What am I doing wrong??

Lwilson24

I can't get my DD to sleep... I feel so stupid it took me like 3 weeks to realize she wasn't supposed to be awake for 8 hours consecutively! I thought I just had a cranky baby, but here she was overly tired. I'm a sahm and she is ebf. At night she sleeps in a rock and play (because of incline due to reflux) and during the day she always just feel asleep on the Boob for naps. Now that she is 15 weeks she obviously is awake more so doesn't fall asleep while eating. I can't get her to sleep for nap, I see tired cues so I try the rocking chair but that takes almost 2 hours! I just borrowed a swing from my sister but that doesn't get her to sleep either. Since she doesn't nap, she hardly sleeps at night (maybe 6 hours waking twice to eat) I'm worried about her well being.

Tldr: 15 week old sleeps maybe 8 hours in 24hr period, should I call her doctor?

Lwilson24

Also last night I got to the point of telling my dh that I I can't do this and I didn't want kids and I don't know what I'm doing so he needs to leave and take her with. I feel so freaking horrible about it.

Scrambles1

Try to stay calm. Easier said than done I understand. The baby knows that you're frustrated.

I have twins. Both have reflux and that can be tough. Is she on medicine for it? Not that you want her to have to take meds, but they gave my DD medicine for hers because she would wake everytime I'd lay her down.

Do you use a pacifier at all? I know with breastfeeding we're not supposed to use a pacifier, but if it helps why not I say. Both my babies use it and sometimes they just need that little bit to soothe them.

Does she play at all....like on a playmat perhaps? Sometimes they'll kick and hit the dangly objects and fall asleep while playing. Not ideal, but it's still a nap.

TeacherVicky

Don't panic, you just need to get her sleeping more and you'll do so by getting her rested and out of the overtired state.

Keep her awake time to less than 90 minutes, so do what needs to be done to get her sleeping before the 90 minutes is up. With time, you'll see that she's more rested and will be able to wind down for naps and nights much easier. 

Use blackout curtains and white noise. Temperature between 68-72. Make her sleep environment favourable for sleeping (in a bedroom). Create a nap time routine; it can be similar to her bedtime routine, just condensed to 10-15 minutes. This way she'll eventually understand that it's time to sleep when these things happen. 

When I was desperate to get my LO's to sleep I would go for a walk or go for a ride. Whatever it took to avoid the overtired state, I did it. 

gutsysneakers

Agree with PPs. Babies can legit smell your fear! DD hates pacifiers and naps are so hit or miss. She's at DC now and I think all of the stimulation helps tire her out - she ends up taking 2-3 naps there. 

Tips that have worked for me when I was on mat leave - naps: going for a long walk in the stroller - good for you and the motion usually put DD to sleep. I also would walk the neighborhood wearing her in my Ergo. Some babies like it, some don't. 

I know your LO has reflux - mine doesn't so I'm not sure if this would work, but with DD I would feed her and put her in her crib (for either nap time or bed time if she didn't fall asleep nursing). I would put on her fish aquarium (little Einstein's toy) and she would usually fall asleep talking to it, grabbing at it, etc. I had to learn there is a BIG difference between DD fussing and DD crying. I'm against CIO at this age, but if she fusses for 10 minutes and puts herself to sleep - well, me - 1, DD - 4,567. 

Lwilson24

Thanks for all the replies. She is on meds for her reflux, which has been a huge improvement. I will be trying all of your recommendations for sure! Today I will spend all day revolving around naps, hopefully we have success!

amackattack

Have you ever tried just putting her in a sleep sack, giving her a paci, and putting her in her crib? My babe will happily suck her paci for about 15 mins and then fall asleep. I had the WORST time getting her to nap before I realized just putting her down by herself is what works. 

bumpuser260585

I had similar issues with DS1. I tried everything to get him to nap to no avail. Finally, My mom told me to just lay him down and let him figure it out. That worked for my ds. Everything I was trying to do was overstimulating him. He did much better once I just left him alone. I would put him in his room with the lights off and he would babble and grunt a little then fall asleep.

