those elusive tired signs!!

[toolittletime89]

Hello lovely mums,
Iv posted a few times regarding my LO n napping!
Now at 18 weeks she is slightly better at napping thru cycles however i kno that its me that is the problem! Im just rubbish at reading her tired signs and sometimes they are so subtle im not even sure she is tired til it is far too late!!
So, what are those tried n trusted EARLY signs, iv found the eye rubbin n fussing are late signs n result in battles in the bedroom!!
Thanks in advance ladies

Yawning of course, also not looking at you/turning away.

Ah she never yawns!!! :) iv even tried yawnin right in her face to see if she'd catch it!!

I think sometimes tired signs can be a sign of overtiredness in some babies. Have you tried going by the clock? See if there is a pattern?

Iv thought tht too, she can stay up anything fron 1-2 hrs, tho 2 hrs is too mucj for a wee baby i think!
I always quietening it down after 1hr/1.15, but still she fights it!

Hi OP, I also have same issue, no tired signs until it's too late! My LO is 20 weeks & I just can't get it. I read some good advice on here last week that I have tried to follow. Apparently we work on 45 min activity cycles, so try & get your LO down for first nap exactly 11/2 hours after they wake up. My DD woke up at 6.30am & I put her back in bed at 7.55am (5 mins early to be on safe side!) Had to rock a little but she is sound asleep. I have been doing this for 5 days now & she will sleep for at least 11/2 hours.
Makes for a much more pleasant day.
Still working on the rest of the daytime naps. Night time isn't an issue with us.
Have you tried BW? I am going to try & get the morning nap sorted first and then try the BW routine next week to get the rest of the day in some better order.
HTH.

My 13 week old also doesn't really show any tired signs until it's too late, so I've been trying to put him down 2 hours after he wakes up, whether he seems tired of not. It's still usually a battle, though, and both his daytime and nighttime sleeps have been getting much worse this last week or so. I will try Yogamummy's suggestion of putting him down after 1 1/2 hours instead, to see if that helps.

Hey yogamummy,
I know this is going to make sound daft, but is BW baby whisperer, yeh?
I do the whole eat active time sleep n always wake her qt 7am.
Usually 1st nap is half 8 but gets harder to read her sigms as day goes on. Doesnt help she keeps changing! 2 weeks ago eye rubbin worked lile a charm after 2 hrs, now tho pffft!

Oh n pinkgirlythoughts, at 13 weeks my LO sleep went up the wall too, went from sleepin thru w 1 feed to gettin up between 2-5 times!! She settled again for a cpl weeks then up n changed again!! Iv always put it down to a comb of gspurts n jabs!
Just thought id let u know that mine was the same!

Hi toolittlle, yes BW, baby whisperer.

I really do know where you are coming from, afternoon naps worked for us today, but i think this was mostly due to the fact that we went swimming for the first time & she could have slept on a clothes line!

Here's what we did today -

Wake 6.30
Sleep 8.00 - 9.45
Activity & food & bottle
Sleep 12.30 - 2ish
Pram walk - drifted off again in pram around 3.30 (I think this was due to swim) for approx 1/2 or so.
Lots of playing dinner & bottle.
Bed @ 7pm. Fingers crossed -Sleep until 7am!

I think that's the thing, they keep changing, it is so hard to establish a pattern.
Believe me this is the first time she has done this, afternoon sleeps are such a mess. I think you need to be a recluse and just stay in the house constantly to try and get baby to have decent sleep in afternoon.

Thanks toolittletime, it sounds awful but is honestly really reassuring to hear that others have been in the same boat, and it isn't just me!

I totally get that! I find it very reassuring knowin that these things are normal!!
And yes, i totally find im trapped in the house sometimes cuz my LO becomee v unsettled wen she cant sleep in her cot!
Im just crossing my own fingers hoping she will settle again soon, tho iv read that 4 months is the hardest time regarding sleep (sleep regressions, big growth spurts, teething etc)
Im going to try n stay consistent n keep my eyes peeled for those signs (there were none again this morning!)
Thanks for all the posts!

Wooooo hoooo! Did PU/PD technique this afternoon, again no tired signs, was giggling laughing but I figured she needed a sleep as was nearly 2pm & no sleep since the 1 hour at 8.15am.
She is asleep!
Good luck everyone else.

It took me ages to work out DD's signs when she's tired. I've noticed:

1. She's a bit less alert.
2. She goes grey around her eyes - this one is accurate everytime.
3. She pulls at her ears / sticks her finger in her ear. When she was smaller she just swatted at her ears.
4. She puts the fingers of one hand in her mouth and strokes this arm with her other hand.
5. She PATS her head (not sure what that one is all about).

My DS's signs are;
Eyes start staring at one spot 'transfixed'.
Eyes look a little pink around the lids.
Starts grumbling.
Acts as though his nose is really itching and annoying him!

Hope that helps!