2 month old won't nap

[Trinityhome]

Desperate for some help please

My 2 month old will not nap, I spend hours a day getting her to sleep just for her to wake up 10 minutes later. I try everything - walks, car, rocking etc

She sleeps through the night or will wake up once which is brilliant however she is knackered in the day and fighting naps. Her eyes are bright red she's yawning and rubbing her eyes. The minute I see 1 sign that she's tired I jump straight on it but I then spend hours trying to get her to sleep and then she's overtired.

Any magic tips?

[FATEdestiny]

At 2 months old your baby will sleep best by replicating womb-like conditions (this age is called the Fourth Trimester).

A key factor in this is swaddling. It recreates the tight, enclosed state of the womb and to the baby feels protected and secure.

Also physical closeness. So swaddling baby and basically just cuddling baby in your arms. Or if you're tired, cuddle baby on your bed and (safely) cosleep together. Or a sidecar cot and cuddling physically close if you don't want to cosleep.

Next is swaying/movement, like when baby was cradled in the womb as you moved around, baby was gentle swayed and rocked to sleep.

Limited awake time. In the womb baby basically sleeps most of the time, with only short periods of being awake. This continues through the Fourth Trimester. I would expect a newborn to be ready for a nap after 1h of being awake.

Consider making the whole day subdued and calm if baby is struggling to sleep. Not just sleep time, awake time too. Not lots of colours and stimulation. Darker room, cooler temperatures, quieter, calmer.

Well fed and well winded - because a baby who's hungry or in pain will never sleep well.

Finally sucking is nature's comfort mechanism. Consider a dummy as a way to help baby calm and relax to sleep.

[Trinityhome]

@FATEdestiny thanks for your advice, unfortunately I've tried all of those things but nothing seems to work ☹️

[FATEdestiny]

Your baby will sleep, it's as essential is feeding is.

What has happened so far this morning, since you got up?

[Trinityhome]

you would think so but apparently not 😂

She's been awake all morning since 7.30, had a feed, nappy change etc, she started showing tired signs at 9 so I started trying to get her to sleep and we're still trying

[FATEdestiny]

She would probably be over tired already after 2.5h awake. Remember that by the time you see outward tired signs, baby is actually over tired at that point.

You have to be very persistent in the help you give baby to sleep. And they need a lot more help than many new mums realise.

So what has actually happened since baby first started crying and getting ready for a nap this morning?

[WhatTheFlap]

No advice but I'm here for the same reason. My baby is only 3 weeks old but fights sleep constantly in the day and nothing seems to soothe him except feeding. Once he's off the boob, he starts crying almost instantly. It's really wearing me out, I've not even been able to leave the bedroom today

[Trinityhome]

@FATEdestiny I started to try and get her to sleep after 1.5 hours awake

This morning I've tried:
Laying in bed with her
Offered boob
Rocking in arms
Rocking chair
Sling
Rocking in arms outside

She nodded off for 2 minutes in my arms then woke up startled and started crying

[Trinityhome]

@WhatTheFlap sorry to hear you're going through the same, it's so tough seeing them so tired xx

[Bangbangbang21]

Did you use a birthing ball when pregnant and gearing up for labour? A Birthing ball saved us, our little fuss pot became a lovely happy baby once we realised the familiar motion gave baby so much comfort, we use it all the time to initiate naps and nighttime sleep now.

[Bangbangbang21]

Also use the Huckleberry App (it's free, you only pay for sleep plans) it will tell you when is best for naps, calls these windows sweet spots and it is soooooooo true! Wish we had it from day one!!!

[FakeColinCaterpillar]

I know it’s extremely hot today but I used to walk DD in the pram at that age to get her to nap. I’d often be out for over an hour at a time but it was the only way.

[Trinityhome]

@Bangbangbang21 yes I literally used a birthing ball all day!
Do you just hold baby while sat on it?
Yes I use huckleberry x

[DGFB]

Totally normal! None of my kids slept in the day at that age. Especially if you put them down. I found they’d nap on me a bit, have you tried that? At least you can put your feet up.
It got better after six months

[Bangbangbang21]

I have baby in my arms, head in crook of arm, bounce, sometimes quite biggish bounces, 2 per second ish? Definitely 1 per second. When baby is fighting nap hold securely and lots of shush shush shush in time with the bouncing maybe 2 shush per bounce? And jostle/wag my elbow up and down so baby is litterally 'nodding' off. At first took 20-30 mins, now at times can be 2-3 mins! If that!

[FATEdestiny]

She nodded off for 2 minutes in my arms then woke up startled and started crying

That's a decent starting point.

Swaddling stops the startle reflex. You would need to swaddle baby at the beginning of settling to sleep.

A dummy reducing crying and helps baby relax.

Keep any movement going once asleep. Don't stop once asleep.

Moving baby once asleep is never a good idea. So if a sleep in your arms, trying to put down would be a risk.

[Bangbangbang21]

Baby only sleeps in my arms during the day (12 wks) but not at night.

Baby's never got used to a dummy but I feel it's time to graduate from the fourth trimester now so, making sure we stick to a fairly strong nap schedule within reason, get used to having a dummy for comfort and then transition to crib... Eventually....

[Trinityhome]

@FakeColinCaterpillar yes I try walks but unfortunately no luck as she just screams in pram


@DGFB nope she won't nap on me unfortunately as I can't get her to sleep


@FATEdestiny we tried swaddle for 2 weeks and she screamed every time until she was taken out and she's stopped taking a dummy now

[FATEdestiny]

A frustrated screaming baby is the definition of a baby who needs a swaddle. If baby was calm and not screaming, she doesn't need a swaddle.

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Yy to a birthing ball. 90mins after she wakes (make sure she has milk and nappy change during this time), swaddle and lay her on her side in your arms as you gently rock/bounce on the ball.

It takes about 20mins to get them into a deep sleep so have some TV on for you - even better a podcast with someone with a really monotonous voice.

Another thing that strangely works for us is swaddled and up on to my shoulder then I stand with my back (and thus babys face) pointing at a completely blank wall. Not too close. Bores them to sleep.

[Trinityhome]

@FATEdestiny so you're suggesting that I let my baby struggle and scream for over 2 hours because she must need it?

[FATEdestiny]

Trinityhome is your baby struggling an screaming anyway, after many hours awake without sleeping?

I'm on your side. I'm trying to help. I know you're frustrated and I know how stressful it is. I'm not the enemy. I'm happy to step back if you'd prefer help from others. X

[DGFB]

Poor you, it’s very tough. One of mine was like this. It’s very tiring. Great she sleeps at night though.
It will get better

[Trinityhome]

@FATEdestiny sorry if that come across snappy I'm just slowly loosing the will to live. It's so relentless and draining.
The swaddle bag I used she hated, she likes to sleep with her arms up so I think that's why. I know you can get a swaddle that has their arms up but it says from 3 months? Think it would still be ok?

[FATEdestiny]

In the 5 hours since 9am this morning, has baby had any more than the 10 minutes sleep you mentioned earlier?

Is baby just crying all the time?

Have you managed to feed baby in that time?

[Trinityhome]

She had around another 3 minutes after she was fed.

She's grouchy, rubbing her eyes and then on off crying and getting worked up

Yes she's been fed