months