https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:50:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2391340 Wed, 16 Dec 2015 17:26:06 +0000 hellobeeboston 2391340@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 10 week old is similar. He won't nap at home, but he sleeps great in the car! I end up putting him in the car seat and driving around and running tons of errands because he will sleep forever in there, like 3 hours. But he won't sleep at home unless he's on me, or in the Rock nPlay for 30-45 min only. He's doing pretty well at night though, but yeah, daytime sleep is no good. My little man would sometimes stay up for 1.5 hours at 6 weeks, just had to make sure to balance eating and sleep but he was ok being up for that long, usually in the morning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2391334 Wed, 16 Dec 2015 17:15:10 +0000 peaches1038 2391334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetiePie: I'm going to wall you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2390219 Wed, 16 Dec 2015 08:57:49 +0000 SweetiePie 2390219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Agree with @hilsy85: @Littlebit: that 1-1.5 hours is a long wake time for that age. It took me 4-5 weeks to figure that out! Make sure to read about sleepy signals, there were some I didn't even realize were sleepy signals so I was ignoring them. And that's when he wouldn't nap!<br /> Also, I'm totally going off the cuff - is it possible that if he is getting too much to eat (like hilsy85 suggested) maybe he's uncomfortable when he goes down to sleep? My pediatrician once said to me "if they are too full before going to sleep it can make them uncomfortable. Think about when you eat too big of a steak dinner then try to go to bed. Sometimes you lay there uncomfortably for a while". She was saying that in reference to trying a dream feed or top off before bed, but thought maybe it applies here? Since a dream feed is sort of a force feed.<br /> Agree that eating every 2-3 hours is probably more normal at that age (start to start).<br /> Good luck! Between 2-3 months is when my sons sleep vastly improved! Partly because I learned those sleepy signals and partly because they do a lot of growing and maturing in that time. By 3 months it starts to normalize. I have written novels about naps here, let me know if you would like more info and I can point you in the direction. I'm not an expert, just obsessed with my sons naps after going through what you're going through!<br /> Also, Dr Weissbluth's book on infant/child sleep is priceless! Get it! Chapters on each age are relatively short so you can read only the part you need in 10-15 mins. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2390216 Wed, 16 Dec 2015 08:55:51 +0000 red_seattle 2390216@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With nursing frequently-- DS was nursing every 1.5 hrs (that's start time to start time!) when he was awake during the day until about 10 wks. Then, on his own, he started spreading feeds apart to 2-3 hours, then soon after to 3 hr intervals. Don't worry too much about the frequency of how often he nurses just yet. Your LO may do it on his own. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2390203 Wed, 16 Dec 2015 08:48:33 +0000 sslm 2390203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peaches1038: Just to give you another perspective, I had an extremely alert newborn. At 6 weeks I saw my midwife and remember asking if it was normal for her to be awake 4-5 hours at a time!!!! I tried everything to get her to sleep when she was "supposed" to, and none of it worked and I felt like a crap mom. All to say, some babies are just different. My daughter has just always been a crappy napper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2390198 Wed, 16 Dec 2015 08:45:25 +0000 Littlebit 2390198@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with @hilsy85: that is a long wake time. When does he first show a sleepy sign? I didn't realize I was keeping my LO up too long. At that age it was more like 45m-1hr of wake time. </p> <p>I also had a crap napper - 36 minutes to the dot for the first 8 months of his life. He eventually grew out of it. So I still had not great naps, but figuring out wake times made him a lot happier! Good luck to you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2390187 Wed, 16 Dec 2015 08:38:15 +0000 peaches1038 2390187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you everyone! I will try shorter wake periods and not push sleeping in the nursery. I just got a ring sling and he took a great nap in there yesterday, so maybe that will help. </p> <p>@hilsy85: great advice. Maybe that's why he's gaining so much-I'm force feeding him haha</p> <p>@wrkbrk: yeah, I think @hilsy85 is right. Maybe I'm feeding him too much and mistaking his crying for hunger instead of tiredness. I'm going to ask my ped about it all today as well. I'm jealous of your 3 hour naps! