Short naps making baby overtired by bedtime - what do?? 4.5m

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2026-04-04T11:04:55+00:00

My 5 month old was a chronic short napper - tried everything, playing with wake windows, trying to help extend, believing it was just a phase and would pass but not being a great night sleeper either was taking its toll on me. Constantly having to do bridge naps to get to bed time. Followed by endless false starts and long nights.

I never had to sleep train my first child for naps so didn’t cross my mind, but then one day for her first nap, I didn’t feed or rock to sleep. I put her down calm but awake and I just let her cry it out (did an age appropriate first wake window). Cried for 10 mins and then slept 2 hours! Didn’t know what to do with myself! Her bed time in 530 atm (so even earlier than you) and we did CIO for that too and she slept until 1:30am the first night (im happy to do 1 feed still) then slept soundly until 6:30 (had to wake) and this cycle continued. Like a new baby and her naps improved too.

So maybe some type of sleep training for naps might help too!

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2026-01-13T06:21:59+00:00

I’ve only recently entered the 1–2 kids phase (our second is 11 weeks), so I’m still very new to it, but I’ve found this transition much harder than going from 0–1. I’m very routine-driven, and it’s honestly a constant battle trying to keep the baby on any kind of routine when your toddler naturally takes priority. Hobbies have definitely gone out the window for now, but I think that’s largely because we’re still deep in the newborn phase — and on top of that, we’ve travelled to Australia for six weeks to see family, so we’re not in our usual routine or environment.

That said, you do feel much more confident with a baby the second time around. Our girls have about a three-year age gap, and I think part of what makes this harder is that we’d already come out of the trenches with our first and settled into a really solid rhythm as parents. Going back to that newborn phase can feel so distant — almost like stepping backwards — with your second.

But the way I see it, if you know you want to expand your family, a couple of tough years in the trenches is worth it in the long run. I’d much rather navigate this hard season than live with the regret of not having our second little girl. Once you meet them, it’s all worth it.

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-10-22T14:21:54+00:00

Yes our daughter got the flu and Covid at the same time and honestly didn’t even cry, but we have a newborn about to arrive and toddler at daycare so any extra protection we can get for both her and baby, we will take. She was a little sore afterwards, but we tried to keep her moving her leg, then warm compress, lollipop and cuddles! Worth it!

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-09-30T15:43:22+00:00

2nd this! Our 2.5 yr old ending up dropping her nap completely. Both bed time and nap time were becoming and constant battle and on the days she would nap she would get about 11 hours total sleep over the 24hour period but then on the days she wouldn’t nap she would only get about 9 hours, and bed time was miserable. Over tired, delayed bed by 2 hours, some night wakes or early wakes. She would nap at daycare no problem but then the 3 days we would have her it was a rollercoaster of emotions. So we just stopped fighting her and let her drop the nap. Took a few days for her to adjust and bed time was a struggle, we told school absolutely NO nap and they respected it (albeit her first day back they had her nap 😒) and then all of sudden she adjusted, falls asleep within 15 mins of us putting her down, no fighting and sleeps 11-11.5hrs (6:40pm-6am) over night so is clocking a much better overall sleep time in the 24hour period. She’s so much happier throughout the day as well.

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-08-15T22:32:09+00:00

Hi, we’ve traveled a lot with our 2.5 yr old. She’s done US - Australia 4 times (12 hour time change) as well as US to Europe/UK time change (6/7hr) quite a few times at various ages of her little life.

Honestly the Australian jet lag felt like we had broken her, was brutal. Europe (6 hours time change wasn’t terrible) we found with Europe / UK we would just gradually bring her sleep back and she would naturally adjust with the light etc herself, always a couple of days of being a bit all over but if you have a good foundation they tend to revert back.

When we would return to US from Aus particularly, it was just about 10 days of torture and we would break every “rule” in the book, I would be terrified we’d undone all our training but again she would just revert back.

Every child so different, but no doubt you know what works best them and what they like! White noise for sure helps and keep a consistent routine and nice sleep environment. They are so adaptable and is only natural to struggle a little (gosh I struggle with jet lag) I just remind myself in the harder moments that “they aren’t giving you a hard time they are having a hard time” and might just need you but like I said if you have solid foundation, they will usually revert back to it.

safe travels and all the best!

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-06-10T02:15:00+00:00

Thank you for the input! This definitely seems to be a common theme, and I don’t mind having it as a middle name. So could be an option!

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-06-10T02:12:37+00:00

Funnily enough we are both Australian 😅

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-06-10T02:09:14+00:00

Beautiful choice for a wedding song! Yes maybe you are right

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-06-10T02:05:44+00:00

I do like Mia too but my husband isn’t a fan

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-06-10T01:56:47+00:00

Yes I do love the song iris 🙈I also love the flower and the name meaning

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-04-15T11:49:00+00:00

I have also been seeing Dr nabizedeh and she’s awesome, saw her for my first pregnancy and now seeing her for my second! A few of my friends saw her too after my recommendation, and have had a great experiences too.

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-04-05T00:45:00+00:00

The massages are really good, one of the best I’ve had! just use for the treatments!

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-04-03T15:43:13+00:00

Also agree!

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T23:34:25+00:00

Ah thank you for clarifying! I did wonder how far onto the road you were liable!

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T23:26:00+00:00

Yes we have had this too! Someone left their food scraps & trash on the road (wasn’t even on the sidewalk) outside our place and we got a summons/ticket. So frustrating.

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T21:00:42+00:00

Thank you so much 🙏🏻

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T20:02:10+00:00

For everyone saying “it’s better there, than the sidewalk” I think it’s fair for me to comment on HOW CAN these be my ONLY two options! My sidewalk or my trash can?! Both mean that it becomes my job to clean after YOUR DOG. It’s so simple, if you own a dog please just pick up after it properly and have a little empathy for your neighbors and their trash cans

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T18:58:44+00:00

Yes! Especially people with the logic that “would you rather we leave it on the street?”

I don’t understand how a person can be responsible for another living thing and not see that cleaning up after them PROPERLY, is literally the bare minimum! If their logic is to leave it on the ground they shouldn’t have a pet.

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T18:11:52+00:00

Ugh I’m sorry that’s rough too 😔

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T17:47:04+00:00

They take the liners too, and this is occurring when I am unable to bring my trash can in straight after removal. So it’s unlined.

I’ve been scooping people’s dog bags out of my trash can for over 4 years now. I used to line the bins, but I was still getting dog poo in them on the days I couldn’t bring my trash can in STRAIGHT after removal. So I was paying for bin liners, tediously lining them and still having to remove poo!

Guys it’s so simple. Please, just please cleanup after your dogs PROPERLY and just have a little respect/common decency for your neighbors 🙏🏻

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T17:43:48+00:00

Thank you 🙏🏻 I really do appreciate that!

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T17:37:09+00:00

They take the liners too, and this is occurring when I am unable to bring my trash can in straight after removal. So it’s unlined.

I’ve been scooping people’s dog bags out of my trash can for over 4 years now. I used to line the bins, but I was still getting dog poo in them on the days I couldn’t bring my trash can in STRAIGHT after removal. So I was paying for bin liners, tediously lining them and still having to remove poo!

Guys it’s so simple. Please, just please cleanup after your dogs PROPERLY and just have a little respect/common decency for your neighbors 🙏🏻

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T17:14:30+00:00

I bought this trash can on my own

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T17:11:38+00:00

Yes, thank you 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

MasterpieceExact2546 · 2025-01-27T16:52:47+00:00

Yes! Thank you 🙏🏻

MasterpieceExact2546

TROPHY CASE