fighting daytime sleep.

[sarah2807]

over the last couple of weeks my lo has been really unsettled in the day and has gone all day without a proper sleep...just 5 mins here and there. last week she was crying most of the day and i was so stressed not knowing what to do . At the weekend me and oh went out in the car and round the park and she slept loads and when she was awake was lovely...so basically what i've figured out is unless we are out in the car/pram she really struggles to sleep for more thab a 5/ 10 min period and definately does not sleep if i put her down. i'm pretty certain that the whole day screaming sessions were because she was tired, but i do all the usual rocking etc to try to settle her.
i'm going to make sure i get out a bit every day as this obviously helps her, but as you can imagine it's not always possible, especially not for the whole day.
At night time she is much better ( thank goodness ) and will sleep in her bed and settle herself quite well most of the time.
Does anyone else has a baby that fights sleep in the day and ends up cranky..any ideas or advice appreciated

cheers
xxxxxx

 

[debecca]

I think you'll find Violet gets better as she gets older, particularly as she already sleeps well at night (lucky you!)... as they learn how to fall asleep themselves they are generally able to do it better and better. We put Connie in her cot when she starts doing her tired whinging thing - we can tell if she is tired as the arms go up above the head, and then we just leave her with her dummy in and she drops off.

Have you got a dummy?

 

[Becky&Willow]

if the movement of the buggy/car make her drop off have you thought about buying a swing willow was always in one as a newborn and she used to sleep in it loads, if you havent got one might be worth a try.

 

[CoreysMummy]

I had to peal myself off the floor today, so much so I rang OH to tell him...

Soon as I hurd a winge come out of Coreys mouth this morning, I swiped him up from under his play gym and put him in bed with his dummy - INSTANTLY his eyes rolled back in his head and I havent hurd a peep from him in about 45mins!!! Its usually a fight to get him to sleep. I dont know what happend. Mabey getting to her before she gets over tired. Or Set nap times, babys like routine, she will know whats expected of her then...

 

[sarah2807]

my advice is try everything but dont expect it to work , and dont expect it to get better any time soon

Oh no..don't say that!!!

Have you got a dummy?

yes ..it usually works on an evening and for a bit in the day, but as soon as she loses it she wakes up in the day.

well she's sleeping on my knee now and has been there for about 30 mins..I daren't move tho .At least it's a good excuse to sit around and not do any housework..

 

[laracomps]

You have just described Phoebe....

Last week she was AWFUL! Think the weather and teething hasn't helped. Normally I take her out all day just so I know she'll sleep, thus reduce the screaming sessions. Last week, that didn't even help and we had the whole world staring at us in town

But then the past couple of days she's been a good girl, rubbing her eyes, dummy in, (sometimes rock the cot a bit if I'm getting desperate) and asleep!

She never sleeps longer than about 40 mins. If she does, I am in and out like a yoyo making sure she's ok!

Every time I think I've cracked it, she reverts back to being a sod.

Here's hoping they get better as they get older

 

[LisaJ1986]

Angel has cut down on daytime sleep too. I get absolutely nothing done in the day. When i think she's finally asleep i'll move her to her travel cot in the living room. She'll either wake up screaming instantly or i'll leave the room and when i come back in 5 mins later she's wide awake. I spend all day entertaining her! If i leave her to play she'll constantly whinge. I have to sit and talk to her to make her happy. It is very exhausting.

 

[badgergirl]

Sprog doesn't like to sleep in the day - though today he's had an unheard of nap in his moses basket - for two hours! Mind you, he had his injections yesterday, so they could've wiped him out.

Sprog settles best, like you're finding, on my knees. I've read all about taking cues from them, watching for yawns and slow blinks and crabbiness, and putting them down for a sleep. Doesn't work with Sprog in the slightest - the idea that he should be sleeping is enough for him to get his second wind.

And yes, he gets crabby and past himself too!

The crankiness is getting better as he's getting older though, because he's playing and "talking" more, which gives respite from the crying...for a while

 

[DebbieM]

Sleeping in the day? Do babies do that then?

 

[sarah2807]

Sleeping in the day? Do babies do that then?

Not in my house!!

 

[daftscotslass]

Becky has always hated sleeping in the day and has fought it ever since she came home from the hospital. Recently she's gotten slightly better but will shout and shout (not crying just a constant RAAAA!) until she ends up conking out. The dummy used to work well but now she just spits it out. She rarely sleeps more than an hour at a time in the day and it was a rare treat yesterday for her to sleep 2 in a row! We have a playpen she sleeps in during the day so now she's starting to associate that with sleep in the day and when she's cranky we put her down there to snooze. Most of the time she wakes up 10-15 minutes later with a hoo hoo hoo.

 

[muppetmummy]

Logan only really has a good chunk of sleep during the day if we're out walking with him in his pram. At home he'll sleep when i'm holding him but wakes up when put down, he's asleep on my lap as i'm typing this

 

[1sttimemum]

My baby does this and i have just recently found that she likes to either be on the move OR she likes to lay on a fluffy cushion, like a really soft cushion, i think it makes her feel safe as she comes in our bed quite a lot.

 

[BabyMagic]

Have you tried a sling? When LO was a little younger putting her to sling was pretty much the only way to get her to sleep during the day. Now she is a bit better, but still doesn't sleep for too long unless out.

She is far more content otherwise though. I can leave her in a play gym on her own to get things done...

 

[Sherlock]

My LO pretty much hit 10 days old and was awake for 6 hours straight at a time and then longer. It carried on for weeks. Plus he was waking loads for feeds at night.

