Really struggling getting DS to nap in the day!

[Nc1468]

Our DS is 8 weeks old and used to nap perfectly during the day.

We never really had a nap routine as he didn't need it - I could see he was getting tired so would put him to sleep and that worked really well for us.

He sleeps really well through the night so I know I shouldn't complain - it's the daytime naps I need to crack!

If he had his way he wouldn't sleep at all during the day unless I held him. He's tired, he's yawning and screaming but whatever I do, he will not go to sleep unless it's on me. I've tried doing that and transferring him into his bed, the second he is in the Moses basket he wakes up screaming.

At the moment the only way I can get him to nap in the day is putting him in his bed, getting into our bed next to his Moses basket and letting him scream, and keep offering him a dummy. He will scream himself to sleep (eventually) and I know this is no good but it is seriously the only thing I can find that works - and i hate it.

I've tried swaddling him and he hates it, sometimes if I have him in the carrier round the house (also screams if I put him down to do literally anything - separate issue but equally as testing) he will sleep, no matter how carefully I take him out and put him to bed he will wake up without fail.

Any ideas gratefully received!

All babies want to be close at this age. Keep him in the carrier and let him be close to you. Do your odd jobs with him on you. Our daughter is the same age, but she wont be this tiny for much longer so I'm making the most of snuggly cuddles, On me or in the sling.

If he is sleeping at night - thats awesome!

Or if you desperately want him to sleep in his bed during the say. Use the PUPD method. It will need consistency and commitment, and it might take 100 attempts.

DS had all his naps on me, in a sling or falling asleep in the car at that age. It was only when he was about 6 months did I start trying to put him down in his cot.

It's easy for me to say now, as at the time I was desperate to have my arms free and do something while he slept, but it changes all so quickly that I'd just go with it, settle down with tv remote, a drink, food and just let him nap on you.

At about 6/7 months, DS took all his naps in his cot with no problems.

I would LOVE to be able to let him have all his naps on me - I really would. We bought our first house when I was 12 weeks pregnant and it needs a LOT more work than first anticipated, and being on mat leave, all the things that need doing are driving me insane! When he would nap I was getting things done but it's come to a stand still, and all I can think when he's yawning and screaming is if he went to sleep, I could sort this horrible house out and it would be a win win situation 😂 will look up the PUPD, if it was little things like loading the dishwasher or putting the washing on I just put him in the carrier and that's fine, but I have painting that really needs doing amongst other things which I can't really do with him in the carrier, or I could and cover him in paint 🙄

I know I shouldn't complain too much, he sleeps at night from somewhere between 8-9 until about 2, has a feed then either wakes around 5 for another or sometimes stays asleep until 6:30 when DH gets up for work so I am very lucky in that respect - he hasn't always been this way so I absolutely know how lucky I am!

Ahhhhh can't all that stuff wait..? He won't be tiny for much longer and the painting can wait. Im wondering if you might look back in 6 months and regret not having all the snuggles, just cos the house needed some attention.

Mine has been like this since birth. He is 9 months now and just started napping for longer stretches in his cot. I play him white noise from an app while he sleeps. Maybe try that

I get what you're saying, wish I could put pictures on here so you could see what I mean but anyone who knows me would identify me instantly 🙈 it's horrific, I wish paint was the extent of the work that needs doing.

We need plaster, currently don't have carpet or anything in most rooms just bare floorboards, kitchen just about works, just a nightmare. Might not sound like the end of the world to some people but since being on mat leave and being home a lot more it's really getting me down and wish I could do something about it 😔

Could you afford decorator help?

Or ask family/friends? Make lunch etc as a thank you.

I remember these days well. A sling saved my life, and I invested in a skin to skin top too. I couldn't put DS down to nap until he was 6 months. He's now almost 10 months and still naps on me at least once a day. Unfortunately I just have to work around it as now he is too heavy for a long time in the sling. Just make sure you have snacks and the remotes on hand!

I sympathise but I’m sorry, you’re being massively unrealistic expecting to be able to put an 8 week old in bed to nap so that you can get the decorating done Yes the odd baby might be ok with that but most are definitely not.

PUPD is for slew training older babies, the idea of doing it to an 8 week old is very unsettling. And I’m a firm believer in sleep training. Just not an 8 week old!!

I know how awful it is when you’re desperate to get things done but you’re not on holiday from work, you’re on maternity leave. Your baby is now your job. I think you need to adjust your expectations and don’t expect to get anything more done now than if you were at work, probably less in fact!

Thank you. I'm at FTM so didn't realise babies of his age won't usually go down for a nap so that's really helpful. Like I said he has previously been napping in his Moses basket with no problems which has allowed me to get some things done, but that's fine if this is normal as obviously DS is my priority. I just wanted to make sure he was getting enough sleep. If like previous suggestions state that it is completely normal for him to only sleep on me at this stage then that's absolutely fine and what we will continue to do, I just didn't realise this was normal.

I'd never heard of PUPD and hadn't had chance to look it up so maybe I won't if he is too young.

I'm sure sometimes most mums wish their children would sleep so that they can do bits around the house (at least mums I have spoken to IRL anyway) so I'm not sure I'm being that unreasonable, but of course that doesn't come above looking after my LO. Like I said it's more important for him to nap on me and get the sleep he needs, I just didn't realise it was normal to not nap in his Moses basket anymore.

Thanks for all the suggestions ☺️

It's normal around 8 weeks as before then they're too little to fight sleep, and now he's old enough to fight it. As PP posters have said, this is your job now. I moved house when DS was 4 months old, and only sorted things when he was awake and happy or down for the night, and it took so long. I still haven't painted, I still haven't got pictures up or sorted any flooring that I want. But that can wait, I'll never get this time with DS again.

One thing we had was a Ewan the sheep. Every single nap or bedtime Ewan was put on (2/3 times sometimes.. 20mins a time. Zzz!).
But.
At 5 months old we still do it (unless we are out or at families), and I swear by him

Buggy naps are the way forward! Only way DD would nap at all from five weeks* on. Took a week or so of walking round the village with a Snoozeshade over buggy and white noise on to block everything out while she loudly and valiantly fought sleep, but now she knows that flat, covered buggy + noise toy = nap time. Buggy goes in the kitchen in the day.

*I will say that at this point she’d also given up sleeping on me so I had to take drastic measures!

8 weeks is still very young. My boy was still
Sleeping on me then as we couldn’t put him down till about 3 months. He’s 7 months now.

Once he ‘woke up’ from being a newborn he has only ever napped for 30 minutes at a time, I go by his awake times so every 2 hours generally at the moment I put him down for a nap. He has about 3 or 4 of these a day. At 4 months I trained him to take these naps in his cot which he much prefers now.

I came to terms with this a long time ago, I expected to get some work done in the house (ie catch up on Netflix) but my boy has other ideas. He comes first so I just go with it now and don’t worry about anything else.
When he’s in his cot I manage a quick tidy round etc to stay on top of things.

No one will ever look back on their maternity leave and wish they’d done more housework.

He also sleeps 6.30-6.30 so I try not to complain about him (as much as he’s very hard work!!)

@Abouttimemum hear hear!!!! Me too!!! Our DD is the best 'time waster' love every second of her cuddles. The house needs a clean but hey ho! Its not important. Cuddles are!!