How do you get your baby to nap?

kiley&matt

My 10 week old son is not a very willing sleeper.  If it was up to him, he'd be awake all day and most of the night.  The only way I can get him to sleep is if I nurse him, and then when I gently set him down in his crib or put him in his swing, he wakes up almost immediately.  I'm lucky if I can get him to stay asleep for 30 minutes before waking up.  I've tried everything I can think of to get him to fall asleep without nursing - walking around with him, bouncing him, giving him a pacifier (which he used to love, but now he refuses to take), lying down with him, rocking, singing, etc.  He used to fall asleep in the car, but now he doesn't.  I'm just not sure what to do.  What tricks or advice do you have to get a baby to nap during the day?

Jenifer0178

I have the same problem with my ds.  Only he refuses to sleep and then gets so overtired he cries and cries till he falls asleep.  I just recently read "The Happiest Baby on the Block".  This has helped tremendously.  He still takes awhile to fall asleep, but he no longer screams and cries.  Specifically, he likes to be in his swing and "jiggled", we started swaddling again with one arm out, and needs white noise to settle.  He also refuses his pacifier, it just pisses him off and makes him cry more.  Good luck to you!

Aviee

I have to play a LOT with DD during the day to get her tired enough to nap.  She's super curious and always wants to see everything.  If I set her down in her swing, I let her stare at something near it.  Lately she's been keeping herself occupied and going to sleep without being attached to me, but only if we played for at least an hour.  During evenings, I keep her up as much as possible before bedtime.  Works well for me.

sarag0116

I try to follow the EASY routine (loosely) during the day.  It doesn't always work , but we follow it for the most part.  So, for DD, she nurses (this takes 10 to 15 min), plays for 45 min to an hour, then naps for 30 min to 45 min usually.  Her naps aren't very long b/c she's eating about every 2 hours during the day.  She sleeps 10-11 hours at night (usually straight, occassionally she wakes up once to eat), so I don't mind the shorter naps during the day.

I decide it's naptime when she starts yawning.  Once I see this, I take away the toy/stimulation, give her a paci, rock her or just hold her.  Sometimes she falls asleep on her own laying next to me on the couch in her boppy.

Your LO seems to be overtired.  In that case, swaddling, shushing, rocking in a quiet room may help.   I don't swaddle for naps (only at night), but it may help you get LO to nap!  Try the escape proof swaddle (look it up on youtube)... it's the best.

sarag0116

In case you don't know EASY... it stands for Eat, Activity, Sleep, You (time for yourself).

RileyGrace

Are you putting him down flat or at an incline?  It's possible it might be a reflux or gas issue and possibly an incline might help - like the RnP sleeper for example. 

Have you tried sleep training?  There are a bunch of books about it, but the basic principle is to put them down drowsy but still awake.  Secrets of a Baby Whisperer is the most straightforward book about this, IMO.  It's the EASY method which is Eat, Activity, Sleep, You Time (vom!). 

During the day, try hard to feed LO then do an activity.  At the very first sign of sleepiness (one yawn, long blinks, eye rub, etc.) wisk them to their room (or other nap location.)  The basic rule of thumb is that they shouldn't be awake for longer then 2 hrs in the beginning without a nap.

Get LO down for a nap, offer a paci, rub their tummy, my LO likes his head tickled.  Whatever works to help calm them.  As soon as they relax walk out of the room.  You might be going in every few minutes for the entire "nap" in the beginning, but eventually it'll take.  It usually takes 3 days to make a switch in routine, so stick with it.  I try to not pick him up during naptime if I can avoid it, but I will if nothing else is working.  But then put them back down as soon as they relax again.

It can be stressful when you first start, but over time it gets easier.  If you see no improvement at all after 3-4 days call your pedi to ask about reflux, etc.

Good luck!!!

nae87

I put a clean diaper on her, swaddle her, pop the pacifier in the mouth, rock her for a few minutes until she's calm and then put her in her crib and turn this little musical toy on.  Sometimes I have to go back into her room a few times to pop the pacifier back in.  If she wakes up shortly after going to sleep I'll put her in her swing still swaddled.

ksyknelvr73

I find that swaddling REALLY does the trick. They might fight it at first and not seem to like it, but usually it is instantly calming. I notice when DS is fussy and seems tired, and I will take him and swaddle him, hold him and rock him for a few minutes, then lay him in the crib with his white noise going (we have a sleep sheep) and sometimes we use the pacifier once he is already swaddled and laying down and that usually does the trick.

Wufroggy79

I've learned the signs that she's just cranky and tired vs. hungry.  If she's showing cranky signs, I "SHHHHHHHH" her practically at the top of my whisper lungs and rock in my arms.  This sometimes knocks her out, or I'll put her in the bouncy chair vibrating and bounce until she falls asleep.  Even then though, she probably only does 1 long (hour plus) nap per day.  Most are between 10-30 minutes.