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February 2013 Moms
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If I read one more time...

jocgymnast72jocgymnast72 member
in February 2013 Moms

...that babies' naps should be at least 90 minutes long and total daytime sleep should equal 3-5 hours, I'm going to scream! These days a decent day is a total of 2 hours and it's a lot of work to get that. I also keep seeing "as soon as you see signs of tiredness put the baby down for a nap." How easy that sounds. What if LO won't sleep? Nursing used to work, rocking worked for a short bit ( now he just tries to wiggle out of my arms or stiffens up his body while fussing), and putting him down and walking away results in crying. So my question: how do you "put baby down for a nap," and what do you do if they refuse? If you let them cry, are you also sleep training at night? At what point do you abandon the attempt and go back to playing or whatever.

 I know all my posts are about sleep and it must seem I'm overly anxious, but I just don't know what to do when DS clearly needs a nap but won't take one. I'm running out of patience and energy.  I know several of you ladies are in the same boat. He is 16 weeks and naps started sucking at 12weeks. So frustrating!!!! 

I should note when he does nap I rarely get more than 25-30 minutes except for his morning nap which is sometimes an hour if I hold him but not lately. 
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Re: If I read one more time...

  • carriesu2003carriesu2003 member
    First off the saying "sleep begets sleep" was invented to torture mothers of tired children.   As if I'm not trying everything in the world to get my child to sleep.  My daughter is a crappy napper and fights it all day long.  She usually only sleeps 40min or less.  She looks exhausted all day long.  I was doing research last night and came across a little tid bit of info.  Basically if you let your baby fall asleep while nursing this can sometimes replace the nap.  It isn't restorative sleep but it is just enough to keep them from napping.  Today I made a pledge to not let the LO doze off while nursing and she has taken a 40 min nap, an hour nap, and is currently going on a 3 hour nap!  I don't know if this is just total coincidence or not.  Also if  you don't breastfeed this probably won't help but I wanted to share.
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  • jocgymnast72jocgymnast72 member

    imagecarriesu2003:
    First off the saying "sleep begets sleep" was invented to torture mothers of tired children.   As if I'm not trying everything in the world to get my child to sleep.  My daughter is a crappy napper and fights it all day long.  She usually only sleeps 40min or less.  She looks exhausted all day long.  I was doing research last night and came across a little tid bit of info.  Basically if you let your baby fall asleep while nursing this can sometimes replace the nap.  It isn't restorative sleep but it is just enough to keep them from napping.  Today I made a pledge to not let the LO doze off while nursing and she has taken a 40 min nap, an hour nap, and is currently going on a 3 hour nap!  I don't know if this is just total coincidence or not.  Also if  you don't breastfeed this probably won't help but I wanted to share.

     I try so hard not let him fall asleep nursing but if I take him off he gets upset and I'm afraid he's not done, so I never know when to take him off! Since you didn't nurse her to sleep, how did you get her to fall asleep for these gloriously long naps?

     

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  • ally2011ally2011 member
    My 4 month old is still swaddled in the miracle blanket sleeping and napping between 2 rice socks in the arms reach co-sleeper by my bed.  She sometimes naps the same way in her crib.  She also uses a paci to fall asleep, we play white noise, and there is a seahorse that plays lullabies for 5 minutes.  Sounds like a lot of sleep crutches I guess, but she naps great and sleeps well for the most part (5-6 hours, then eat, then 2-3 more, then eat, then sometimes more or sometimes awake and then 2 hour nap.  I figure she will grow out of them as she is ready.  I dread having to unswaddle and would ideally like to wait until she can easily roll back to front and front to back....right now she can only roll back to front and then gets mad.  The miracle blanket and rice socks keep her in place for now :)

    We are so thankful that our second daughter, Lillian Elizabeth "Lily", was born healthy and happy on February 11, 2013.  We love her to pieces.  

    We lost our first daughter, Hannah Grace on May 4, 2011.  She was buried on May 14 during a beautiful service at my home church. We are grateful that if she could not be here with us, that she is healed and whole with the Lord. We look forward to the day when we will get to meet her. We love her so much.


