6 month old Baby who WILL NOT NAP or sleep through

[redorange89]

My beautiful and happy son is not himself come 4pm every single day. He does not nap more than 30 mins at a time. He naps at 9am and is screaming for it as it’s just as we get back from the nursery run for my daughter. He’s tired again by 11am. He’s tired again by 2pm. He just WILL NOT GO DOWN by 330/4pm when he is tired AGAIN.

He’s up ALL NIGHT. We do bedtime with a bath starting at 615 then dry story song and feed and in bed by 655. Have tried doing the feed prior to bath. He did it the first night, next night not having it, and the next.. and so on.

I just need some help. I try to wake him when I put him in his cot most nights but he’s usually fast asleep on the boob. I read him the usual bed time story regardless. I sing him the songs regardless.

Every night I struggle to sleep because I am constantly on high alert waiting for him to wake up. I hate that I’m not enjoying my maternity leave, I’ve got a 3 year old and I’m snappy all the time. I hate leaving her to put him to sleep but I always worry I am putting her first... please help xx

I had one like this. A late nap that would terrify most parents was a sign we were in for a better sleep. Definitely try the sleep consultant but I must tell you, we were referred to one by the health visitor when he was about 16 months and they said he just wasn't a sleeper after a couple of sessions. Maybe try nipping him out in the car at 4, see if he falls asleep then see how the night goes?

So pleased for you OP. I really hope you can enjoy the last few months of your maternity leave now you're a little more rested!

Hi, so I need some advice with my son. He’s 6 months old, he was always a really good sleeper at night, would wake once a night and go straight back to sleep until the morning. Now he’s absolutely impossible to get to go to bed. He wants to cuddle to sleep (which is fine, I’m happy to rock to sleep) but the minute I put him down he wakes up and starts throwing his arms and legs about and then begins to cry, I pick him back up and he will fall straight back to sleep, put him down and he wakes again, on the off chance that he does stay asleep when I place him down, it’s never for very long before I’m back upstairs again trying to soothe him back to sleep. I’ve done all the standard checks (bottle, bum etc etc) he just wants cuddling. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to tackle this phase of only sleeping on me? His naps in the day are not scheduled because unless he’s on me or in his pram when we go for a walk he will not sleep. Also he’s suddenly keeps waking at 3am everyday absolutely screaming (do all the necessary checks) and nothing but the minute I go downstairs with him he’s fine (feel obliged to take him downstairs because my partner works and our two year old is usually also in the bed with us too). Pleaseeeee someone help, I am becoming increasingly tired from my lack of sleep.

Ah @CTMR i so feel for you. It’s awful when they all of a sudden change things. We got sleep advice for our son in the end and the key thing she kept saying to us is put him to bed the environment you want him to find himself if he wakes during the night. So if you are cuddling him to sleep he’s going to expect to have that throughout the night. I had to put our son down in his bed and sit with him while he screamed and screamed - it was an hour and a half the first night. I sat with him, held his hand and sang to him, I didn’t leave his side until he fell asleep, but the key thing was that he fell asleep in his cot - not cosied into me.

I am no expert but it sounds like on transfer at night, you’re putting him in a new environment which is waking him, and he’s not happy about the fact he’s now in a different environment to the one he initially dozed off in. Same with the 3am wake up.

We (well, I) have been through the ringer with Jack. It’s been a real challenge and he’s 21 months old now. He sleeps 7pm till 5.30am but in the early days I’m not ashamed to admit that I felt suicidal due to the sleep deprivation - I was up so much during the night. Don’t let this go on too long - if my suggestion doesn’t help or if you don’t want to try it then speak to your health visitor. You’re not alone, but it really feels that way when you’re going through it by yourself. ❤️❤️❤️Big hugs x

@redorange89 its so nice to hear I’m not alone with it all. My partner says I’ve marded him too much and now that’s why he’s a clingy baby! Thank you so much, I will try this over the next few days and see if this does anything for us! I’m sorry to hear you struggled to such an extent, that can’t of been pleasant and I hope you are out the other side of those emotions!xx