HELP! My 7 week old wont sleep in the day... any suggestions?

[Lulabellx1]

Hi guys

My little man will not have naps in the day. He falls asleep in my arms and as soon as i put him down, he wakes up within 10 mins. He sleeps quite predictably at night. Always asleep by 9pm, wakes at 2am (feeds) and goes back down till about 6am. However, during the daytime he just will not go down and it means we have a very tired and over stimulated baby on our hands by the afternoon.

I am well aware that if he has a nap in the day it will make his night time sleeping pattern better... i just dont think anyone has told him that!

Any suggestions?

Lu xx

have you thought of putting him in a wrap like this

you ar ehands free and can get on with tasks

get him into bed (awake) no longer than 90 mins after he last woke up, and swaddle him nice and tight.

I have tried one of the harness style carriers. But he doesnt like being restricted (and he doesnt hold his head up well enough yet to be facing outward)... he always hated it when we tried swaddling him in the first few days too.

It's not fair as there is a lady at my baby group who has a little boy the same age and everytime she has come he has been asleep. She says he always has three long naps a day and still sleeps in the night similarly to my LO. I know you shouldnt compare... does make me green with envy though!

On the plus side evgeryone always comments on what a nice and alert baby we have.

Im sure it cant be good for him to not get the sleep he requires though.

Try a wrap sling - mine was is like this and hated the sling at first. But if you install them and then set off for a short walk, within a few attempts I guarantee you will have a nap solution.

Pram? Bouncy chair? I actually spend much of my day on here while LO (16wks) naps on me ... if that's what it takes ...!

You have my sympathies though, it's frustrating.

Thats what i have been doing, letting him sleep on me... just so he gets some zzzz's.

It's so frustrating though because he is dosing away and i cant stop sitting there staring at the house-work and thinking about things that need doing.

My DD was the same, what I used to do was go out for a walk at the same time each day (starting going mornings and afternoons) so at least she starting getting into the habit of sleeping at the same times each day - like Myeye said - 90 mins after waking up was the same time for us.

Eventually she started sleeping in her cot during the day at the same times, and now still has a good afternoon sleep and is nearly 2.8.

They will work it out eventually but it takes them some time. The bouncy chair was also used a lot as was I (make the most of sitting down as housework etc can wait) I used to put her in the chair facing the wall as any visual stimulation would keep her awake.

Heh, I was like that, then a lovely MNer told me she felt like she'd achieved something if she did one thing all day, be it wash up/sort laundry/hoover etc. Life is easier now (and houses are like hair - only ever get so dirty then stop deteriorating further, so it doesn't look any worse now than it did when I was really trying to stay on top of stuff!).

try swaddling again, just bcs he didn't like it back then doesn't mean he'll hate it now

there's something i read about the startle reflex which can mean babies wake up soon after being put down; if you swaddle this doesn't seem to happen so much

the 90 mins thing is a big deal, too, it really helps as you catch them before they get overtired/hard to settle.

7 weeks old.

If you want to let him sleep on you, kip with him. at least your going to get some sleep.

The B888dy house work always needs doing.

Your babe will grow soon enough.
You'll be back on top of house work soon enough
For my own peace of mind i accepted that the house work would come second especially with a baby.I ended up what I could when I could and accepted any help offered.
Babies are very good at knowing when they want to sleep,
The night pattern sounds great, hope it lasts.
I found it really hard to adjust my pace of living (busy,other people etc.)to fit with my babes patterns.
As mine got older and needed less attention I returned more to what i feel more happy with.

Absoultely agree with plexed. Go with the flow, if he sleeps on you then make the most of having to rest while he sleeps! Sit and read or watch tv or get some sleep yourself. As Chubby said, whatever it takes....7 weeks is so young, as he grows it will fall into place on its own. And as mum to a 10 month old, believe me it won't be long before you are thinking wistfully of the days when your baby would sleep on you because they won't when they get older!!! Enjoy it!

got exactly the same problem with a 7 week old. he has reflux, which we are treating. DS hats to lie down/sit in bouncy chair/car seat for up to two hours after a meal.

i find that if the reflux is a problem then i put him in sling or carrier and get on with things and he goes to sleep. only problem is getting sling/carrier on with screaming puking baby but we manage.

he is getting heavier and it gives me a sore back so i am hoping that he will find something that he likes to sit in independantly soon (so i can go to the loo on my own once in a while!)

HIya, it sounds like you are doing a great job if he is sleeping well at night and is alert during the day, so good for you! Might sound obvious but have you also tried putting him in his moses basket/cot while he is still awake? I used to do this with both of mine and they learned quite quickly to fall asleep on their own. It then gives you opprtunity to get on and do a few jobs or, even better to sit and have a rest. It really is such a precious time so don't worry about housework, there is plenty of time for it. Good luck!