Those of you receiving EI for your baby...

[happymom]

How do you work it out around their naptime? I guess it would be simple if DD was on a rigid nap schedule, but she's really not. She goes to sleep at the same time every night (give or take 1/2 hour) but does not always wake up at the same time in the morning- this throws off her nap schedule. I tried to arrange the PT for a time that she is DEFINITELY awake, but guess what? Today is her first day, and she just went to sleep 20 minutes ago and the therapist is coming in 20 minutes! (She woke up at 10 am today because of a bad night last night and suddenly seemed exhausted at 11:40 so I decided to put her to sleep for a little while rather than keeping her up until after therapy. I dont want her to be exhausted and cranky suring her session.) Aaah! I hate that I will have to wake her.....What do you all do?

Thanks!

[maestramommy]

Any way you could schedule it for after her afternoon nap? Feed her a small snack beforehand? My girls didn't start EI til after 18 months, so the morning nap wasn't an issue by then.

[Pepper]

I made do with a disrupted morning nap. DS was napping fairly regularly so I could schedule his speech/feeding therapist visits around the morning nap. I also took him to an EI playgroup, however, that met smack in the middle of morning nap. When he "graduated" to the toddler playgroup, that fell smack in the middle of afternoon nap. it was a bummer but we all survived :-)

[SammyeGail]

I had twins in EI, ran into asleep/sleepy twins several times, lol. I would take the opportunity for some one-on-one time for me and the therapist to talk, get suggestions, questions answered, etc.

Waking them up or when they were really sleepy, therpy didn't go very well, not well at all. So sometimes there wasn't anything else for me to do, as long as you sign their paper the therapist is happy because they're getting paid, LOL!!

Samantha

[sidmand]

Yeah sometimes DS was too tired and went to sleep (no point in having the session if he was just going to be tired and cranky throughout). Sometimes I had to wake him up for the session and that never went well!

Right now it's pretty much working out because DD has her therapy before her nap (and she's only ever done one nap). We sometimes end up pushing her though on the other end because she often needs to nap by 11:30-12:00 and if the therapist is late we don't finish on time.

Sometimes it's unavoidable. You can plan for a time you *know* they're going to be awake and that day they aren't!

[sste]

We scheduled 8am sessions. Our DS was NEVER asleep at 8am. I think sessions scheduled an hour or two after morning wake time are pretty safe in terms of baby not wanting to nap.

[sunshine873]

I'm in your same shoes. DD's usually asleep somewhere around 7:30 at night, but morning wake-up could be anywhere from 7 - 9. That's as reliable as she gets. During the day, she still usually takes lots of naps (or 2 very long ones), but it's not on a schedule at all. I'm not complaining, because she's a great sleeper. It just makes it difficult to plan appointments. I scheduled EI for 10:00, because that's our best bet for awake time, although she'll be ready for a nap right at the end of the therapy session. I just end up playing it by ear on therapy days, whether I think I should keep her up, or lay her down for a quick nap before-hand. I will wake her up 10 minutes before the therapist is coming, because I think the therapy is beneficial. It's just twice a month and I can always lay her right back down if it's not working out.

[happymom]

I'm in your same shoes. DD's usually asleep somewhere around 7:30 at night, but morning wake-up could be anywhere from 7 - 9. That's as reliable as she gets. During the day, she still usually takes lots of naps (or 2 very long ones), but it's not on a schedule at all. I'm not complaining, because she's a great sleeper. It just makes it difficult to plan appointments. I scheduled EI for 10:00, because that's our best bet for awake time, although she'll be ready for a nap right at the end of the therapy session. I just end up playing it by ear on therapy days, whether I think I should keep her up, or lay her down for a quick nap before-hand. I will wake her up 10 minutes before the therapist is coming, because I think the therapy is beneficial. It's just twice a month and I can always lay her right back down if it's not working out.

See, for us its twice a week! So I really need her to get onto a reliable schedule....its even more complicated than I explained because DH watches DD at home until after her morning nap- then brings her to MIL for the rest of the day. I scheduled the therapy to be at MIL because she SHOULD be up by 11:30 and by MIL by 12:30 the latest. Therapy is scheduled for 12:45.

So, if she's not UP, shes definitely not by MIL- which is where the therapist will be going! And I'm not even home for all of this...so I can't just do what Samantha said- take the time to talk with the therapist etc. Oh well, at least the therapist is a friend of mine, so shes understanding. I just want DD to get the therapy that she needs, YKWIM?

[brittone2]

Depending on the therapist's schedule and caseload, if your DC falls asleep, you can call and cancel, and then politely request if there are any cancellations on her caseload, etc. later in the week if she can keep you in mind and maybe work you in for a makeup session. (however, under those circumstances IMO by cancelling you should realize the therapist is not typically obligated to make up the session). When I was working I often offered up a make up session w/ a family if I had cancellations on my schedule, depending on whether I could work their DC into my schedule geographically and time-wise, kwim?

eta: I realize that won't help you week to week though. But if it is a time when you really don't want to wake your sleeping DC (poor night's sleep the night before, anticipating DC is getting sick, etc.) then it is okay to call and cancel but request that the therapist work you in if at all possible in her schedule at a different time during the week. I agree w/ Lisa...therapists certainly have worked w/ their share of cranky kids. Everyone just does the best they can, kwim? Some therapy days are going to be more productive than others.

[gatorsmom]

I tried to schedule Greenbean's appointments for non-nap time. He had EI when he was 9mo. HIs appointments were around 9am and naptime wasn't until 10am or 10:15am. Sisi and Gator started EI at 18mo and weren't taking morning naps anymore. So, I scheduled their appointments for the morning.

But sometimes you just have to roll with the punches. I'm sure the therapist has seen her share of tired, grumpy babies before. :)