Juggling naps/settling time with a baby and toddler

[nicolasmith2512]

I feel like I'm slowly going crazy! I have a 9 week old and a 2.5 year old and I'm really struggling to get my baby to settle and stay asleep with my toddler running round. Baby will settle ok eventually but then only sleeps for 20 mins and wakes up angry and tired so the day quickly turns sour! I can't go and spend time with him to do shh pat to get him back to sleep as would mean leaving toddler on her own but if I leave him he quickly gets very upset. He then ends up having a few 20 min naps a day and is never fully rested! He is sleeping well at night which is great so don't understand why naps are so problematic. Any tips from you more experienced mummies?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Will baby sleep in a pushchair? Could you all go out for a walk together and get baby to nap that way? A sling might help too

[fizzicles]

My second had her best naps in the buggy - I'd put toddler in the sling on my back and walk up the road and back, by which time she was normally fast asleep, then slept in the hallway for 1-2hours. She still does this every afternoon now at nearly 2.

Or - CBeebies. Will your eldest sit quietly watching a programme for 10-20 minutes while you settle baby?

[nicolasmith2512]

He sleeps in pray but wakes as soon as I stop. Car seat sometimes works but that is only going to work for so long :(

[nicolasmith2512]

Pram not pray!