Please give me some advice on how to get DD to nap

[Dollywilde]

DD is 7 weeks 3 days old. She’s doing great at night - we’ve got a pretty solid routine of one formula feed (she’s bf the rest of the time), then Moses basket in a dark room, white noise. It takes about half an hour to get her down but she’ll then go down for about 6 hours (usually 11pm - 5am). After the 5am feed (done in the dark) she’ll usually squirm and grunt if I put her back in the Moses, but will happily cosleep with me until 7. She’s not too bad about getting down for another hour or so from 8 until 9.

However after that it’s a battle ALL DAY. She’ll maybe do 45 mins in the pram or sling once or twice but the rest of the time she completely fights it. I’ve never managed to get her to nap between lunchtime and about 7pm and I know she can’t cope on just the 8.5 hours between 11 and 9 and then a couple of 45 min naps.

I’m currently sat in the bedroom with her in the Moses and have been here all afternoon with white noise on, on my phone. I’ve tried using dummies (she likes them, she’s quite a sucky baby so it’s that or hands), not using dummies, cracking on with usual day noise, night style routine. Haven’t tried day formula but I’d like to avoid if at all possible and keep her on breast rest of time until 3 months if I can.

She’s quite windy (colic?) and vomits after most feeds but HV didn’t think reflux as she’s putting on weight well. Breastfeeding every couple of hours in the day which seems a lot at this stage but I’m happy to oblige.

She’s currently gurgling away but bright eyed and just won’t sleep. Does anyone have any ideas? I just feel wretched that she’s only getting about 10 hours when I know she should be closer to 16

Cuddle her and rock her

have you tired the huckleberry app? It might be that she is overtired and so getting her off to sleep is tricky. the app recommends "sweetspot" nap times based on age etc and so it can give you a guide as to when you should be aiming for naps. You can then try at that time to see if she will fall asleep more easily? My daughter was the same - would go down at night reliably because our routine was so solid but daytime naps were a nightmare. Once we started being really strict with wake windows it became a lot easier.

Its not something that will improve immediately, personally I found achieving good sleep was something that we really had to work hard at but it was so worth it.

@MotherPiglet rocking helps but only gets her dozy, alas I can’t rock her long enough to get a full nap out of her!

@wimbler ooh thank you for the tip about the app - I haven’t used it although the name rings a bell. I’ll give it a go. Yes we’re definitely not being consistent - I’ve been trying to be cues-based and led by her but I think the desire to try and find something to crack it has meant too much variety! Definitely know overtiredness is a problem but unfortunately I think we’re in a bad cycle at this point, just need to try and break it. Relieved to know it’s something that needs work though, everyone else I know has great naps but poor night sleep so suggestions IRL are quite thin on the ground!

I think your expectations may be too high in the fact that you expect her to fall asleep without being held at 7 weeks old. Most babies need to be held for all naps at that age x

Agree she probably needs to be held. My 3 month old is on me now and will only go to sleep being held, has been like this since he was born.

7 weeks is so tiny still - google the 4th trimester, it helped us a lot in understanding what baby needs.

My youngest just slept on me at that age. After about half an hour I could sometimes transfer onto a mat on the floor, but usually she just slept on my chest.

I miss it a lot.

What I don't miss is the hours I spent with my eldest trying to make him sleep in a cot during the day. He never reliably slept in the day unless in the pram or car seat. With the youngest I kind of gave up trying, held her to sleep, and concentrated on getting her to sleep in a cot at night. It did work, so that might be worth a shot.

Surprised she doesn’t nod off when breastfeeding if she’s been awake that long? I’d expect her to drop off when you’re feeding her. At that age many don’t link sleep cycles so 30-45 minutes is all the nap that you get quite often.

@changednamealways

I think your expectations may be too high in the fact that you expect her to fall asleep without being held at 7 weeks old. Most babies need to be held for all naps at that age x

This ⬆️

Also, there will be so many different changes & stages of sleep over the next (many) months & so usually just as you think you've cracked it, they change again!😂🤦🏻‍♀️

But honestly, I agree with @changednamealways , mine would only nap on me in the day time for months, but similar to you, was ok and in a good routine at night... I guess the positive is that it forces you to rest! X

My dd napped after every feed in day. So breastfeed then sleep, either on me, floor or rocking chair

Mine would only nap by falling asleep on the boob then laying on me- otherwise a walk in a sling or Bjorn.
Tbh I’d just be so happy she sleeps so long at night- not to be unhelpful