8-9 week nap regression?

jtothel · January 2018

Any one else having a hard time getting your little one to nap lately? My little one, who just turned 9 weeks, has started to wake up after about 20 minutes each time I get him to sleep during the day. He used to sleep for at least a hour (usually 2 hours). I know he's over tired because he's fussy and cranky but doesn't fall asleep no matter how much rocking/walking I do. I've tried the swing, swaddling, stroller, car rides - you name it but nothing works. He hates the sling so that's not an option either. He just wants me to carry him around it seems but he stays awake. I'm getting frustrated and want him to go back to napping

NYTino24 · January 2018

Ohhh I sure hope not! We are finally getting to the point where he will nap alone!! (He was how you described before now.) If you follow the Wonder Weeks app, the second leap ends just as 8 weeks starts. Is it possible it's an ear infection or gas?

jtothel · January 2018

@NYTino24 - I just got him napping in the RnP (I used to have to hold him) and then this started happening...Aaaah!!!
Gas is a definite possibility. We are on Zantac for reflux but not currently taking anything for gas (he has a lot of gas). I've tried Mylicon and Gripe water but neither are particularly effective for him. I've heard of Wonder Weeks but don't have the app...I'm going to check it out! Thanks

dragonfly87-2 · January 2018

Our DD is 8.5 weeks old. I recently started to swaddle her for every other nap and found it keeps her sleeping longer. She seems to still sleep the longest though during naps if she is on our chest or in the boba wrap.

If she is laying down on her mattress without a swaddle or in the swing, she rarely sleeps longer than 30-45 min.

I second looking into Wonder Weeks. I bought the book (because my phone at the time couldn't download anymore apps) and it's great to anticipate the leaps and changes they go through. It even gives helpful tips on how to deal with challenges and fussiness.

jtothel · January 2018

@dragonfly87-2 - I just downloaded the app so I'm going to check it out! My son always sleeps longer when he's on my chest too, so I have this internal struggle on whether to let him be and just not be able to get anything done or try to put him down and deal with a shorter nap. I'm also getting super nervous about daycare and how he's going to nap there since I doubt someone will be able to hold him every time:(

Polythene Pam · January 2018

My son is 11 weeks and ever since then I’ve had to really work for naps. Because of my bigger kid I can’t work THAT hard so he is usually bounced in the carrier and then hugged in the carrier for naps. Not ideal (big kid wakes him) but I remember this from my daughter too, they’re onto normal adult-like sleep cycles so get woken after a sleep cycle and don’t just continue sleeping. it’s getting worse now so I’m trying to let him fuss a few minutes and sleep in the crib. I remember naps being much harder to sleep train for my daughter too but yesterday (terrible naps) was CRANKY so we’re deyermined now!

Polythene Pam · January 2018

Hit enter too soon. With my daughter I’d leave her in her crib for the 2 hours as long as she wasn’t upset. Eventually she started going back to sleep and then much later just slept the full 2+ hours, like she realized nothing else fun is going to Happen. My son will not be so easy, you lay him alone and he screams in the first place, so I’m trying to do a few min of crying, walk him to calm him, then try again. Not working yet but poor kiddo needs some naps badly!

jtothel · January 2018

@PolythenePam - I was just saying those exact words the other day to someone (that I had to work so hard to get him to nap). I can't imagine doing this and having another child to look after!! I hope your LO starts napping better for you soon!!

curiousfool1 · January 2018

Yup- definitely went through the nap shift during Leap 2. She still doesn’t nap as much as before. I get 1-2 thirty min cat naps, and 1 one and a half or two hour nap.

Polythene Pam · January 2018

@jtothel ugh thanks. He’s such a happy baby but the broken naps are really making him cranky. does anyone else have tips with an older kid? between school drop off/pickup, my daughter waking him in the mornings since he’s still in our room (and she tries to be quiet but.. 4 year old)... he’s just cranky and needs some better sleep. I don’t think he’s big enough for sleep training but we’re going to lay low in the afternoons after school this week and I’ll just keep trying for naps in the crib. Also want a semi better sleeper so the 4 month regression doesn’t kick out butts

NYTino24 · January 2018

My niece and nephew definitely woke him up and vice versa when we were at their house this weekend. Not sure how to manage that when we have another baby other than distance between rooms and praying. Haha... I stopped swaddling for a long time since he'd angrily bust out or sweat a ton, but I sometimes do it or wear him in a Ktan now if he really needs to sleep.

