O's naps are getting progressively worse (as if that was possible). It is taking her a LONG time to finally fall asleep. It took me 45 minutes for a 30 minute nap and 1 hr for the next one. I know short naps are common, thats fine (well, not fine, but I have come to accept it), but how long before you basically say f it, its not happening? And if you do scrap the nap, when do you try again? She's 15 weeks old, btw.
-
Are our babies soulmates? Seriously!
-
I scrapped it today and am now paying for it. I'm trying to keep M happy til at least 7:30 so that we aren't up at 5:30 tomorrow morning.
I would love to know how people get their babies to take naps.
-
@spaniellove: lol, they really might be! maybe one day they will meet and we can tell them they are soul mates and it was destined from when they were tiny little ones.
@Dandelion: yeah, sometimes I just have to scrap it for my mental health. but, then I am kind of like...well, what now? lol. I hope you aren't up at 5:30! and I would love to know too. seriously, who doesn't like sleep! -
just decided to scrap one after 30 minutes and now he's fast asleep in my arms and supposed to eat in 30 minutes.
I just keep reminding myself that this stage won't last long (hopefully!) -
another nap question to ponder.....WHY baby do you yawn like 10 minutes after waking from said 30 minute nap. Why did you wake up then? hmmmm...
-
@spaniellove: @ellewoods84: I think our babies are clones of each other! I can't get him past 30 min in his crib. I will hold him at least once a day for a better nap bit otherwise yeah I'm a slave to getting him to sleep. And often failing. When, oh when will it get better?
-
@ellewoods84: I've fallen into a bad habit of putting him into the Mamaroo when he wakes in the middle of a nap in the off chance he might sleep a little longer.
-
@BabyTsMom: yep, M has a lot of naps on the boppy on my lap because whenever I try to put him in his crib he wakes right up. It's getting old, though.
-
@spaniellove: that is not a bad habit! That's smart! Anything to extend the nap I am a fan of.
@BabyTsMom: lol, I wrote on your wall about my nap woes. They are all little tiny clones. I can't even hold her for a nap anymore. She just doesn't like to sleep period!
@Dandelion: that is tiring. O will no longer nurse to sleep for naps. That is another boo.
@mkp17: yes, this is just a phase and we can and will all get through it! On a side note, do you live in ATL? -
I never scrap a nap. If all else fails its car drive time! Sometimes i would get him up for 15 minutes and then try again, and a lot of times that worked. From 2-7 months lo napped almost exclusively in his swing on the lowest setting.
-
When he was little I gave up after about 20 minutes. Once he was only taking 2 a day I gave it longer if he wasn't upset, like 45.
-
@ellewoods, I do live in ATL (in the burbs)!
-
@Mrs. Lion: so after you were actively trying and not succeeding, you would try again in 15 minutes? My LO only naps in the swing also but even that isn't working anymore.
@scg00387: after you gave up, how long until you tried again? -
@ellewoods84: yes...I didn't have a time frame...Lo has aways been either very easy to put down or wouldn't go down at all. I decided not to waste energy fighting him. If he wasn't ready I didn't force it. Usually 15 more minutes was enough. If that didn't work then it was usually that I had let him get overtired (babies are so confusing!!) In which case my only solution was a car ride and that always worked as a last resort. But my kid gets completely miserable and doesn't sleep well at night if he is overtired so naps had to hapen. He always had a shorter than average awake time too (and still does).
ETA: we did drowsy but awake from birth and I never nursed to sleep, so for me actively trying meant putting him in his bed. If he fussed or cried I would give him a minute or two and then hold him for a minute and try again. If he still cried for more than a minute when I put him down I would then get him up and try again lat3r. We didn't do cio because we never had to, but I'm a big believer in letting them fuss for short periods to see if they calm down or escalate.
