Daytime napping

[pipnchops]

My LO is 11 weeks old, she's my first and I'm exclusively breastfeeding. From about 7 weeks she's been pretty much sleeping through the night, usually from about 10pm until 3am and then wakes again at 6am and feeds then sleeps on and off until about 9am. But after that she doesn't sleep again until the night time. She'll fall asleep in the car or pram if I'm out and about or sometimes on my shoulder at home but she won't let me put her in her Moses basket during the day to take a nap. Even if she's fallen asleep on my shoulder and I put her down she soon wakes up screaming. Is it bad for her to not have naps during the day? Should I preserver with trying to put her down for naps during the day or just be thankful that she sleeps so well at night? Does anyone have any tips for getting LOs to sleep during the day? Thanks in advance!

[Redling]

babies that age should generally be sleeping after every 1-1.5 hours awake, does she seem happy in the day? Does she rub her eyes, yawn and scream? I started needing to work on DS naps at about 8 weeks as he stopped napping alone and needed rocking, holding etc to get good day sleep. Even now at 4.5 months he sleeps 7-7 with two feeds overnight and I still have to work on making him nap in the day and hold him for most of them. I'd say if she sleeps when you hold her, do that. Or get a sling so you can move but she has the closeness and movement she seems to need to sleep. I think it's totally normal to have to do this with babies this young based on friends and people on here. I know some babies eep less than others but I really don't think its ok for a baby to be awake that long. Tbh I found that days with DS did tend to revolve around making him sleep well and long enough. But the upside is he's delightful when he's awake as most of his crying was down to overtiredness.

[Redling]

He might have a tiny 30 min catnap at times though, when you say she sleeps in car, on you and pram etc how long is that for? Because DS certainly doesn't do long cot naps. If she is sleeping on and off through he day then she is napping! And if she isn't raging and crying then maybe she is sleeping enough? Is she going 9am-10pm with absolutely no sleep or are you not counting the various sleeps on you and in pram etc? Because they do count!

[pipnchops]

Thanks for your advice. She definitely sleeps a lot during the day now I think about it, it's just that like you say she seems to bed movement and/or closeness in order to sleep. I just didn't realise this counted as quality naps as its very broken sleep as if I try and do anything other than hold her in a certain position she likes, or if I stop walking/driving, she wakes up! Also on a purely selfish level I'd appreciate the time while she's down for a nap to do some housework, eat some lunch, take a shower etc while she naps which other mums I know seem to do while their baby naps during the day, but all I seem to be doing is feeding her or holding her while she sleeps all day! I have tried using the baby carrier around the house so i can have my hands free while she sleeps on me but she doesn't like this, she is very specific about the positions she likes to be carried in! But luckily my husband is very supportive about the fact that I do next to nothing around the house all day so if this is what I have to do to get her to sleep then so be it. I am very thankful that she sleeps well during the night in her Moses basket. Thanks again for your reassurance, I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and hope that one day it'll get a but easier to put her down in the day!xx

[Redling]

Persevere with the putting down when in a deep sleep but be prepared to have to put back to sleep! At that age sleep is on and off all day rather than a few sustained naps, if they have to wake to feed so often and then only have a bit of wakey time before sleep, it's on and off little sleeps all day. Though my DS is catnapping a bit recently again!

[firsttimemumma2014]

Over the last week I have been on a mission to get my 11 week old to sleep in his cot in the day. Before this he was barely sleeping in the day, like yours it was catnapping when I was out in the car/ pram etc.

I now take him up at first signs of tiredness - for mine this happens pretty much 1hr 30 after waking. I close the curtains in his room and switch on Ewan the sheep lullaby. I then stand and sway with him for a couple of minutes. After this I put him down awake. His face turns into a cry before he even reaches the mattress but I say 'have a good sleep', cover him with blanket, put my hand on his chest for a minute whilst going shhh and then leave the room.

At first he was having none of it and I had to go in and out loads of times. This meant a week ago he was barely getting any kip as the whole time was spent with me going forwards and backwards into his nursery. I have noticed a real improvement in just a week. I've just put him down now, he whimpered for a couple of minutes, laid there with his eyes open for about 2 minutes and is now asleep. The longest he has napped for like this is an hour but again this is also improving all the time. I've found the most success with the first nap of the day, the afternoon one is much harder.

It has been difficult when he has cried but I am pleased I am persevering, and he seems such a happier baby after having a sleep. I just tell myself mummy knows best when I feel mean! Good luck with yours.....

[pipnchops]

Great thanks, I will try to keep persevering. Today I actually managed to transfer her, while sleeping, from her car seat to her crib when we got back from shopping. She woke up a bit during the transfer but soon fell asleep again for half an hour, just long enough for me to enjoy eating my lunch with two hands!! This is success! I hope it's not a one off but ian going to keep trying every day!

[firsttimemumma2014]

That's great, well done you! It is really difficult but I keep reminding myself SHORT TERM PAIN, LONG TERM GAIN! Keep at it x