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4.5 month old and non-existent naps

6 replies

Nessamommy · 22/02/2008 15:15

My son sleeps really well at night (lately 8:00pm until 6:00am without getting up once). I feed him at that time and he usually sleeps until around 7:30/8:30. I know...I'm lucky and can't complain. But this all comes with a very high price. My son DOES NOT sleep during the day and he gets extremely cranky. I thought it was b/c I wasn't putting him down the same way and cuing him to sleep. So the other day I did exactly what I do an night with him to signal sleep: swaddled him, played lullaby music, made sure the room was dim...everything except a bath. I nurse my son to sleep at night (I know I know...but it works) and try to do the same during the day but everytime I go to put him down in his crib during the day, he wakes up. If I do manage to get him down, he only sleeps about 30 minutes maximum. What am I doing wrong? Why won't he sleep besides these little tiny cat naps, if any? He is so cranky during the day and cries and cries.

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nowwearefour · 22/02/2008 15:25

a very hard one to answer. my advice is just to keep on persevering. he will get there. my dd2 was just like that. now at 9 months i just woke her from a 2hur afternoon kip. it is hard but you will be so grateful if you just keep it up. work out the routine that wrosk best - prob 2 hours after waking up and sometime just after lunchtime and stick to it as best you can. just keep on putting him down and even if he is just in there for a bit he will gradually get the idea/ it is sooooo wirth it if you can get there in the end for your own sanity adn his need of sleep.

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GerrardWinstanley · 22/02/2008 15:38

my dd was the same at about 5 months. Now I'm also going with the two naps - one about 2 hours after she wakes up in the morning, the other early afternoon. I just can't leave her to cry so I've spent the last 3 weeks or so taking her up and napping with her in our bed and just the last couple of days, once she is asleep, I've been ok to leave the room and she's slept for anything up to 2 hours. DD is now just shy of 8 months by the way. A bit of CC would probably have got the job done much more quickly but it wasn't for me.

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Nessamommy · 23/02/2008 01:44

Do you put your babies down when they are cranky or have you set the time on your own?

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GerrardWinstanley · 23/02/2008 02:32

it was all a bit trial and error. I read about putting them down for the first nap 2 hours after they get up on here and that worked. I've just been experimenting with the afternoon nap and have come to the conclusion she needs to go down at about 1 or 1.30. If I wait for the tiredness cues, including grumpiness, I've left it too late really.

It really goes against my lentil-weaving instincts to pre-empt my DD but it turns out she has no idea she's tired until I lie her down for a cuddle somewhere dark and quiet and boring.

It's good in a way that our babies think life is so thrilling that they forget to be sleepy during the day.

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luvaduck · 23/02/2008 02:40

yeh agree with the 2 hour thing.
basically look for signs - ear pulling, eye rubbing, irritable etc and then put down straight away. shh/pat/nurse whatever you have to do to get him to sleep. no cry sleep solution has good tips about breaking the bf/sleep association. if this doesn't work you could try talking him for walk in the pram to get him to go to sleep at the right times before trying it again at home?
ds didn't sleep at all to begin with - but now is 6 months - awake for 2 hours in am, then 45 min nap, awake 2 hours, another 45 min nap etc until bedtime. (currently teething hence on here at almost 3am!)
good luck!

re the long 2 hr nap thing - for those of you that have managed it did it just happen oneday or did you work at it?

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Nessamommy · 23/02/2008 04:04

Good question luvaduck! Because when my guy does sleep, it usually is for 30 min or so. Do most of you put your babies down awake then? I am not sure what to do b/c I've been nursing him to sleep, but on occasion (at night) he wakes up and cries (gentle fussing more like it), and he falls back asleep within 5 minutes or so. I'm guessing that b/c of this, he can put himself back to sleep if need be, but am confused at how I should put him down. When I try rocking him, he cries and I assume he might be hungry so I cave in to feed him, whereupon he falls asleep while having a "snack". Advice on what you all do for naps would be great. I have a super night time ritual but am at a loss for afternoon naps.