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2389755 Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:30:01 +0000 hilsy85 2389755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's possible he's overtired--at 6 weeks, staying up for 1.5 hours is a LONG time. Also, is it possible that when you think he wants to nurse, he is actually tired? If he's getting 4oz at a time, I would be surprised if he was actually hungry again an hour later--often, when my LO cries after having recently eaten, its' because she's tired. So maybe if you know he's eaten recently and eaten well, try doing a nap instead of nursing? That being said, I think it's VERY normal to not take great naps at that age unless they are being held or on the go. I agree with trying the swing/bouncer/baby carrier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2389711 Tue, 15 Dec 2015 17:41:14 +0000 sapphire 2389711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO had to nap in the swing at that age or in a carrier or stroller.or just be held.<br /> I should also say that she didn't do a good job of napping at daycare but that was okay. She started sleeping long stretches at night to make up for it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2389255 Tue, 15 Dec 2015 12:23:24 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 2389255@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO (9 weeks) is a good night sleeper like yours, and she doesn't have a good nap routine during the day. She'll nap 30 minutes sometime or as long as an hour and a half. She nurses pretty frequently during the day. I let her nap wherever. I don't swaddle her or put her in the nursery. She naps in the bouncer, swing, her car seat (when we run errands), on my bed, etc. I think she'll eventually settle into a daytime routine and good nap schedule like she did at night. As far as daycare, there might be a learning curve for a couple days but I'm sure your LO and the providers will figure it out. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2389202 Tue, 15 Dec 2015 11:57:51 +0000 wrkbrk 2389202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@peaches1038: Ugh sorry! I meant to comment on the month thread about this. Have you tried letting him nap in a bouncer or swing? That's what our little guy does and he does sleep 3 hours or so (more than he does at night - naturally lol) between feedings. You can't "sleep when the baby sleeps" if you use a bouncer or swing (well I guess you can but it's not recommended to leave them in there unattended) but it's still a really nice time to get things done. Plus, since he is napping in the living room with the lights and tv on and the doorbell and dogs, etc., I have some illusion that he will figure out nights and days. Haha. Good luck! I am sure this is frustrating. PS My LC said they should gain an ounce a day - sounds like your baby is gaining two ounces a day if he's up a pound per week?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2389109 Tue, 15 Dec 2015 11:04:02 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2389109@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Will lo sleep in the swing? My 10 week old sill tends to nap on the go and so did his sister. Don't worry about daycare. A lot changes between 6-12 weeks old, and things go up and down but daycare providers have seen this. Sometimes kids get overtired, you can't always predict it, it'll be ok. You also may have better luck with a shorter wake time, but honestly all that sounds typical/good. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-week-old-nap-strike#post-2388986 Tue, 15 Dec 2015 09:47:58 +0000 peaches1038 2388986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our guy is a champ at night in his rock n play (4-5 hours, followed by a couple 2-3 hour stretches) but is NOT a fan of daytime naps. I nurse him to sleep in his darkened nursery with the sound machine on and then lay him down. He will usually sleep for 10-20 minutes and then right back up and crying. Occasionally he will sleep for an hour. I've tried a swaddleme, Aden and anais swaddle blanket, no swaddle and it doesn't seem to make a difference. I try to bring him in the nursery for a nap once he's been up for 1-1.5 hours.<br /> Im also nursing on demand and he likes to eat at least once at hour, if not more. My friends say that their babies go 2-3 hours during the day between feelings. I go to a breastfeeding group and he has gained about a pound per week (he weighed 11 pounds last week) They also weigh them before and after nursing and he always weighs about 4 oz more after so I know he's getting enough.<br /> I'm not sure if it's too early for a flexible routine, but I'm getting anxious about him starting daycare in 6 weeks bc I don't want him to be overtired from not napping and I'm not sure how they will handle the frequent eating. I don't want them over-feeding him and/or wasting my breastmilk! Any advice? </p>