Sleep training 3 month old

[Bluffysummers]

Firstly would like to say I’m not taking cry it out or anything like that just some tips on how I can get my 3 month old to nap In his cot in the day so I can get some rest too. He’s ok at night, it’s just the day.

Drowsy but awake doesn’t really work as he gets upset and neither does picking him up comforting him and putting him back down. Sometimes feeding to sleep putting him down and holding his hand works but only sometimes and others he’s fusses and ends up crying and then my daughter is up from her nap and the time for me to rest has gone.

He’s only tiny and it makes sense he’s happiest close to you. Can you rest with him next to you for now? DD napped on you beside me at that age and I’d read, watch something, go on my phone, eat.

If you need to get things done while he’s down a sling might work.

Could you try putting him down and settling him in his cot with some patting. Over time you could gradually reduce the amount of patting.
I also find white noise helps a lot.

Otherwise do they settle in the pram? I some times rock the pram in the hallway to get to sleep then leave them in a quiet corner while I get on with stuff

@AnneLovesGilbert

He’s only tiny and it makes sense he’s happiest close to you. Can you rest with him next to you for now? DD napped on you beside me at that age and I’d read, watch something, go on my phone, eat.

If you need to get things done while he’s down a sling might work.

Like side lying in bed? I can’t fall asleep like that.

It’s the sleep I actually need as in unwell atm.

I’ve got a carrier and he’ll sleep in there but I do need him to sleep In his cot in the day for at least one nap. Co sleeping just isn’t for us

@tiredmummy198

Could you try putting him down and settling him in his cot with some patting. Over time you could gradually reduce the amount of patting. I also find white noise helps a lot.

Otherwise do they settle in the pram? I some times rock the pram in the hallway to get to sleep then leave them in a quiet corner while I get on with stuff

I’ll try the patting but once he’s crying he just gets very worked up, i think he’s quite sensitive.

He’ll nap in the pram but because of the weather he tends to be quite bundled up so not the safest when you get home

Does he take a dummy? I found that the key to weaning off contact napping.

@Ihaveoflate

Does he take a dummy? I found that the key to weaning off contact napping.

Only sometimes, rarely tbh he prefers his hands and he’s got such a sensitive gag reflex that he ends up making himself sick :’(

Tbh I think at 3 months most babies just won’t nap in their cot, or if they do it’s only short. I used to do naps in bed co sleeping until my li started to nap on their own at around 5 months.

@sophi1207

Tbh I think at 3 months most babies just won’t nap in their cot, or if they do it’s only short. I used to do naps in bed co sleeping until my li started to nap on their own at around 5 months.

My daughter would fall asleep and nap in her cot alone at 3 months but I can’t remember how we managed it, granted it was for only 30 mins but I later discovered that she’d sleep for an hr if I held her hand whilst she slept, was hoping for the same 🥲

Hello! I have a 5 month old who will only nap on me and only if fed to sleep.

I have just about managed to get him to go to sleep without feeding on me at night in his beside the bed crib. I would like him to nap in his cot in nursery in the day but no matter what I try, white noise, routine, dark room, lovey toy, shushing, nothing works - he cries after 10 mins.

I feel trapped and touched out, and 4 naps a day is starting to wear me down, I dread naps!! Any advice appreciated.

Emma x

Gosh. He is 3 months old OP. Why are you even thinking of sleep training?

im sorry but babies aren’t born to slot into our lifestyle, they are born with the same natural instincts as they were thousands of years ago. They aren’t meant to sleep in a cot. We change our routine for them, not the other way round. Let him sleep on you, use it as time to chill, the chores can wait.

3 month!!! Your first may have been an amazing sleeper from day one but all babies are totally different and I deeply believe you need to respond to their individual needs. Very very common for a 3 month old to need to contact nap and although it can be frustrating at times for us, it’s what the baby needs. Can’t he fall asleep on you and then you can both rest on the sofa with him next to you or a sling or a swing chair if you need him to be off you?

Could you pop him into the pram
in his indoor clothes and rock it, gently wheel back and forth until he falls asleep? Or if he does need a bit of a walk just cover with layered blankets so you can remove all but one once you get back inside?

I found the littles ones app really good. I discovered it after sleep training but gives gentle sleep ideas and timings. I sleep trained at 3 months because rocking to sleep for an hour and a half every sleep was doing my back no good.
My daughter still has a great attachment to me (she is now 18 months) and if she cries at night I know she needs me, just doesn't need .e to get her to sleep). I didn't use the cry it out method.

I forgot to tag @Elouisecherry in my reply x

I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with previous poster when they say babies aren't designed to work around us.

I am due my baby on Monday and I only have 12 weeks off work as I'm self employed. I am not fortunate to be at home for a year or 9 months to take time with it all. Baby will be with mum 3 days a week after the 12 weeks, and I'm going to have to try and get her into some sort of routine for her and my mums sake.

Don't let ANYONE make you feel bad for looking for advice on this OP. Yes okay 3 months is still little but nothing wrong with trying to find gentle ways for your little one to self soothe. Hope you find what works for you 🩷🩷

Put a solid routine in place. Wake baby at 7am, (even if you want to sleep!) put to nap 9.30/10 look for signs of tiredness, at first if you can have older child looked after/cartoon outside bedroom door anything to give you peace with baby, settle to sleep (avoid feeding) aim for a nap longer than 40 mins, don’t rush in if they cry wait a minute or two. Go in and pat to try and keep nap going. If this isn’t working use pram but just in house up and down till asleep, I did this for about 15 months!! Before moving nap to cot only due to older children though. Another nap in afternoon and possibly a short one about 5pm and bed at 7pm no later. You need your sleep/rest and I agree I couldn’t sleep with a baby next to me also if you have to deal with older child then baby gets woken all the time! Good luck.

@birdglasspen advice is what I followed. I followed a routine on the Nanny louenna app, it’s great for any baby or child related advice!

I think bring the pram inside and try to get him to sleep in the hallway or lounge in the pram, cot naps are hard at this age, mine boys only reliably slept in their cots for day naps for a decent nap from about 6 months but prams were always easier before that x

If you had a child who magically fell asleep in a cot at a young age its nothing to do with you but the childs temperament.

You cannot sleep train at 3 months but you can start setting a solid routine, but just expect to still be frequently woken up and needing to cuddle and feed for a good while yet.

Its probably worse as sounds like you had a magic sleeping first child and now you have one who has chosen sleep violence!

All babies are different so not sure if this will work for you but I used to lay my son down in his basket at that age and turn on the hoover/hairdryer. He would be asleep in 5 minutes and have a decent nap, maybe worth a try