Having more nightmares with naps :(

[LaurenMM]

I'm at my wits end with trying to get Angel to nap. I've tried to get her into a rough routine of going down at certain times, but if she's tired before or whenever I put her down straight away. Sometimes it can take up to an hour just to get her off to sleep! It's a combination of her playing with her dummy, flailing her arm around, rolling over and she doesn't actually cry just makes moany noises. When she does go down she will not nap for more than 30 mins. When she wakes I've tried leaving her for a minute to see what she does, pick up/put down, shushing, stroking her she just won't do it. She just seems wide awake after that half hour, shows no signs of going back down and wants to play but when I get her up she's yawning again 30 minutes later and gets grouchy because she's tired. She slept for 30 mins in the afternoon yesterday and it took me an hour and a half to put her back down and when I did she only slept for 20 more mins. She wasn't hungry, I don't think she was overtired as I put her down straight away, I changed her nappy, hugged her, shushed her etc. I really don't know what to do. It's making me feel like I can't go anywhere or do anything because she gets so grouchy. Like today I tried to put her down at 2.45 and I was due to go to my friends house at 4. Angel was having none of it, she just wouldn't go down and just fought it so I took her to my friends house and she just cried the whole time because she was so tired She's been sleeping through for a few months now (7pm-5/6am) and she still sleeps absolutely fine at night and only takes 15 minutes or so to settle her. I just dunno what to do xx

 

[lewisca]

Oh Hun I feel your pain !!! Rhea is exactly the same only cat naps all day and won't go down in her cot in the day . She probably has 3-4 20 min naps through the day but goes to bed bout 7.30/8 and is up bout 7 sometimes wakes earlier to chat to herself for an hr !!! Will she sleep any better in the pushchair if u go for a walk ? Or Rhea will nap in her bouncer. Think they r just too scared they will miss something !! Xxx

 

[Lettie]

Can you half swaddle, tuck her in tight or similar, we were having serious nap issues so went back to swaddling for a week or so and generally, yawn or eye rub, into cot or wherever and swaddle and asleep within 5 to 10 mins for around 1.5-2hrs. Now wrapping her looser so she fa n wrigg le once asleep but just stops the playing, flailing, dummy pulling out and feet chewing that she just couldn't resist! LOL. Went cold turkey at 12wks which is where it went wrong as never let her learn how to keep quiet arms etc so this time will phase it out Xx

 

[Sarah13]

No advice but maybe she just don't need more than 30 mins esp if she sleeps so well at night? (very jealous btw!) Kynon rarely naps and if he does its rarely more than 30 mins and they all get grumpy by tea time anyway. I just go with it, i don't bother trying anymore and just see it as he will fall asleep if he wants to and just arrange to do what i like when I like!

 

[prettypenguin]

Charlie's the same, nightmare for napping and he used to be brilliant, also from the hours of eleven to midnight he wakes and is then up every hour if not more often then up at 6. Yesterday he slept 8.40-9am, then 12.30-12.40, then 4.30-5 >¦( not happy. But today he didn't seem tired after being awake 2 hours but put him to bed with white noise on low and no music even though he usually has it, and left him to it and got back in bed. That was ten mins ago and I heard him playing and now hes fast asleep! Sorry I'm not much help just thought I'd say I know how you feel too. What do you do when you put angel to bed? Does she have lights/music/white noise? Charlie used to have lullabies on his monitor playing but lately I think its making him worse. Maybe try just keeping her up for an hour and half or 3 quarters and see if she will settle in bed herself? Charlie honestly didn't seem tired just then not one bit but he went straight to sleep in mins x

 

[mum2b410]

