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5 month old baby refusing to nap...help?

alliecat1234alliecat1234
in Attachment Parenting

So for the past 4 days my baby has been refusing to nap anywhere but in the car.  It's not like getting him in the crib was easy before, but after about 15 minutes of fussing and me soothing, he'd go to sleep for 45 to 90 minutes.  For the last 4 days, he has been screaming his head off in the crib and after 45 minutes of soothing he might close his eyes, only to wake up 5 minutes later screaming.

 Any thoughts on what this is? Is it just a phase?  He goes down easier at night but I think it's because he's exhausted from not sleeping during the day.  I feel horrible because he's crying so much but he's also not getting any sleep.  ???

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Re: 5 month old baby refusing to nap...help?

  • mrsmonakmrsmonak member
    I'm not much help because I've got an extremely difficult napper - more so than most.  But around that age they are more alert and aware of their surroundings.  I think they just hit a phase where they want to play and explore.  Too busy for naps! =]  In the car, there is nothing really to do or look at, along with the soothing motion of the car.  My son even gives me trouble in the car now unfortunately.  It was around 4-5 months when it became very difficult for me to get him to nap.  Hopefully your son will grow out of it soon when things around him maybe aren't so exciting anymore.  I know that nap routines are supposed to be most helpful.  Good luck!
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  • ncbellencbelle member
    Could just be that he's more alert and interested in life; could be teething.  Will he sleep if you hold/wear him?  I still wore my kids for all their naps at that age - they needed sleep and I needed a break so win all around ;)


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  • Emerald27Emerald27 member

    imagencbelle:
    Could just be that he's more alert and interested in life; could be teething.  Will he sleep if you hold/wear him?  I still wore my kids for all their naps at that age - they needed sleep and I needed a break so win all around ;)

    This is what I was thinking! My LO loved to be upright on my chest, either being held and/or rocked or in a carrier for naps. He would also lay flat on our bed for naps if I nursed him to sleep (and this is what I still do). Good luck! I hope your LO has an easier time getting some sleep and you can relax!

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  • alliecat1234alliecat1234

    Thanks for the replies, ladies.  I definitely think it has to do with him just wanting to be awake and explore his world right now.  Which would be fine, but he gets tired and grumpy and fussy and needs the sleep! 

    I am trying to do better at paying attention to tired signals.  I had been following the advice that as soon as you see a yawn or eye rubbing to get them immediately to bed, but I think he needs a little more time to get tired.  I've also tried hanging out in his room a little before starting the nap routine playing with toys in dim light with quiet music on to let him unwind a little.  I think he's just a little firecracker right now and does not want to miss out on anything.

     I also think he hates his crib :(  We've been trying so hard but he just seems to hate it.  I wonder if the mattress is to firm?  I co-sleep with him at night and I think he's used to the mattress in our bed and his crib mattress is WAY firmer than that (almost like a board).  I set up the pack-n-play today next to his crib and it has a foam mattress in there and he's taken 2 naps with minimal fussing.  I might just go with the pack-n-play for now.

    I guess I know inside that these things are always a phase, but it just freaks me out as a first-time mom when we go 4 days with such fighting of naps.

    Oh and as for wearing him - he is just way too stimulated by everything to sleep.  I've tried it and he will yawn and look SO tired but he keeps his eyes open to see what's going on around him.  

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  • jyoung01jyoung01 member
    Not a regular on this board, but was curious so I stopped in : My kiddo slept horribly when she had an ear infection. It might be worth a trip to the doctor if things don't get better soon.
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  • alliecat1234alliecat1234

    imagejyoung01:
    Not a regular on this board, but was curious so I stopped in : My kiddo slept horribly when she had an ear infection. It might be worth a trip to the doctor if things don't get better soon.

    Thanks!  We just went this week (because I thought the red stringy stuff in his diaper was blood...turns out it was banana.  First time mom problems!!) and his ears are good.  But thanks for the tip...had we not gone already I would think about going if it continued.  

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  • tina924tina924 member
    Went through the same thing around the same time with DS. It only lasted about a week. Now he's back to napping pretty regularly. I think it was just a developmental phase or something. What I just did was give him quiet time. I layed down with him in our bed with the blinds closed and did really calm things like reading a book and singing softly. I felt that at least he was getting some down time to relax even if he wasn't sleeping.
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