My 4 month old refuses to take day-time naps

[klm1970]

Does anyone have any tips on settling a bubba who really REALLY finds life far too interesting to sleep during the day, and then ends up in a cycle of being over-tired and over-excited and just won't calm down enough to sleep?

He's driving me nuts!!!

At least he sleeps okay-ish at nights, but the days are now an endless struggle of spending an hour before each nap trying to settle him, and then he won't sleep for very long, because surprise, surprise, he's getting hungry for his next feed! And so he's over-tired as soon as he wakes up...

Any tips welcome!

Go out for walks at the same time each day - if he gets into the habit of sleeping when you're out and about, that may reset his body clock a bit, and he may be more easy to settle for naps in the house after a week or so of this. My sympathies - dd was like this, and the walking thing did help - less frustrating than trying to settle her at home, and helped me get a bit fitter too.

Dd also liked to sleep in her pram either outside or in the porch/hall, with the door open so she could look at the trees.

Klm, I could have written your OP a couple of months ago. My DS - now almost 7 months - was/is the same for naps, but is a good night sleeper so can't grumble too much, except when you're losing your mind during the day .

It was either rock him for an hour and let him fight and fight the sleep till he gave in, or settle him with a dummy. I chose the dummy in the end as I was just too exhausted. It is strictly just for nap times, and I don't always need to give it to him, but when he is just that little bit overexcited, it settles him within seconds.

Once helped a friend settle her little darling using a baby whisperer trick I saw on the telly. He went from 15 min naps if lucky to two 90 min naps in 3 days. We closed curtains put on some soothing music and lay him in the cot awake but sleepy. We then placed one hand on his chest(little pressure) and one hand above his eyes but not touching his face. This restricts his view and not stimulated by world around. He cried but we did not leave him and made small sh sounds and only said 'sleep time now'.
First time he took about 30 mins to settle. Not constant crying it came in waves. about 5 of them. Loud crying, then intermittent then nothing then it started again. He slept for 20 mins then woke we repeated the exercise (5mins) then he slept for about 30 mins.

Next day he took about 10 mins to settle and slept for 40 mins and on third day less than 5mins to settle and slept for 50 mins.

After that she could close curtains put on his music put him in the cot and leave the room and he could settle himself.

Takes a bit of commitment and determination but he was never left on his own to cry it out.

Maybe it could work for you! Good luck

Thanks all - have been trying a combo, sometimes the pram walking (but would rather not, so I don't have to wean him off that), but also the suggestion from bouncyball. Unfortunately that isn't doing it yet for me or DS, he keeps hitting the hand that is over his eyes, it seems to wind him up, and I can't keep it up for more than 5 minutes, as it kills my back stooping over the cot. Ugh.
Onwards and upwards! At least it is good to hear I am not the only one.
Having good days and bad days, but a friend today says she thinks DS may be teething, as he was sucking his bottom lip in all the time, apparently her son did that. That at least would be an explanation why he won't settle.
thanks again for your suggestions.