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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

5month old screams when I try to get her to nap

15 replies

Lillybet9 · 09/08/2016 18:08

My 5month old is generally a good sleeper at night but days are awful. As soon as I see sleepy cues I take her to the cot, make it darker and put on white noise. 2 rounds of rock a bye baby and then start pick up put down. Sometimes (rarely) this works and most of the time she screams! I can't get her to the sleepy but not asleep stage and she gets herself really worked up. Any suggestions? This is my first baby and this is driving me spare! If I do get her down its one sleep cycle max so I am never getting a break.

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Sparrowlegs248 · 09/08/2016 18:31

Ds is 1 and didn't do cit naps til about 8 months. I concentrated on ANY naps, so bf to sleep then sitting with him.on me, pushchair, cat etc. Once these were reliable I started putting him.his cot asleep. I tried self settling, it took over an hour for 20 minute nap.

Lillybet9 · 09/08/2016 20:11

I've tried feeding her in the bedroom then getting her into cot when asleep but she always wakes up! She is a real cat napper so I spend all day fighting with her to get her to sleep.

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PamBagnallsGotACollage · 09/08/2016 20:20

Sometimes it's best to give up the fight for your own sanity. As the PP said, rock and cuddle to sleep on you, buggy, car. Whatever and where ever works!

I struggled to get my first to nap and he didn't nap anywhere but on me until he was well over six months (he's 4 now and it's all a blur!) my youngest is 18 months and I just haven't bothered stressing about naps. If we're home, I rock him to sleep and lay him in his cot. Sometimes just push him in the buggy a bit in the hall. Whatever I think will work that day. If we're out and about he generally falls asleep at some point in the buggy/ car.

Forget about teaching to self settle etc. It's not worth the stress. They all learn it eventually and my four year old went from only napping on me to having 2-3 hour naps that he did self settle for by the time he was 2 (it was bliss!) Enjoy the cuddles and just get out and about in the buggy if nothing else is working.

PamBagnallsGotACollage · 09/08/2016 20:23

I meant to say- I did try really hard I get my first to sleep in his cot but he just wouldn't and it was so stressful. I couldn't understand why he wouldn't sleep! I've since realised its a big ask, expecting a baby who's only been on earth a matter of weeks to be able to do something just because it makes out lives easier. It turned out, Him sleeping on me and just resting when he did made life a lot less stressful.

Lillybet9 · 10/08/2016 15:46

I do get out as much as possible but need to find a solution before winter when I can't always get out. It's just she won't accept bring rocked as she just shouts and planks. Only method is rocked in buggy in lounge. Just worried I am creating a bad habit and she won't ever get to napping in the cot. I find it physically impossible to rock her to sleep anyway as my back isn't great and she is heavy!

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Lillybet9 · 10/08/2016 15:47

Also feeding doesn't seem to make her sleep anymore 😞

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YokoUhOh · 10/08/2016 15:50

DS2 drops off immediately in the sling - could you do this? Gives you some hands-free time. We like Ergo/Manduca

Sparrowlegs248 · 10/08/2016 16:57

It won't last forever,she's still wee. I've just started gradual retreat at bedtimes with ds. He's 1, and has always fed to sleep but that's stopped working and I'm pregnant with #2 so need to make a start. Last two nights he's fallen asleep in his cot with me sitting next to him on the floor reading. I did some soft singing and patting/back rubbing. It did take over an hour last night but crucially (for me) no real crying, just a bit of tired crying.

ACubed · 10/08/2016 17:11

I've been working on getting my nearly-five month old to sleep in the cot. I did the pick up put down way, first few days sucked, but it was worth it. He still refuses to sleep sometimes, but about half the time he can put himself to sleep, and he's gone to sleep at night time by himself most days, only waking once in twelve hours to feed, then back to sleep. I only really focuses on trying to get him to self settle as in going back to work in a few months and I don't want him to have a shit time at nursery, as I know the staff don't have 45 mins to lie down on a bed with him! It's still a work in progress, but he's doing really well. I used to get really stressed when he cried, but I tried looking at it scientifically, and seeing how quick I could calm him before putting him back down, and it made it much more bearable. "I'm Louis Theroux, I'm Louis Theroux" as Mark from Peep Show would say! Good luck I hope it gets easier, but as others say if you don't have a specific reason not to let her sleep anywhere then she'll grow out of it herself.

Gillian1980 · 10/08/2016 20:40

My DD has just turned one and despite being pretty good at night time sleep (can self settle, sleeps through, happy in cot in own room) she is a terrible napper.

She still only sleeps while having a cuddle if we're at home, though she'll sleep in car and buggy if we're out, and usually only for one sleep cycle. Very, very rarely she'll have a long nap.

I just go with it and enjoy the cuddles 😊 I get bugger all done at home though!

Lillybet9 · 11/08/2016 15:40

Thanks everyone I will stick with the buggy naps in the lounge for a bit longer. I do kind of wish she would sleep on me more often as it's the only time I get a proper cuddle, she is too wriggly the rest of the time! Will keep trying the odd cot nap occasionally to see if she will accept it but not get so stressed when she won't

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ACubed · 12/08/2016 08:13

I wish my baby would sleep on me, I've tried and tried but he isn't a cuddler - he only did the first couple of weeks. Too cool for it now!

Lillybet9 · 12/08/2016 08:58

Since writing the first post I have had success with a couple of lounge naps in her buggy in the lounge. Rock her to sleep then leave her to it, if she stirs I creep over to the back of the buggy and rock again until she is asleep, if she sees me it's game over. Will keep with this for a while as it gives her a long sleep and me time to get things done. Going to still try for a short morning nap in the cot each day as I need to get showered at some point! Thanks for all your messages, been really helpful and made me relax a bit more about it. I was stressing that I was creating bad habits.

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Lillybet9 · 12/08/2016 09:05

ACubd - with the pick up put down, if they cry and won't stop at pick up or put down do you give up and try again in half hour or persist? I don't want to upset her and if she really starts she won't calm down. Bit confused about it

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ACubed · 12/08/2016 10:37

Hmm with mine he would calm down after being held for a bit, and cry when I put him back down, then I'd let him suck my little finger (upside down so the nail faces the tounge), which calmed him, then if he was ready he'd spit it out, turn his head side to side for a bit then drop off. My son really likes sucking though, he tries to suck his thumb but can't quite get the hang of it so I use my finger. I should prob have just got him a dummy but just can't face having to then take it away!

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