-
So my situation is a little different because I know my baby naps easier than yours (usually). But she does have her days. I never give up on any nap before 6pm. (I usually try to get her to sleep from 6-7 so she can stay up until 830 without making my life suck-- but if she isn't asleep by 630 I get her up and stop trying). Days when her go-to nap routine fails (and I usually give that about 20 minutes) I try rocking her. If that fails I try holding her and bouncing her. If that fails I try her usual routine again. If that fails I try sticking her in the moby and going for a walk. I just figure--- she has to sleep SOMEtime and sooner is better than later and giving up is not going to make her sleep.
But-- those days totally suck and make me angry because I feel like I spend all day feeding her and trying to gt her to sleep and I don't even get to enjoy hanging out with her then. So if every day was like that, for my own mental health, I'd probably give up on some naps so I could have some fun play time.
-
@Mrs. Lion: yeah we always do drowsy but awake for naps and she wouldn't nurse to sleep even if I wanted her to! What was your LO average awake time? I feel like I don't even know my LOs...I thought I did, but these last couple days have me doubting myself!
@Mae: yeah, that is what I figure (she has to fall asleep eventually). But....these past couple days have just been so ugh. I feel like I am just fighting her all day long to get her asleep. And it is affecting my mental health! I feel like I am going crazy! And then I just get mad at myself. So. Ugh. I just have to give myself a cut off time I think, and then try maybe 10 minutes later and see if that helps. Can I just tell you again that I am veryyyy jealous of your awesome sleeper? -
I struggle with this so much. D usually takes a looong morning nap and then fights naps all afternoon. She seems to get tired every hour and a half and might give me 15 min-30mon naps if I time things right, but only in her swing or on me. If I miss the hour and a half window, she is a lot harder to get down. According to the Polly Moore book, I should give up for another hour and a half and try again, but according to Weissbluth, the longer I wait the more overtired she gets and the adrenaline will make it harder for her to sleep. I don't know who or what to believe.
Also, I am so jealous of the people who can do car rides or babywear to induce a nap. D hates the car seat and does nothing but scream during car rides. And babywearing used to be instant sleepy dust, but not anymore.
-
With my son (who was a terrible sleeper), I would give up after 30 minutes. With my daughter, if she doesn't go to sleep after our usual routine, I give up. I made peace with the fact that my kids are terrible sleepers long ago, and honestly, it was one of the best parenting moves I made. I felt much less stress after that.
-
@meesker: I agree that there is so much conflicting information. I am sorry you are dealing with this also! The longer it takes me to get her to sleep, the more anxious I feel and worry about her getting overtired. And don't feel bad, my baby HATES the car and will only fall asleep after basically crying herself to sleep and has never likes being worn. Sigh. I think tomorrow (today) I am going to attempt for 30 min. If that does not work, I will stop for 10 minutes, and then try again.
-
@ellewoods84: i had to go back and look at my monthly updates, but it his wake time wasnt very long. An hour and a half, two at the very most. At 4 months (12 weeks adjusted) he was still taking 4 naps a day. At 5 months he started having the 45 minute nap problem. The fix to that for us was cutting his first morning nap to only an hour (he would sleep for 2 if i let him) and switching to a 3 nap schedule. I think it took me a while to figure that out, but i wish i had done it sooner.
-
15-20 minutes because more than that and I start to lose it. I will usually try to come back to it and try again within maybe half an hour? But it depends on him and his attitude.
He takes 28 minute naps all damn day, but I guess he's napping at least...?
-
I apparently give up easily. At that age I would give up after about 5-10 minutes, and try again later. If he did not go down right away, he was not going to. I would try again maybe half an hour later.
-
@lamariniere: wise words from an experienced mom! Now if only I could follow your lead...
-
Ohh this is so near! Olivia is a fabulous sleeper at 9 months - but boy oh boy was it a struggle to get there.
The book I read said that CIO for 3-5 min is fine. (As you know, you have to pick a theory and stick with it - CIO, no CIO, modified CIO - whatever works for your fam). We did the drowsy but awake and went in every 3-5 min.
Naps did not work in her crib until she was 5 months old. If we got her to nap well, by nighttime she would cry the second we walked in her room - like she had just had enough of her room. So we used the swing. She napped swaddled in that with a paci for the first 5 months.
