- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Babies: 0 - 3 Months
Major sleep issues
My 10 week old son does not like to sleep. I've been trying for over a month to do the eat, activity, sleep routine with him, but the only way he'll fall asleep is if I'm nursing him. I've tried keeping him awake during nursing hoping that he'll be more tired after the activity and fall asleep then, but I just CAN'T get him to sleep any other way. He just cries and cries. He used to take his pacifier, but now he refuses it and will cry even harder when I give it to him. I've tried rocking, bouncing, walking him around, snuggling, lying down with him, putting him in his swing, etc. I'm not sure if I should be focusing more on establishing a routine with him or if I should just let him sleep when he falls asleep nursing. If I try to set him down ANYWHERE when he's sound asleep (arms limp) he wakes up immediately, so I basically have to sit and nurse him for an hour or two to get him to take a nap during the day. Help me! Do any of you have naptime routines so that your baby knows when he or she is supposed to sleep? What works for you? Is it normal for babies to cry and resist at first when you try to get them to sleep?
Check out my blog 
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Major sleep issues
Swaddling eben for naps.I use the escape proof swaddle for bed and just a regular swaddle for naps. BUt DD still only naps in her boppy or swing really. I'm trying to get her into the crib but with her reflux she just hates it even though its inclined.
Also try a different style paci. Sometimes they need a different nipple.
Nurse him to sleep! It has natural released hormones that do promote sleep and yes pacifiers do this too by to a lesser degree. At ten weeks it is OK to nurse your baby to sleep, this teaches him sleep is a comfortable happy peaceful place to be, if he has to fight and resist sleep this cause you and baby to have higher stress in your blood (literally cortizol pulses through your veins and your babies) this can make bedtime harder rather than easier.
What many great gurus of parenting won't tell you is that this will pass (this doesn't sell books!) and holding and nursing baby to sleep will not result in bad sleep habits in fact research shows quite the opposite effect and those children are shown to have better sleep habits for the rest of their LIFE not just a few months or weeks.
https://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/index.html
https://www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/search/label/Sleep
https://thebabybond.com/ComfortNursing.html
Little Rose is 2 1/2.
I feed, diaper change, sing or read (or both), and then I put her back down for her nap. I always swaddle her and always put her in her crib. I recently switched to Swaddle Me blankets because even the Escape Proof wasn't working for us.
Sometimes she does fight naps even though her eyes are droopy and she's yawning. When this happens, I will go in and soothe her by stroking her head and face and singing to her. Sometimes I have to go into her room and do this 5 or 6 times before she stops fighting and falls asleep. If she is really crying and fussing, I will pick her up and cradle/rock her while singing for a few minutes before putting her back down.
Some naps on some days are easier than others, but in general, this is working for us.
Why? my 10 week old is sometimes awake 2-3 hours between naps (some times longer). let him stay awake if he wants and see if he will fall asleep on his own then. it sounds like maybe he just isnt tired yet.
I think it's lucky this works for you. It's much more typical that a 2-3 month old should be awake for only about 80 minutes total (including falling back asleep) between naps.