the nap issue is driving me INSANE

cjsbdl · January 2010

INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now he has decided he will not nap in the bouncy seat, either. So, in case you are keeping track, we now have nowhere that he will take a nap except on me. And that's just not going to happen. Personally, I love it. But I can no longer use the excuse that he is too young to develop bad habits. He simply has to nap somewhere else or not nap at all. I cannot sit and hold him four hours a day.

Please, someone tell me this gets better. I'm losing my mind.

Mr.&MrsS · January 2010

Nolan is the same way, so I know how you feel. It will get better, but it may take some time. After dealing with a screaming fit for an hour, after rocking, walking, bouncing, etc Nolan all around I can usually get him down (when already asleep) in his crib. But that only lasts 15-30 minutes. So not really worth it when it takes over an hour just to get him down. I do still try, but a lot of times I just let him sleep on me. I know it wont last forever. Brady used to like to nap on me, and now he refuses (and I want him to because he doesnt cuddle too much anymore!). But as he gets older it will get better. Will he nap in the swing? Can you put him down in the crib/bouncy/swing when he is already asleep? Since you are around to watch him, can he nap on his belly?

choco_lab · January 2010

Probably not what you wanted to hear but I did Ferber exactly when DS turned 4 months. I was pulling my hair out. He responded well and now is a great sleeper. I hope it gets better for you soon. I know the feeling.

dundasgirl · January 2010

Ditto the napping suggestion of belly naps. It sounds scary but it works for some people. Is he rolling yet? That makes it less scary!

Penny is a very wakeful baby. Reed used to sleep alot. She takes catnaps only.

Can you put him down to play on his playmat or in the bassinet yet? Penny likes to interact with her toys now so she is content to spend some time independently. It gives me some time even if she isn't sleeping, at least I am not holding her and I can get some folding laundry or something done.

SeaSoul · January 2010

How long has this been going on? My first thought is that it is a phase, and it will pass. Cal went through a similar phase around 9-10 months and it turned out to be teething-related. Once the tooth came in, he went back to his regular sleep/nap habits. I'm not suggesting your LO is teething, but perhaps it's just a developmental phase that you have to grin & bear as a mommy. If it's been going on all of his life, I'm not sure what to say!

cjsbdl · January 2010

Mr.&MrsS:
Since you are around to watch him, can he nap on his belly?

I would try this, but he sleeps SO WELL at night (12 hrs, sometimes waking once, sometimes not at all). I'm so afraid that if I let him sleep on his belly for naps he will want to sleep on his belly at night, and I just can't let him do that yet since he's not rolling.

cjsbdl · January 2010

SeaSoul:
How long has this been going on?

He used to be a good napper, but he took ALL his naps in the swing or bouncy seat. He's slowly gotten worse and worse at napping in those two places so that he now refuses to nap for more than 20 mins in either one. I think he's gotten to that period where he won't rest well in motion. So I tried to transition him to the crib for naps--no dice. Sometimes I can get him down in the crib when he's sound asleep, but only about 25% of the time and he'll only sleep there for about 30 mins.

He's a great night sleeper, but the lack of naps is killing him and me. By the end of the day he is in full meltdown mode.

5Foot · January 2010

choco_lab:
Probably not what you wanted to hear but I did Ferber exactly when DS turned 4 months. I was pulling my hair out. He responded well and now is a great sleeper. I hope it gets better for you soon. I know the feeling.

This. We Ferbered her around 5 months because she wouldn't sleep unless rocked to sleep and wouldn't stay asleep for more than 1/2 hour. Now she takes 2 naps a day--a 2 hour nap in the morning and 1-2 hour in the afternoon. So, yes, it does get better. Hang in there!

kittylove · January 2010

No advice just a hug. Sleep issues are where almost all my mommy guilt lies. No matter what I have done nothing works.

cape05bride · January 2010

Liam only slept in his swing until 3 months. Then I tried to break him of it because he was starting daycare and I knew they napped in cribs. Plus, motionless sleep is better for them anyways. The only way he would sleep in his crib is if I swaddled him and nursed him until he fell asleep. Then I would place him in his crib. At 4 months, his naps were only about 45 mins in his crib but he would do 3 of those naps daily. The naps didn't get longer until his teeth came in at 6.5 months. It does getter better, but not overnight so hang in there.

SeaSoul · January 2010

cjsbdl:

SeaSoul:
How long has this been going on?

He used to be a good napper, but he took ALL his naps in the swing or bouncy seat. He's slowly gotten worse and worse at napping in those two places so that he now refuses to nap for more than 20 mins in either one. I think he's gotten to that period where he won't rest well in motion. So I tried to transition him to the crib for naps--no dice. Sometimes I can get him down in the crib when he's sound asleep, but only about 25% of the time and he'll only sleep there for about 30 mins.

He's a great night sleeper, but the lack of naps is killing him and me. By the end of the day he is in full meltdown mode.

Oh, that sounds awful. I've always been of the mind that one should have no expecations where sleep is concerned, and try to roll with the punches and know that it'll all work out in the end. But I've also never dealt with extreme circumstances. I wish I had more advice!

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