Have you considered colic with her? If she is screaming it may be she has pain and something like Infacol might help. When Galen screamed lots during the day and was awake for 8 hours plus it was more than just an awake baby. Infacol kicked in and he settled much better, even though he didn't sleep for long periods, was and still does power naps. But the screaming stopped.

 

[Teej]

Get a sling! I swear it's magic, it's the only way i can get Sam to sleep during the day and the only way i can get anything done!
Sam is a real sleep fighter but 5 mins in the sling and he's off, we use a mei tai type (from Babbyhawk).
Good luck

 

[sarah2807]

My LO pretty much hit 10 days old and was awake for 6 hours straight at a time and then longer. It carried on for weeks. Plus he was waking loads for feeds at night.

Have you considered colic with her? If she is screaming it may be she has pain and something like Infacol might help. When Galen screamed lots during the day and was awake for 8 hours plus it was more than just an awake baby. Infacol kicked in and he settled much better, even though he didn't sleep for long periods, was and still does power naps. But the screaming stopped.

That's what she's like...awake for hours and screaming. She has colic too and screams cos she has belly ache (wind) but the crying is different with that and sounds more like she's in pain. I think she is getting over tired a lot of the time and the other times it's colic. The night times have got better...she used to scream through the night with wind but once I get her to sleep usually just wakes for feeds , so that's one good thing. Just need to get the day sorted now.

 

[Sherlock]

My LO pretty much hit 10 days old and was awake for 6 hours straight at a time and then longer. It carried on for weeks. Plus he was waking loads for feeds at night.

Have you considered colic with her? If she is screaming it may be she has pain and something like Infacol might help. When Galen screamed lots during the day and was awake for 8 hours plus it was more than just an awake baby. Infacol kicked in and he settled much better, even though he didn't sleep for long periods, was and still does power naps. But the screaming stopped.

That's what she's like...awake for hours and screaming. She has colic too and screams cos she has belly ache (wind) but the crying is different with that and sounds more like she's in pain. I think she is getting over tired a lot of the time and the other times it's colic. The night times have got better...she used to scream through the night with wind but once I get her to sleep usually just wakes for feeds , so that's one good thing. Just need to get the day sorted now.

Aww sorry to hear she is having such a hard time (and you also)

I was wondering what you do to try to settle her when she is so tired. Is she staying in your arms or are you trying to get her into a basket or some such? I'm wracking my brains to think of things to try to maybe help her settle.

One thing we did was dunk LO in the tummy tub if he got too worked up and seemed in pain or just overtired. Worked like a charm. Calmed and relaxed him and we were able to settle him well regardless of the time of day. Tummy tub is meant to be great for colicky babies. Our LO always burps lots and farts when in there.

 

[sarah2807]

My LO pretty much hit 10 days old and was awake for 6 hours straight at a time and then longer. It carried on for weeks. Plus he was waking loads for feeds at night.

Have you considered colic with her? If she is screaming it may be she has pain and something like Infacol might help. When Galen screamed lots during the day and was awake for 8 hours plus it was more than just an awake baby. Infacol kicked in and he settled much better, even though he didn't sleep for long periods, was and still does power naps. But the screaming stopped.

That's what she's like...awake for hours and screaming. She has colic too and screams cos she has belly ache (wind) but the crying is different with that and sounds more like she's in pain. I think she is getting over tired a lot of the time and the other times it's colic. The night times have got better...she used to scream through the night with wind but once I get her to sleep usually just wakes for feeds , so that's one good thing. Just need to get the day sorted now.

Aww sorry to hear she is having such a hard time (and you also)

I was wondering what you do to try to settle her when she is so tired. Is she staying in your arms or are you trying to get her into a basket or some such? I'm wracking my brains to think of things to try to maybe help her settle.

One thing we did was dunk LO in the tummy tub if he got too worked up and seemed in pain or just overtired. Worked like a charm. Calmed and relaxed him and we were able to settle him well regardless of the time of day. Tummy tub is meant to be great for colicky babies. Our LO always burps lots and farts when in there.

I've got a tummy tub...in fact she's just been in it and is under her mobile now and you're right it does work. The tummy tub and the tiny love mobile are my best purchases...she loves them.
When I try to settle her in the day I usually keep her in my arms until she starts to nod off and show signs of being sleepy then I try to put her in her basket (that's when she wakes up) I have started letting her sleep on my knee etc just so she gets a bit of sleep.

 

[Sherlock]

I've got a tummy tub...in fact she's just been in it and is under her mobile now and you're right it does work. The tummy tub and the tiny love mobile are my best purchases...she loves them.
When I try to settle her in the day I usually keep her in my arms until she starts to nod off and show signs of being sleepy then I try to put her in her basket (that's when she wakes up) I have started letting her sleep on my knee etc just so she gets a bit of sleep.

lol you and me both with the tummy tub and Tiny Love mobile. Both saved me and LO from hours of upset.

I think your LO is getting to the age she may well start settling a bit better away from you. Of course in the early weeks they like to be glued to you. Do you keep skin on skin contact with her when she goes into her basket? We used to just rest out hand under Galen's head when we laid him down and then move it gently on top and let it rest there. Once he was sound asleep we'd slowly move it off. If he stirred I'd put my hand back for a while.

The other thing we did was lay him on his preferred side. When tiny he used to love to curl up and be cuddled on his right side. So we would put him in his basket this way (only during the day) and leave enough room to gently move him onto his back once he went off to sleep. Usually he'd gently roll back on to his back anyways as his arm was placed so he could not go forward. He gradually grew out of needing to be on his side and settled better on his back.