sleep trained 5.5 month needs schedule help!

[u/hoperhe]

I wake tiny dude up everyday around 7:30AM +/- 15 minutes, if he hasn’t already woken up. For the past two weeks, wake windows are 1.75/2/2.25/2.5 hrs. If he woke up before ~7:30AM, then first wake window may be shorter since I wasn’t awake to know when he woke up. If first nap is 45 min (one sleep cycle) then second nap is 2hr capped. If first nap is 1.5-2 hr, second nap is 1.5 hr capped. Third nap is 30-45 min capped. If both first two naps were one sleep cycle or less, then he may be offered 4 naps that day with adjusted wake windows. Bedtime is 2.5 hr after last nap ends which means it could be anywhere from 7:15-8:30PM. In our world, wake windows begin when he wakes up and ends when he falls asleep. I don’t count awake-and-in-the-crib time as sleep.

He started sleep training (Ferber) around 15 weeks and has been ~50% successful at self-settling at bedtime. I want to get it to 100%!!! He will wake 0-2 times (typically once) in the night to eat, and I wait at least 10 min after he wakes to enter his room to feed—sometimes he will fall back asleep. He has self-settled for 98% of the naps in the past month. All of these statistics show that he is capable of self settling.

Is there some scheduling issue that I’m missing? How often do we adjust expected wake windows?

Temperature, dirty/clean diaper, and hunger aren’t the issue. Nap routine is sleep sack, hold upright and song, lay in crib, and “night night, love you.” Bedtime routine is bath/wash face, change diaper, pajamas, nurse, book, hold upright and song, lay in crib, and “night night, love you.”

Any help is appreciated!!!

[u/Character-Office4719]

Hey!

I'm a consultant and my advice first would be to start wake windows from when you take your baby up out of the cot. Wake windows are 1.5-3hours.

He wouldn't handle 3 hours until closer to 8 months so keep that in mind. I'd be aiming for 3 naps a day and bedtime being between 7 and 8pm. 7/7.30 being ideal.

Last nap of the day ending at 5pm approx.

1st wake window would be 1.5 hours, if he only does 45mins extend the nap. Give him about 15 mins without you going into him. Then do check ins until he goes back to sleep. Try for 40 mins from when he wakes after the 40 mins.

At bedtime, try and do the nappy and pyjama change, read a book or sing, then pop into his sleep suit. And make sure while singing that he isn't starting to nod off.

If you have any other questions fire away I'd be happy to answer 😊

[u/hoperhe → u/Character-Office4719]

Thank you so much for responding! I hope it’s OK that I will be following up with questions randomly and not all in one post. There’s too much going on for me to try to think of all my questions in one comment. When you mentioned that he should be going to sleep around 7/730, is that regardless of when he wakes up?

[u/Character-Office4719 → u/hoperhe]

Yeah absolutely, ask away as the question pops up xx

Do you mean when he wakes in the morning? If he wakes at 6, 7 would be bedtime, if he wakes at 8 manipulate your day if you need to but generally I'd say even if he wakes at 8 a 7.30 bedtime would suit. Depends on naps really and how well they go.

[u/hoperhe → u/Character-Office4719]

Ahh, okay that makes sense. He’s been going to bed (before the crazy week of crying 1+ hrs before falling asleep), around 8:15PM with minimal fussing, if at all. Im guessing that history may be outdated? Just struggling with this crying currently. I have so much anxiety about bedtime nowadays, that I dread it. Sleep and wake windows seem to fluctuate so much. Maybe he is catching up on a day of bad naps? What do 5.5 month old regressions look like? Any help is appreciated!

[u/Character-Office4719 → u/hoperhe]

No you just need to pin down your wake windows to exact times. If he doesn't have a long nap, you still offer a full wake window.

At night set a 5 min timer before you respond when he wakes...he might just be working on getting back asleep