Could it just b the 6 month fussy phase hun? Is this just a recent thing? Ethan was always a 45 min napper and did that 4 times a day but was happy afterward and no yawning. Hv said some babies r fine with this! If she is tired soon after then it would seem she wants longer. The no cry sleep solutions book I have has a whole chapter on lengthening naps- suggests going in when u hear her stirring and just rub her tummy or something soothing to help her transition into next sleep cycle before waking. Thus far it hasn't worked for ethan but he has dropped a nap and is doing a longer one in the mornings now- that's y I'm thinking if angel was good til recently it might just b temporary whilst she goes thru this developmental phase? Hang in there hun- I do know how u feel- I find it hard to go anywhere with ethan if he hasn't had a good sleep and I can't get him to sleep at other peoples houses, it has to b pram or car! Hope she gets back on track soon xx

 

[hellywelly]

I do wonder if LOs are just like regular people, some need more sleep and are happy to nap in the day while others don't? I hate sleeping in the day and only need about 6 hours at night as well, so I'm beginning to think Evie prehaps takes after me as she is sleeping less and less in the day, but does sleep well at night. I would also be wary of reading too many books. I know they work really well for some people but personally I just get really stressed out when LO doesn't do what the book says she should be doing! Lol

 

[mum2b410]

I agree- been reading too much myself and ending up v confused! Got to try and trust my instincts more I think! X

 

[LaurenMM]

Can you half swaddle, tuck her in tight or similar, we were having serious nap issues so went back to swaddling for a week or so and generally, yawn or eye rub, into cot or wherever and swaddle and asleep within 5 to 10 mins for around 1.5-2hrs. Now wrapping her looser so she fa n wrigg le once asleep but just stops the playing, flailing, dummy pulling out and feet chewing that she just couldn't resist! LOL. Went cold turkey at 12wks which is where it went wrong as never let her learn how to keep quiet arms etc so this time will phase it out Xx

She was swaddled for a few months and I wanted to try and wean her off this and she did really well at first, taking roughly 20 minutes to go down and I really don't know whats changed. OH settled her this morning as I was out and he tried tucking the blanket over her wrists, not tight so she couldn't move just loosely and she slept for 90 mins, excellent, tried the same this afternoon and all she did was free her arms again and it took me 45 mins to get her down I went cold turkey too which is making me think I shouldn't have maybe? I'm not sure :S xx

 

[LaurenMM]

Charlie's the same, nightmare for napping and he used to be brilliant, also from the hours of eleven to midnight he wakes and is then up every hour if not more often then up at 6. Yesterday he slept 8.40-9am, then 12.30-12.40, then 4.30-5 >¦( not happy. But today he didn't seem tired after being awake 2 hours but put him to bed with white noise on low and no music even though he usually has it, and left him to it and got back in bed. That was ten mins ago and I heard him playing and now hes fast asleep! Sorry I'm not much help just thought I'd say I know how you feel too. What do you do when you put angel to bed? Does she have lights/music/white noise? Charlie used to have lullabies on his monitor playing but lately I think its making him worse. Maybe try just keeping her up for an hour and half or 3 quarters and see if she will settle in bed herself? Charlie honestly didn't seem tired just then not one bit but he went straight to sleep in mins x

Ah it makes my situation not look so bad hun I feel for ya sometimes I'll put her in her crib and she'll go down, by herself, straight away and be fine. Other times she'll be a nightmare and thats getting more and more frequent and there's no reason that I can think of as to why Her bedtime routine is simply just bath, bottle and bed. I give her kisses and say nighty night but it's always just been that routine, no music or anything just a cuddle and kiss and she's always slept through. At nap time I give her a kiss and say nap time go to sleep baba and that's it. I did try white noise and it worked really well when she was younger, used to send her to sleep in seconds, now it just seems to distract her. I've got this teddy thing which plays lullabies for ten or twenty mins I could try popping her in the crib and playing that each time so she knows its nap time? She can self settle very well usually, sometimes I can just pop her in there kiss her and by the time I've walked out the room she's asleep. Or sometimes she'll play and coo for a bit and then fall asleep herself. Lately she's just been spitting, throwing her arms round, rolling over, playing with her dummy. It sounds pathetic but the frustration of this makes me burst into baby tears. I know that sounds terrible especially when I know there's mummys with a lot worse problems but it just makes me feel I'm doing something wrong xx

