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Drama at Nap Time

XmasDivineXmasDivine member
in Babies: 3 - 6 Months
Hey all,

FTM here, so sorry if this is a stupid question.
Do all babies cry when you are trying to put them down for a nap?

I do not want to practice CIO. I'm a softie and any tears from the little one are too distressing to me and her!
What happens with us is that I can see that she is getting tired, usually an hour and a half from when she last woke up (2 hours max). Sometimes she goes to sleep with a paci and me rocking her... other times, even though I can tell she is tired... It's like she is fighting SO hard not to sleep :( She screams and cries and I just cant take it so I just do whatever I can to get her to calm back down (failing a lot of the time that means quietly sitting in front of the TV or me nursing her into a nap). It's just that if I dont fight her down she will stay awake.. and just get progressively fussier..

I've tried putting her down in the crib and the swing awake but sleepy.. ONE time she fell asleep in the swing without crying.. the crib not at all.. it turns into roll around drool on everything play time..

suggestions? hints? tips?
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Re: Drama at Nap Time

  • BlondieBia21BlondieBia21 member
    Yes. How old is your LO? That'd be helpful to know. Do not practice CIO. Sounds like baby is getting overstimulated, I would try to put her down at her very first sleepy cue (yawn, grabbing at ear, burying face, red eyes, etc.) To me, when my lo starts crying, it's too late to try and get her to sleep so we are going to fight. 

    Suggestions- White noise, nurse to sleep, swaddle depending on age... 

    Not all babies will immediately fall asleep when put down drowsy but awake. 
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  • BelhurstBrideBelhurstBride member
    DD1 used to get over stimulated and over tired VERY easily. It made getting her to sleep such a battle. I'd have to nurse, sway, bounce, and shush all at the same time to get her down. 

    Some kiddos just have a hard time. That's really the best I have to offer. Sorry. 
    :-S
    DD1 4.14.10
    DD2 8.22.13
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    Expecting #3, EDD 1.29.18

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  • smlowe9311smlowe9311 member
    Lo is 3.5 months and she won't have anything to do with the drowsy but awake thing. We have had the same bedtime routine (bath, change, rock/nurse to sleep) starting at 7 since about 4 weeks. This week however no matter how hard I try she won't go down until 9. I tried last night pushing back the beginning of the routine some to see if that would help (at least cause less rocking/nursing/putting down only to have her wake up time) and she made it about 45 minutes but in turn she wasn't down for the night until 9:45 verses 9. All of that to say my advice is to do what works for you and your baby. Try not to stress too much about making sure LO is on the same schedule as other babies the same age. Good luck!
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  • taraleannetaraleanne member
    Normal, especially for this age! I've been EXACTLY where you were.
    I would just keep on doing what you are doing - get into a sleepy time routine and just keep being consistent and patient. This is a really really tough age for sleep. Hang in there, your patience will pay off. Right now, I'd do whatever it took - WHATEVER it takes to get LO to sleep because an overtired baby is awfully cranky. But keep the routine the same and watch for those sleepy cues and just keep trying to put down drowsy but awake every now and then, and eventually you will fall into a better routine and LO will sleep longer. Again, this is a really tough age for them because they are SO interested in life, so much is going on in their little brains it's so tough to shut off. It will get better as baby gets older. I noticed a big improvement as 6 months rolled around. Hang in there :) 
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  • XmasDivineXmasDivine member
    Baby girl is also 3.5 months. We have a bedtime routine in place and I think she does better at bedtime, but not consistently (I guess obviously at this age what can I expect?!) she's in bed usually around 9:30pm - 10:30pm on our worst days bed is closer to midnight..

    I feel like she just goes from ok to tired in ONE second.. if I miss the yawn.. or dont predict the yawn.. then I'm fighting.. I am glad to know that this is COMMON and everyone is rocking/patting/nursing/swaddling/using white noise.. man we do it ALL!

    We are working on getting her down for her last nap of the day now.. I nursed her.. she fell asleep.. handed off to daddy to rock while sleeping (in the crib doesn't last).. she woke up for daddy (grumble grumble).. back to me for some time in the laundry room with the WD going, signing, swaying, and patting.. back to daddy in the glider.. and I can currently hear DH singing to her..

    LOL babies huh!?
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