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Still struggling with naps

3 replies

Deduct37 · 30/05/2017 14:33

Naps for my 9 month old have got worse over the last couple of weeks. I've already posted for advice, but since then things have went downhill and we now have a very grumpy little boy.
We went on holiday and he was awful for 3 days out of 7 due to the fact that he hardly sleeps in his pram and become extremely overtired, not wanting to do anything for 3 days. Since we returned this has not improved.
We have never had set nap times, just put him down when we see tired signs or try to put him down before we see anything. He generally has 3 naps a day, sometimes only 2, but nap length can vary from 20 minutes to 2 hours. They are generally 30 minutes these days. Awake time is draining because he will not be entertained by anything, and hates being put down at the moment. When he has a decent nap, I find this is slightly easier.
He doesn't have a set get up time in the mornings, but always goes to bed at 6 at night. He is often tired much earlier than this but will not nap later on in the day. Dinner time can be a struggle if he's too tired.
He sleeps through the night the majority of the time, waking anywhere from 4ish for a bottle, a chat, or sometimes just to get up. He will sometimes go straight back to sleep, other times takes a little longer and other times refuses completely.
The other afternoon, he fell asleep at 3.10 for a nap. He didn't wake until 4.35 the following morning! He's completely exhausted. I've tried later bedtimes but he still wakes early but is getting less sleep overall so feel like this isn't an option.
So yesterday went a bit like this
After a 6pm bedtime the previous night, Woke for a bottle at 5.15am. Drank this then dozed on and off until 6.50
Got up, had breakfast, got dressed etc
Back in bed for a nap from 8.00-9.00
Got up and was clingy immediately. Didn't want to play or anything. Winged pretty much constantly so put him back to bed
Napped 9.50-10.10
Got up and was much happier. Played, had snack and milk. Then early dinner at 11.30
Back in bed and napped from 12-2( longest sleep he's had in a long time)
Happy afternoon. Had snack and was offered milk which he doesn't usually want. Went out for the afternoon. 40 minute car journey there and was yawning lots but didn't doze. 40 minute car journey back became wingey but wouldn't sleep
Dinner at 4.30, then bath, offered bottle which he refused then asleep at 5.45 exhausted. Slept until 5.15. Had bottle then straight back over until 5.50. Talked until 6.20 then slept until 7.30

So today was up at 7.30
Breakfast, dressed etc
Nap at 8.50-9.10(looked asleep but not 100%sure). Then 9.30-11.30
Went to the shops and was yawning constantly. Came back and had dinner at 12.15. Wouldn't eat it. Was yawning again and wingey. Offered bottle which was refused
Back into cot at 1.25 and fell asleep immediately. Woke at 2.00 but then seemed to go back over until 2.15 when he got up and that's it until now. Seems happy playing on floor with his sister

So does anyone know why he is sooooo tired even after long naps and decent nights sleep. It's driving me insane the amount of twineing he is doing during the day.

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IAmTheWorwax · 30/05/2017 14:41

He does seem like a very tired baby, that is a lot of naps! Have you spoken with your GP just to make sure there's nothing else going on with him?

Personally I would try and cut some naps in the hope it would make one or 2 long ones in the afternoon. Mine were always happiest with a 2 hour nap around 11.30. My number one rule was no naps after 4.30pm.

Sorry, I've probably not been much help here Blush

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FATEdestiny · 30/05/2017 16:00

Your baby is having massive amounts of sleep OP

From 6pm Sunday to 10am Monday - he slept for 14 out of 16 hours.

From 5.30pm Monday to 11.30am Tuesday he slept for 15.5 hours out of 18 hours.

These are huge amounts of sleep, even discounting the numerous additional naps in the afternoon.

The timings of bedtime and morning wake up would not suit my household, I would change that.

Then I would get used to baby's personality. Assuming there is no medical reason for excessive tiredness (good point from pp to get that checked), then just accept that baby needs more active attention than is currently getting so that he doesn't get grumpy and clingy. I wouldn't assume he's tired when grumpy on that level of sleep. I would assume baby wants to be more active and engaging when awake.

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Deduct37 · 30/05/2017 19:24

He has only just started with the constant wingeing since getting back off holiday. You could used to put him down and he would happily play. Now he will hardly do that. He lost out on so much sleep while away as he was generally having 2 half hour sleeps all day and about 10 at night. Could be coincidence but that's when it started.
I've tried doing am and pm nap, but there's no guarantee he will have decent length naps. Tried following advice to put down after 2 hour wake time etc. But still sometimes get the rubbish half hour naps. Tried later bedtimes, still gets up early the following day. Tried resettling after short naps and its a definate no go. Struggles to sleep in the pram because he's nosy. Struggles to fall asleep in the car.
It's been going on for about 2 weeks now and it's so draining as he doesn't even want to sit next to you playing, he just wants to be held or go to sleep. I have a 3 year old aswell and it's difficult splitting my time with them both as he is so demanding right now. I was hoping to get to the bottom of it.
Please note that the long naps are very occasional. Prior to the holiday he was having about half hour at 8am, another half hour around 11/12 then another half hour around 3. (These aren't definate times as some days he was more/less tired). He seemed to be starting to extend the morning nap about a week before we went away to between an hour-an hour and a half but the holidays threw it all completely. He used to average at about 12-13 hours a day, much less then what he has had in the last couple of days.
He goes into his cot for all naps when at home. Has a dummy and almost always falls asleep within a couple of minutes of being put down. He does the same at bedtime aswell, and very rarely wakes during the night. So I don't think short naps are due to struggling linking sleep cycles or anything.
I haven't spoke to a gp about it, but the health visitor doesn't seem to think there's any problems as he is gaining weight ok and feeding well (the majority of the time)

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