Swaddling helps DS2. If your DD isn't rolling over yet, try to swaddle her before putting her down.

Remember, this too shall pass. You are a good mom.

Lwilson24

Unfortunately she doesn't like pacifiers I've tried here and there since birth but she just isn't interested. Also we stopped swaddling about a month ago because she got to big for any we had, and now she rolls over anyway. She did just nap for almost 2 hours which was AWESOME she just happened to fall asleep nursing so I went with it and just let her sleep on me, mini victory!

KatWAG

TeacherVicky said:

Don't panic, you just need to get her sleeping more and you'll do so by getting her rested and out of the overtired state.

Keep her awake time to less than 90 minutes, so do what needs to be done to get her sleeping before the 90 minutes is up. With time, you'll see that she's more rested and will be able to wind down for naps and nights much easier. 

Use blackout curtains and white noise. Temperature between 68-72. Make her sleep environment favourable for sleeping (in a bedroom). Create a nap time routine; it can be similar to her bedtime routine, just condensed to 10-15 minutes. This way she'll eventually understand that it's time to sleep when these things happen. 

When I was desperate to get my LO's to sleep I would go for a walk or go for a ride. Whatever it took to avoid the overtired state, I did it. 

 

SITB

 

All of this. When they are so angry its hard to stick with a schedule, but try.

 

What is your night time routine like? Does a bath calm you LO down? We do bath, diaper,  jammies, bottle, rock, swaddle, into the RNP. It's about 45 minutes beginning to end. For naps its just diaper, bottle, rock, swaddle, into the RNP.

KatWAG

I apologize for the mulitple posts but I cant delete them. @washingtonqueen, a little help?

TeacherVicky

KatWAG said:

I apologize for the mulitple posts but I cant delete them. @washingtonqueen, a little help?

I thought you liked my response THAT much.

What does SITB mean??

amackattack

Lwilson24 said:

Unfortunately she doesn't like pacifiers I've tried here and there since birth but she just isn't interested. Also we stopped swaddling about a month ago because she got to big for any we had, and now she rolls over anyway. She did just nap for almost 2 hours which was AWESOME she just happened to fall asleep nursing so I went with it and just let her sleep on me, mini victory!

Have you tried different paci brands? For us the paci is probably THE thing that helps her go to sleep. She refused the soothie and some other brands but loves the nuk. I definitely think its worth trying other brands.

WashingtonQueen

KatWAG said:

I apologize for the mulitple posts but I cant delete them. @washingtonqueen, a little help?

Cleaned up

KatWAG

TeacherVicky said:

KatWAG said:

I apologize for the mulitple posts but I cant delete them. @washingtonqueen, a little help?

I thought you liked my response THAT much.

What does SITB mean??

 

Stuck in the box... meaning I am stuck in your quote box. Which I am again. Today is not my day

TeacherVicky

KatWAG said:

TeacherVicky said:

KatWAG said:

I apologize for the mulitple posts but I cant delete them. @washingtonqueen, a little help?

I thought you liked my response THAT much.

What does SITB mean??

 

Stuck in the box... meaning I am stuck in your quote box. Which I am again. Today is not my day

Ah, gotcha.

MommyAtty

Wow. I feel for you. It's rough. DS is a terrible napper. The car is the only fool-proof means of getting him to sleep during the day, though he's fabulous at night. Read a couple of methods for getting babies to sleep. Baby Whisperer and Happiest Baby worked for my 2. Every baby has slightly different needs. feel free to mix and match methods til you find what works.

And can you take a night off to just sleep? Have DH handle a night or two? With DS, at first he was up a lot, and I finally told DH, "I am losing my mind. I'm beginning to hate you and to hate him because I haven't slept more than 3 hours at a stretch in about 6 months. You have got to give me a break." (I had terrible insomnia for more than half my pregnancy, and I'm always an insomniac, so when I say terrible, I mean it.) Luckily, we hit on the magic combination when DS was 8 weeks and it's been smooth night-time sailing since then. He required a tight swaddle, a pacifier, white noise machine, and dark room.