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  • Mary6170Mary6170 member
    I have no advice, but I could have written this. My LO is 13 weeks stubborn Feb baby who came late and we fight every nap. I'll spend 30 min rocking, bouncing, etc for a 2030 min nap. We had our 3 month pedi visit today and the doctor basically said to take sleep where you can get it carseat, nursed to sleep, swing. She also said that some babies are just high maintenance and need less sleep. Does your LO sleep at night? I'm lucky mine does, she'll usually sleep 810 hrs, then maybe another 2 total throughout the day. It's not ideal, but the pedi made me feel better that I'm not doing something wrong.
    Good luck and try not to stress! Remember, you're not alone. Not all babies magically fall asleep after exhibiting clear sleep cues. :
    Pregnancy Ticker
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  • Karla CSKarla CS member

    I have resorted to letting her cry until she naps. At some point, I figured she'd fed, she's clothed, she's the right temperature, and her diaper is clean. She can cry in my arms or she can cry in the swing. Best thing I could do for both of us at that point.

    But no, we have not figured out this whole napping thing. No where close. 

    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
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  • carpntrgrlcarpntrgrl
    imagejocgymnast72:

    ...that babies' naps should be at least 90 minutes long and total daytime sleep should equal 3-5 hours, I'm going to scream! These days a decent day is a total of 2 hours and it's a lot of work to get that. I also keep seeing "as soon as you see signs of tiredness put the baby down for a nap." How easy that sounds. What if LO won't sleep? Nursing used to work, rocking worked for a short bit ( now he just tries to wiggle out of my arms or stiffens up his body while fussing), and putting him down and walking away results in crying. So my question: how do you "put baby down for a nap," and what do you do if they refuse? If you let them cry, are you also sleep training at night? At what point do you abandon the attempt and go back to playing or whatever.

     I know all my posts are about sleep and it must seem I'm overly anxious, but I just don't know what to do when DS clearly needs a nap but won't take one. I'm running out of patience and energy.  I know several of you ladies are in the same boat. He is 16 weeks and naps started sucking at 12weeks. So frustrating!!!! 

    I should note when he does nap I rarely get more than 25-30 minutes except for his morning nap which is sometimes an hour if I hold him but not lately. 

     

    I could have written this post, except DD is only 15 weeks. But yeah, I used to be able to boob her to sleep and get at least one long nap out of her, plus 3 or 4 20-30 min naps. Now, her eyes POP open after 10 minutes.

    I feel like I've done something wrong along the way. Everybody keeps mentioning eat, play, sleep but I thought it was just another Julia Roberts movie...joke.

    I'm going to ask my ped for advice, but will most likely stick it out until she's 6 mos and Ferber her. 

    BabyFruit Ticker
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  • krissywavekrissywave member
    For me I take a nap with him.  I nurse him till we both fall asleep.  I know there other things I can get done.  but hey you only get this time with them now.  So I take all that I can get.
    April 10 IUI BFN Sept 10 IUI BRN Feb 11 IVF hoping for a BFP! Feb 27 ER 28 eggs Mar 4 8 health eggs, 2 ET Mar 17 - Beta 180!! BFP!!! Mar 21 - Beta 1295!! holy cow what a jump Coming soon 1st Sono March 30!!! Crossing fingers for healthy stick bean(s) Mar 29 miscarry :( 6w 3d 2nd IVF July 2011 BFP July 2011 M/C 11/11/11 hate to say good bye again! Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers 3rd IVF 4/3/12 ER 46 eggs (holly cow batman) 40 mature, 36 fertilized 4/8/12 ET 2 AB put back 4/10/12 15 make it to FREEZE 4/22/12 Beta BFN 1st FET 6/7/12 Day we are going to put back 2. 6/21/12 BFP 1285 6/25/12 4780 I hope this time they stick!! Deaglan William welcome. My rainbow is finally here February 7, 2013
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