help! 4 month old baby won't nap!

[alexx2]

Desperate for ideas on how to get my 4 month old DS to take naps. He clearly still needs naps during the day as he gets very cranky if he doesn't get over 3 hours during the day to the point of being irate and inconsolable by evening which leads to poor evening feeding and poor quality/frequent waking at night.
He will currently only fall asleep if pushed outside in his pram. This is an issue for several reason but mainly as I have a health condition which makes it difficult for me to walk for long distances/long periods of time. He seems to be getting ever more reliant on these walks to sleep. He used to be able to stay asleep if I brought him home once he fell asleep but now he wakes as soon as I close the door. He also no loner stays sleep if I go for a drive instead of a walk.
Today the walking didn't work so I've just breastfed him to sleep and he's sleeping on my knee.
I really don't want to perpetuate these 'bad' habits any longer as I want him to be an independent sleeper but I keep prioritising his need for sleep over cracking this nut!
Help, advice and ideas please!!

[MyBreadIsEggy]

My DD was an awful napper until I finally cracked it at around 5 month old!
Have you tried white noise?? Works a treat for my DD! She nearly a year old now and still has it on for every nap and all through the night. One time I forgot to plug the charger into the tablet, and it died half way through the night - she woke immediately when the white noise stopped!!
Also how long are the gaps you leave between naps?? We came to the conclusion that my DD was chronically overtired because we were letting her be awake too long in between naps thanks to the helpful advice from my mother "keep her awake in the evenings...she'll sleep better at night!!"....cheers mum but it doesn't really work that way

[alexx2]

Thanks MBIE, we have just into rushed Ewan the sheep for night times but wanted to keep that just for night to help him differentiate between night and day. Perhaps I could do like you and use the iPad to play a different white noise at nap times.
DS usually wakes up about 7:30, feeds at about 8 and will be showing signs of tiredness by 9:30/10am. Depending on how successful we are, he'll be asleep by 10 or 11am. When it goes well, he'll sleep for 1.5-2 hours. He'll then wake for a feed, play/awake for 1.5-2 hours then another nap, again ideally for 2 hours. We do like you mother suggested and don't do a late afternoon nap. He ideally wakes between 3:30 and 4pm and has a feed. We then 'tank him up' with a formula feed at about 5:30, bath at 6:45 and BF and into be straight after that.
That's the theory any way. Today his dad took him for a walk at 9:40. He fell asleep quickly but woke up 20 mins later. Went back out in the pram and slept for another 20 mins. The had a feed and fell asleep on my lap where he's been sleeping for last 30 mins. So has basically spent all morning either dosing or trying to get to sleep.

[MyBreadIsEggy]

I had Ewan too he worked a treat....until the sound went off after 20 mins and then DD would wake up!! We use dishwasher sounds on the iPad now!
Sounds silly but have you tried putting him down before he shows signs of tiredness?? At that age my DD could handle about an hour and a half awake at a time. She had four 30 minute naps in a day rather than fewer longer ones.

[alexx2]

Definitely wort trying more frequent shorter naps. Thanks

[MyBreadIsEggy]

Hope it works for you
I know just how hard it is having a baby that won't sleep during the day!!! Sending lots of sleepy dust to your little man!!

[alexx2]

Thanks MEIB, a little bit of that sleep dust reached us! White noise and more frequent naps seems to have led to some improvements but I'm still having to walk my legs off!

[Fugghetaboutit]

He's 4 months old. Feed him to sleep. He won't be doing it for long. I have my 3 month old full of milk on my boob fast asleep as we type while I watch trash TV in bed. Better than pushing them around!

Also, milk has sleep inducing hormones like melatonin in so you're meant to feed babies to sleep.

[Effiethemonster]

Yeah feed him to sleep if it works!

[NerrSnerr]

4 months is still really small, I would feed to sleep. There's plenty of time for worrying about habits when he is sleeping better. Enjoy the cuddles while you can.