he won't nap...grrr

PocoHR

I just want to vent a little. My 5 month old has decided napping is for the weak. He used to be a super napper, and he still will sometimes, but we're having days now, sometimes several in a row, where he will only take short 15-20 minute naps during the day while in my arms when I'm feeding him. He won't tolerate being put down and won't nap otherwise. Around 4:00 he starts to get cranky and so do I. He's a sweet little booger, but man, the no napping bugs me. I just resorted today, for the first time, to driving around with him in the carseat because I knew it would put him to sleep so I could catch a break and he could actually be in decent shape for the evening. I feel bad for getting grumpy about this, but days without a break from each other gets tough. 

jdal1206

It's like our kids are the same! LO is 5.5 months old and was also a great napper but now it's like we are torturing him when we try to get him to take a nap. I've recently gone back to work and DH is now at home so I think that may have something to do with it but it doesn't get better on the weekends when I'm home so I'm convinced he has a severe case of "FOMO", we try and assure him he won't miss anything but he just doesn't believe it! I honestly wouldn't mind so much of he slept through the night but that too has become a struggle...hoping that this passes soon!

doodleoodle

I can't remember who suggested this, but it was someone on this board... Cuddling it out. We've only had to do it a few times, after trying everything imaginable to get LO to take a nap and she just isn't having it. I just walked around with her while holding her snuggly and let her cry. She falls asleep in under 5 minutes that way. I can barely handle it though. Which is why I'll jump through hoops for an hour and half in order to avoid it lol

poupoule

In the same boat... It just became so hard from one day to the other, it has been 3 days now... How long does it last ?

rachswi

Zeke's been the same way. Last night it took 2 hours (with a good amount of screams and cries from him) to get him down. I finally held him tight to my body (while he bucked and screamed) and played "strong hair dryer" loudly. It seemed to help to overwhelm his senses with the white noise and he finally gave up. I don't like doing that because I worry about possibly overwhelming him too much but on the occasions he's fought everything else, that works. 

I can't wait until he lengthens his naps so that I don't have to fight him as many times each day. There have been a few days where he hasn't gotten the naps he should because I don't have it in me to fight him. Right now he's still taking 3-4 naps and they're only ever 45 minutes max (but lately they've been shorter). 

snowflake143

Ditto, to pretty much everything. He wouldn't nap on Saturday so I took him to the store so that I was sure he'd knock out and get a good hour. Somehow he stayed awake through the whole store and the drives to and from there.

mondylyn

My LO is exactly the same--I just think my two older ones did this too and it was all good after awhile :-)

AmoLovesAud

Cuddling it out is the only way my kid has ever napped!  I tried to transition her to crib naps and it was awful, she stayed up for 6 strait hours, screaming through most of it (while being held!) before exhaustion finally won out for a 15 minute sleep not in my arms.  I think I've about given up, I'm doomed to this kid napping only on me forever.

VexedMommy

Bridget and I have to cuddle it out for naps most of the time.  The only thing that works other than that is wrapping her in a back carry.  She gets a great view of the world and is close to mama.  Mama gets to get shit done.  She will eventually pass out back there and I can sometimes transition her to the crib.  Most of the time I don't even try though since I'm still able to get my stuff done while she's up there. 

*Your child can go on your back earlier in a wrap than in a Mai Tai or SSC because it is more supportive.  Check the safety instructions of your carrier before putting your child on your back. 

AmoLovesAud

@VexedMommy I only have a Moby and a ring sling right now, but my local BWI chapter has wraps for borrowing.  I am totally going to borrow one and work my way up to a back carry.  Addy will nap in the Moby but OMG HOT, and she won't really nap much in the sling.  I think I managed once.  But awake or asleep, I can't get much done with a kid strapped to my chest, I'm itching for the chance to back carry (napping in it would be a huge bonus, too!)

wimamaof2

We've had a few days like that.  When ours gets pretty fuzzy, we put him in the stroller and go for a walk (weather permitting).  Otherwise,  we push him around the house.  Usually, within 5 minutes, he's asleep. 

Lolo427

AmoLovesAud said:

Cuddling it out is the only way my kid has ever napped!  I tried to transition her to crib naps and it was awful, she stayed up for 6 strait hours, screaming through most of it (while being held!) before exhaustion finally won out for a 15 minute sleep not in my arms.  I think I've about given up, I'm doomed to this kid napping only on me forever.

Nothing to say but solidarity. My lovey lady *usually* is a great napper but with the 6 month growth spurt/ wonder week (month actually) she's struggling. I tried crib training last week and it bit me in the ass majorly and she won't sleep in the moby/sling so I just told my husband I've accepted naps are on me. It won't always be the case, so I'm trying to be mindful and not rush this stage. I've been dropping major hints that I want a woven wrap for either Mother's Day or my birthday but we shall seeee.

Edit: napper not mapper...that's just weird

hlaverett88

DS is not much of a napper either. He does two 30-45min naps and only in my arms. If I lay him down he's awake within 5-10min

PocoHR

Update: Maybe this was some kind of mini five month sleep regression? He's totally changed gears and is sleeping amazingly well now at night and during the day. I feel incredibly lucky. I slept 7 hours in a row one night and I woke up before him. I don't know who to thank for this, but its an amazing gift. :-D

liba526

At PocoHR, did u do anything different? Still struggling w my five month old, he still wakes up every 1-3 hrs.

PocoHR

I wish I could point to one thing as different but I can't, he just started doing it on his own after a rough patch of sleeping. I am hoping it lasts for a long time!

gipfish

Crossing my fingers that Jane will get over this very thing soon. My back can only handle so much back carry in a week. And my sanity can only handle so much screaming baby. 

AmoLovesAud

I think night time sleep is finally improving (save for the fact that she's sick), but naps are awful.  Nothing over a half hour, which means at almost 6 months were still in 4 nap a day territory.  Yesterday was terrible, she wouldn't go down for her 4th nap so I tried a drive.  Finally fell asleep 5 minutes from home, after 4.5 hours of being awake.  Got her car seat inside, still asleep, DH offered to watch her so I could eat dinner.  He tries taking her out of car seat (ARG!) which of course wakes her up, so less than 10 minute nap.  So of course she wouldn't go to sleep for the night until almost 9, woke up a million times screaming (not normal, she usually just talks to herself pleasently), and I spent 2 hours fighting her this morning to get a 15 minute nap.  Ahhhh!  Where's the reset button?!