nine week old baby won't sleep in the day and gets overtired help!

[cazza92]

Hello i have a nine week old girl called megan who does not nap during the day unless in buggy whilst walking. Then by the time it gets to the evening she crys because she is ivertired i think? she seems to fight sleep and needs to be cuddled to sleep. I cannot put her in the moses basket straight away as she just wakes up after 20 mins and crys so she slleps in the swing untill she is fully in the land of nod!! any ideas to try and get her to nap/ settle in moses basket thanks

[QueenVictoria]

I had mares getting my DS to nap in the day. I have to say in the end after lots of different methods i chose the path of least resistance and fed him or cuddled him to sleep as it was making us both unhappy.

Then when i was more familiar with how long he could stay awake for (2 hours for him) i would put him in his cot with cot mobile on and eventually he would go off. Sometimes he protested for up to 20 mins but he got there in the end. Check out the archived thread "Nap training - its breaking my heart". Lots of advice on there.

[mandymac]

Hi Cazza

We had this exact problem. I think it is partly a developmental thing as they seem much more 'aware' of their surroundings and so can't switch off so easily at this age.

What time is her bedtime at the moment? We took a while to cotton on that we were keeping her up too long and moved bedtime forward from 10pm, to 8pm and then eventually to 6.30pm ish, by replicating the 10pm routine (darkend room and feeding her in our bed until she was dropping off and then putting in her moses basket). We made the room dark with blackout curtains, which helped her settle down if she did wake up. We did have to leave her to cry for a couple of nights, as she wouldn't be cuddled or fed when really overtired (due to lack of daytime naps) - it just made her scream more . This was on the advice of our hv and wasn't easy, but we felt that us trying to comfort her was actually just keeping her awake longer and making things worse. She cried for 40 mins the first night, 30 the second night and then anything from 5 to 25 mins over the next week or so. Once she was settling ok, I could feed her in the bedroom and then put her down after that.

For the daytime naps, initially, I just did what I had to to try and get her to get enough daytime sleep (its still an ongoing problem some days to be honest). Taking her out in the buggy, putting her for a nap in the swing even the car occassionally, but once we had got her to settle herself in the moses basket in the evening, (this was about 3 weeks after we moved her bedtime), I tried it for the first nap of the day, and although it took perhaps 15 minutes of grizzling, she did settle and sleep for 45 minutes. I then tried for her lunchtime nap too, which also worked. I have kept her in the buggy for her afternoon nap though, as I don't want her to loose the knack of sleeping in it if we are out and about. I put her in the dining room with a hairdryer on and joggle the buggy until she drops off (sort of replicates a walk iyswim).

I also found trying to pick up on her sleep signals (eye and ear rubbing and yawning) and getting her down for a nap asap once these started helped.

Sorry if this all sounds a bit garbled - it was trial and error to a degree and she still generally only naps for 45 mins at a stretch, so needs 4 naps per day, but things have improved, she has learnt to settle herself to sleep and she is a very, very happy little thing .

[mandymac]

forgot to mention - there are some good threads on this problem in the 'sleep' section.

[soapbox]

Lay her down and stroke her head firmly, right in the middle of her forehead with strokes towards her nose. Stand behind her so she can't make eye contact with you and keep doing this and saying shush, shhhhh. After a few days then withdraw gradually from doing this. Start by stroking as normal but stop gradually sooner stopping by pulling your hand down over her eyes and keeping it there for a minute or so, then stroking again. Then stop stroking altogether, just stand behind her, then put down and walk to the door and stand in the doorway, but always saying shhhh, shushh etc.

Over time you should find that she is able to get used to dropping off on her own, although my DS now 5 still asks occaisionally for a head massage if he is struggling to get to sleep

[Davros]

I have to say, I think you need to leave them alone within reason. I found that crying at sleeptime indicated that they were ready for a sleep and if you picked them up or anything, it just put it off. Mind you, I wouldn't have done this with a 9 week old I don't think (so hard to remember isn't it? ). Otherwise try soapbox's suggestion as gradual withdrawal is kinder but you have to go through with it! I also wouldn't be out and about at typical nap time, always at home, in her cot, in her bedroom come what may short of disasters.

[alfiemama]

Hi Cazza92

I hope I dont get my hands slapped for this but read rules and cant find anything so here goes.
I work for a company for Cozy Cocoons and the principle is based on swaddling, however normal swaddling allows them wriggle free and for them to have the moro reflex (where they judder themselves awake) whereas the Cozy Cocoon encapsulates them.
It has been scientifically proven that swaddling aids sleep and they are 100% safe
Please feel free to have a look at this site
www.cosyplanet.co.uk if you are interested please email me [email protected]
Hope this helps at all

[CarolinaFullMoon]

try this alfiemama:

"If you are a small business there is a Small Business classified board where, for £50, you can advertise your company or products for 90 days."

[alfiemama]

Hi Carolinafullmoon

Does that mean it isnt allowed to do this as wouldnt want to break any rules or are you just giving me an idea. sorry its just cant find anything in the rules.

[CarolinaFullMoon]

it's here

[alfiemama]

Hi ya
Ok but it doesnt say I cant do this. I will email the moderators and ask them I think like I said dont want to break any rules, but it is unclear.

[CarolinaFullMoon]

yeah right...

[alfiemama]

Sorry what does that mean.
I have just emailed them and wont post anything else until I have a reply.
Maybe you could show me where it says this is not allowed

[CarolinaFullMoon]

will they waive the 50 quid fee in your particular case d'you think?

[alfiemama]

well lets just see what they reply. If you are not allowed to advertise a product that you may feel will help certain individuals then this should be put in the rules, anyway its my concern if it is not allowed and I will have to deal with the consequences, thanks for your advice

[startingtobehalloweenylover]

alfiemama it is a matter of principles and manners rather than what you should or shouldn't do

Mumsnet run a classifieds board for which there is a fee to advertise your business. If everyone just posted their adverts in other threads then mumsnet wouldn't make enough money to support itself.

[startingtobehalloweenylover]

everyone else abides by this and pays for adverts they wish to put on here... bear in mind the £50 is a vastly reduced rate than if you were advertising properly on most websites.

why would they provide a classified board if they didn't mind people advertising at their expense all over the place?

[alfiemama]

Hi
Ok I see where you are coming from all I can do is apologise didnt mean to offend anybody.
Your totally right just didnt see if from that point of view Im new I know this is no excuse and again Im sorry if I offended.