Swing / stroller / in my arms / carseat - whatever worked, I did. Because too tired of a baby won't nap well, won't nap long, won't sleep well, etc. - it never ended.
You need to get a good nap out of her, or night sleep to kind of reset. At that age she wasn't awake longer than 45 minutes .. maybe an hour? Seems crazy, but she would go down well at that mark, but any later, we we're SOL.
It DOES get better, I promise. I get so much more done with a crawling almost walking baby than I did at that age. Just do what works for your family, try to not go crazy in the meantime, and it WILL get better.
-
@gilmoregirl: Yeah, I have to give myself a cut off point. After trying for 45 minutes 2x yesterday and then only getting a 28 minute and 30 minute nap, I was in a horrible mood. I was getting annoyed (I mean, I know she can't help it, but go to sleep girlfriend!). So, I will do the same.
@Kelley_lovelikecrazy: Yeah, I do all naps in the swing. She has never napped in her crib and she just flat out screams if I try. Both her night sleep and nap sleep suck so I think it is just a vicious cycle. I think she is just chronically overtired. I think I am going to start to try putting her down a bit earlier. Maybe start at 1 hour since it usually takes me 20-30 minutes to get her to sleep. Or maybe even 50 minutes. But, thanks for the encouragement!
-
@ellewoods84: How do you try to put her to sleep? I've fallen into a habit of nursing her to sleep which works 90% of the time, but I know some people don't like that method. DH, my mom, and MIL are able to put her down with bouncing/walking though. I am TERRIBLE at getting her down without nursing though.
-
@fussygal: well she won't nurse to sleep. Only at night. So I have to just walk around the room with her swaddled until I see 3 yawns. Then I put her into the swing. She usually cries, so I have to start the process over until she finally goes in and will fall asleep.
-
I'm sure you tried everything at this point but have you tried putting her down after 1 yawn? I struggled with feeling like I put LO down too early but usually get ok naps with awake but calm time before he falls asleep if I catch it before he is overtired.
That being said I'm typing this one handed holding him b/c I totally kept him up too long trying to get DD dinner, bath, etc
fingers crossed for a good night!! -
@mkp17: well, sometimes she yawns after like only being awake for 15 min! So I then wait for the second yawn. Even if she's only been awake for like 35-40 minutes, do you still think I should try? It seems so early! But I will try anything at this point. Thanks for the advice! I hope you guys have a good night too.
-
@ellewoods84: one thing that i think has helped is we play music before he goes to sleep. I used to rock him for a minute or two and sing to him before every nap and the music would continue playing while he was on his bed falling asleep. Its always the same two songs, and the playlist switches to white noise when they are over. Now he gets excited and grins when the first song comes on.
As to your question about putting her down after 30-45 minutes, i would say definitely yes. If she is chronically overtired that might really help. Once she catches up her awake time will likely lengthen. I would give it a try!
-
@Mrs. Lion: I will try the music! That sounds like a good idea. And okay, I will try that tomorrow about the 30-45 min thing. Thank you so very much for all your help and suggestions.
-
@ellewoods84: pick songs you love
you will be hearing them A LOT! Haha And if the nap doesnt happen right away, you can always try again a bit later. Good luck!! I hope things get better for you soon
-
@deactivated one: This is what I have begun to do at 3 months old. Did anything else work for you?
-
@Suzanne44: don't think you'll get a response from that person- she deleted her account.
while my LO never took to the swing, a lot of moms here told me that their LOs napped in the swing till 5-6 months. so I think you're ok for now.... -
@BabyTsMom: oh, lol! Is that what deactivated one means? I thought it was just a cool name! Haha. Makes sense now. Some days I tell ya... Thanks for keeping me in the loop. I got a 2 hour and 45 minute nap in the swing out of her today. And the night cries are lessening. Still longer than I like, but getting less and less.
Reply
Subscribe to our newsletter
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
35 comments