DungeonTrollMel · January 2018

We are definitely noticing nap regression at 8 weeks/ leap 2. He will nap in the stroller when I run in the morning but now it’s barely a 30 minute nap in the afternoon, even if I’m holding him. He gets pretty fussy by his bed time bottle with this after being awake almost all afternoon. I am really missing his 90 minute naps when i could get things done like my pumping without having to hold him the entire time

jtothel · January 2018

@DungeonTrollMel - I hear ya, those longer naps were the only times that I could get things done as well! Fingers crossed that things will go back to normal after we get through this leap! Good Luck

stefanirn06 · January 2018

I remember hearing somewhere that a baby's sleep cycle is only 20 to 30 minutes, and if they wake up briefly and they're not in the same position as when they fell asleep they won't be able to go back to sleep on their own. So, for example, if you rock your baby to sleep and he wakes up and he's not being rocked he will have a hard time going back to sleep on his own. I try to put my son in his crib just before he falls asleep and give him a chance to fall asleep on his own. He may fuss and squirm around for 5 or 10 minutes before actually falling asleep. Sometimes I get a 30-minute nap but other times I can get a two-hour nap. I can tell with his cries if he is going to go back to sleep or not so I will give him 5 to 10 minutes to fall back asleep before I go get him. With regards to the noise from older siblings, we use a white noise machine in his room to drown out noises outside of his Nursery. His sister is 2 and has no volume control so she is LOUD! The white noise machine seems to work well for us.

Polythene Pam · January 2018

@stefanirn06 thanks! We’re doing similar, he’s always preferred sleeping being held so a bit more crying as he really needs to get in the crib, but it’s getting better each day. my issue with big sis is her schedule.. drop off to school 8:30, pick up at noon, swim lessons on a non-school day at 10:30. Other days nothing going on so he can nap as needed. But school days he’s sooo ready for a nap by 8, so I’m waking him to go to school. Get home with cranky kid (it’s not a long enough drive for him to fall asleep), get him to nap again finally... then wake to feed so we can get my daughter again.

I think, from talking to friends, he just has to nap on the go in mornings, and school days will just be broken morning naps. But we’ll make a point to stay home in the afternoon so he can get his long nap then. Noise makers are life savers though I agree! I have a portable one I’ll use when we’re out in the mornings.

samagotchi2 · January 2018

I haven't read all the comments, but my DS is almost 10 weeks, and we were doing the sleep battle as well. Yesterday, someone told me about baby merlin's magic sleepsuit. We tried it last night, and today for naps, and IT IS AMAZING! Keep him nice and cozy, helps with the flailing arms, but he can still wiggle in it. I definitely recommend trying it. DS slept for 5 hours last night, and had a 3 hour nap today. (And currently sleeping for over an hour)
i didn't think it would work, but, I was wrong. It's pretty much a puffy snowsuit lol

jtothel · January 2018

@samagotchi2 - Good to know, I'm going to check it out ASAP!! Thanks

dragonfly87-2 · January 2018

@samagotchi2 a friend gave us her magic Merlin suit. We are going to wait until she is a little bigger because its a little large for her now.

Polythene Pam · January 2018

@samagotchi2 YES I swear by that thing! Saddest day ever when my daughter flopped onto her belly in it and we had to stop using ir. I’ve started using it for my son, helping so much.

curiousfool1 · January 2018

The thing I have such a hard time with is putting my daughter down to sleep before she actually falls asleep. She spits up a lot, so we've been keeping her upright (or mostly upright) for 20ish minutes after each feeding. It really seems to help. But the last feed of the night means she's falling asleep on my chest (often before I've even burped her).

NYTino24 · January 2018

@dragonfly87-2 Magic Merlin suits are supposed to be from 3 months and up, so that's why it's so big.

I can't wait to try one, buttttt my little man sweats a ton when he sleeps and I'm wondering if he's going to be too hot.

dragonfly87-2 · January 2018

@dragon87-2: yeah I saw that info when I looked it up today. We tried it for nap time and it wasn't terribly large on her, but we are still sticking with swaddling at night for a few more weeks. She is fine with it until 5am when she busts her left arm out every morning.

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