Nap struggles in 16 week old

[TiredandGrumpy2014]

Hi all - my first ever Mumsnet post so please bear with me if I get any of the acronyms wrong!

I'm really struggling to get my 16 week old DD to nap in her cot. She is generally fine at night - has a BF and then self settles to sleep around 7 - 7.30. She generally wakes either once or twice at night for a feed and settles quickly to sleep again afterwards. She seems to 'get' sleep at night. So far so good!

But nap times during the day are completely different. At first I used to put her in the sling, pram or rock her to get her to nap, but I feel now she ought to be napping in the cot - and it would help me get a bit more done during the day too. I watch out for the sleep signs and then put her in the cot for a nap - the first one usually about 1 and a half hours after she first gets up. She then tends to start crying straight away, and then continues to cry until I pick her up. I've spoken to my HV who agreed I shouldn't be letting her sleep on me any more and suggested shh-patting - this just seems to aggravate her more! So I pick her up, calm her down and then put her back in the cot - but each time I do this she gets more wound up and screams louder, as soon as she is put down.

I've tried sshh-pat, staying with her, leaving her for a few minutes, looking at her, not looking at her, music, silence, white noise, curtains open, curtains closed! Nothing seems to work! I can still get her to sleep in the sling or rocking her but feel every time I do this I am giving in, and teaching her that if she protests enough I'll let her sleep on me.

Has anyone had a similar experience, and what did you do?

[keepitgoing]

15 weeks here and the same (except usually 2-3 night wakings...). over the last week dd has slept in the pram or carseat after I've rocked her off. I put her wrapped up warm in the garden with white noise, I think she likes to be cold but toasty iyswim. I am hoping over time I can reduce/stop the rocking as previously she needed to be moving. I still sling her for the last nap, have her on me for the morning one so am taking it slowly.

she hardly ever naps for more than 30-40 minutes though, esp if not on me. I wish she'd do longer... can't wait for fewer naps to be needed tbh!