 

[LaurenMM]

I do wonder if LOs are just like regular people, some need more sleep and are happy to nap in the day while others don't? I hate sleeping in the day and only need about 6 hours at night as well, so I'm beginning to think Evie prehaps takes after me as she is sleeping less and less in the day, but does sleep well at night. I would also be wary of reading too many books. I know they work really well for some people but personally I just get really stressed out when LO doesn't do what the book says she should be doing! Lol

I think you just read my mind about the book thing. If I read something in a book or try something I get so worried that I'm doing something wrong, just because the book said to do this and this person said to do that rather than trusting my own instincts lol. I do think you are right along with what Sarah13 said. Maybe she does just need those 30 min naps. I try putting her back down and she doesn't even seem tired but because I read somewhere about re-settling I feel like I have to. I also read on a website even 6 month old should still be napping for about 3-4 hours in the day and I'm like oh shit Angel doesn't do that I've got to try and make her nap for that long.... and so on I put her down and she's been sleeping for nearly 45 mins so far. I just heard her stir but gone quiet now so not sure if she's fallen back to sleep lol :S xx

 

[LaurenMM]

Oooo she's stirred a couple of times (could be just chatting in her sleep though...) but she's been out nearly an hour

 

[prettypenguin]

Don't be daft, I was in tears last night over him waking up. Do you think it could be her teeth still? Charlie cut his first the other day and apparently it gets better but he's been so clingy. Do you wait until she is tired or put her down a certain amount of time after she's woken? Charlie went straight down for his nap this morning, but only had 45 mins, then 45 mins later after milk took him back up and he went straight down slept for 2.5 hours. Got back from getting him weighed just and its been 2.5 hrs since waketime and he's gone straight down.


I'm thinking maybe as soon as you enter her room don't speak, I say naptime etc whilst carrying him upstairs. Also i can't remember what I said in my last post but I've turned the white noise down a bit so its a comfy level that he can sleep to.

I think with Angel its prob 1.5-2 hours waketime each time...does she wake up at the sane time everyday? Xx

 

[LaurenMM]

Don't be daft, I was in tears last night over him waking up. Do you think it could be her teeth still? Charlie cut his first the other day and apparently it gets better but he's been so clingy. Do you wait until she is tired or put her down a certain amount of time after she's woken? Charlie went straight down for his nap this morning, but only had 45 mins, then 45 mins later after milk took him back up and he went straight down slept for 2.5 hours. Got back from getting him weighed just and its been 2.5 hrs since waketime and he's gone straight down.


I'm thinking maybe as soon as you enter her room don't speak, I say naptime etc whilst carrying him upstairs. Also i can't remember what I said in my last post but I've turned the white noise down a bit so its a comfy level that he can sleep to.

I think with Angel its prob 1.5-2 hours waketime each time...does she wake up at the sane time everyday? Xx

Well she's got the 2 teeth right through with no sign of anymore just yet, but when she's in the fussy no sleep mood it doesn't seem like teething like there's no biting of hands, red cheeks, she doesn't even cry 90% of the time, just plays and fights it. I mainly do it when she's tired but sometimes I do it 1.5-2 hours after regardless of whether or not she's yawning or whatever. She doesn't wake at the same time no, she sleeps from 7pm till 5am-6am usually, has a bottle, then she goes straight back down. This is either till 8 or 9 or could be 7.30 or something, there's no 'typical' wake up time at the moment. So today she woke at 8.40 and OH put her down at 10.30 after her bottle, she woke at 12 and I put her down at 2.15 and she didn't actually fall asleep till 2.50. xx.

 

[prettypenguin]

Perhaps just try putting her down every 2 hours? I'm trying that with charlie from now on, unless he's tired beforehand of course xx

 

[tinks77]

We had this for about 3 weeks and now instead of 2 hours awake she's going 2.5-3hrs. No crying, no fussing I just let her be awake abit longer to see if that was the problem