Any perks to a non napping baby?

[Namechangemum100]

dC2 is 4 weeks old and has already started fighting his day sleep. Dc1 was exactly the same from about 6 weeks and over a 5 month period it almost drove me insane.

I don't want to be like that this time, but have found myself already in tears over it. It's so frustrating, seeing other people's babies blissfully napping in their prams whilst their mum enjoys a coffee, whilst my children seem to scream, fight and resist sleep at every opportunity, only to then wake up after 30 minutes.

How can I look at this more positively? Dc1 EVENTUALLY got the hang of it, although will still only do a decent nap in her cot and only 30-40 minutes out and about which makes life massively restricted.

I want to see a silver lining, I want to not feel like I'm being punished for something.

Anyone have any positive view points on this situation?

No... not yet as first baby and terrible sleep fighter. Just to say I know where you are coming from and now I have accepted it, rather than trying to fight against it I am less stressed.

And I know your baby is not ready yet, but at 4 months the jumparoo is our secret weapon for getting baby to sleep- though transferring baby is hard, often will go back to sleep again.

rubyroot the jumparoo you are using is probably not a great recommendation as you shouldn’t really use them until your baby is six months old. I just was fed to point that out incase you didn’t realise?

OP, there are great advantages to non napping babies. I’ve had two that probably slept in their cots twice each during the day in their lives. We were too busy out and about living our lives. I love the baby stage.

They slept when they were tired. I tried to provide ‘sleeping environments’ - comfy pram / sling for longish walks, well timed car journeys. Eventually, as you know, it will settle down.

I know it’s always suggested here, do you have a sling?

Do you sleep with them? Best part of the day lying down with them. And because I would sleep for 2-3 hours, they learnt to as well.

I second what Runningbutnotscared says...

My dc2 at 4m barely naps and i just think that if he is that well and truly knackered then he will sleep. Well timed journeys are a good idea. Trip to shop with pram. Go out in car somewhere. I remember being really stressed with dc1 and his lack of naps as a baby and i honestly look back and think what the hell was i stressing for.

Here's an example. Dc2 will only nap on me. I tried setting him on me earlier. After 20 mins he was still fighting. I thought sod this i need a shower. He chilled out in bouncer in bath room and now he was really tired. I needed to get dressed and places him in his moses basket whilst he watched me dress and dry etc (he never settles himself in basket). I think once he saw me getting dressed and pottering about by this point he was knackered. He wasn't crying, just grizzly. At least at gets some sleep even if for 10 mins

He doesnt nap long so I'll see how he goes then go out somewhere if its been another while since his last nap.

Don't let it stress you.

Is DC2 sleeping well at night? If yes, this is your silver lining.

Yes, I do realise.

Thanks for the lecture

And I have thought of one - perceptive, social babies are more likely to fight sleep due to not wanting to miss anything.

Take baby out to supermarket, walks, baby classes, tire him out so he has no choice to nap.

LolitaLempicka- love having a nap on the bed with mine, will deffo miss it. My little sleepfighter had a rare 2 1/2 hour nap today and I joined him for the last hour

I can sympathise as both of mine would only ever sleep for 30min. I find it gives you more flexibility than being tied down with a baby that does long naps in the cot!

I think it's important to try and make sure they have regular naps though to prevent overtiredness. Both of mine were having 5-6 x 30min naps a day. I would try to get them back to sleep after 90-120 min awake time, either in the pram, the sling or just letting them sleep on me.

Oh Chloe!

I really wish it was that easy!!

I once spent two hours getting him to have 30 mins, never again!

I am afraid I can't fight the sleep fighter.

Dd (11 months) is a non napper and has been fighting them since she was 2 weeks old. I used to get seriously wound up about it- I too have spent 2 hours battling for a 40 minute bloody nap but have now given up getting stressed out. The pram and the car invariably send her off but if they dont, they dont. But to her credit shes a great night time sleeper touches wood. I like to tell myself shes a crap napper cos shes so intelligent and alert...its probably not but it made me feel better about it all!