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Four month-old and daytime cot napping - help please!

13 replies

JeanBillie · 25/11/2011 09:32

We're very lucky that my 19-week old DS is a brilliant sleeper through the night (so far) - 7pm to 7am without a problem and barely a peep from her when I lay her down. At night, I give her a bath, a quick massage, dim the lights, BF her, wind her thoroughly and lay her down awake.

But I'm really struggling with daytime napping. I try to get her to nap in her cot three times a day, usually 1.5 hours to 2 hours after she last woke as she starts to look tired/rub eyes/stare into space etc. Usually 9-ish, 12-ish and 3-ish. At this point I take her up to her cot, draw the curtains, put her in her sleeping bag, put the music from her mobile on and kiss her on the forehead to say 'have a nice nap'. Sometimes, she'll quietly go off and sleep for 45 mins or so. Others, she will cry, and cry, and cry.... to the point that sometimes I'll crack and just take her out in her buggy to drift off.

I KNOW that she's tired! So what's different about daytime napping? Is it possible she just doesn't need to sleep as much as other babies? I don't want to start BF-ing her to sleep or creating bad habits, and I know a certain amount of grizzling is required before babies sleep, but I hate to leave her properly crying for longer than 20 mins or so. I wouldn't mind, but I hate to see her over-tired and grumpy when she hasn't napped.

Any tips/advice much much appreciated.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
JeanBillie · 25/11/2011 09:33

Sorry - I mean DD of course - I'm new on here!

OP posts:
eightyone · 28/11/2011 13:47

No advice sorry as I have exactly the opposite problem! I have no idea why my nearly 5 month old is happy to nap in his cot during the day, with very little help from me, but at night time for some unknown reason he takes forever to go to sleep with lots of fussing!

rubyzelle · 28/11/2011 14:22

my story with my DD is v much like yours. I've found the sleep maker app to be v good for settling and extending naps. Hope it helps!

JeanBillie · 28/11/2011 21:52

Thanks both! How funny, eighty - we should get our babies to compare notes and thanks ruby - I will try that app.

OP posts:
smellsofsick · 28/11/2011 21:58

Hi Jeanbillie my DD was like this at that age. Their sleep cycles tend to be around 45 minutes at a time, so once they come into a light sleep they often wake up. In the end she simply grew out if it

Is her room pitch black at naptime? If she sleeps well at night, then that might help. In the end I gave up and once she w

thesurgeonsmate · 28/11/2011 21:59

Don't sweat the small stuff - just take her out in the pram. It all sounds just great.

smellsofsick · 28/11/2011 22:01

Oops

Once she woke up, I took her back to bed with me where we both had a cuddle and a nap. It was lovely!

You could also try giving her a milk top up before you put her down too. Mind you, if she's sleeping beautifully at night I wouldn't worry too much!

hillyhilly · 28/11/2011 22:02

My dd's now 7 but was always just the same as yours until ate dropped the nap entirely at 23m.
Neither of my children ever napped in their cots (car or buggy) but have both been amazing nighttime sleepers so I can't complain. With my ds, I always moved him from the car into the buggy and just parked it out of the way and got on with my day, was handy really as didn't have to wake him to do school run

JeanBillie · 29/11/2011 10:19

Thanks so much everyone - I think I need to chill, go with the flow a bit and be thankful for good night sleep!

OP posts:
flyingheart · 29/11/2011 22:15

Snuggle up together in bed or take a refreshing walk together...such special days. Remember to enjoy it and live in the moment!

RitaMorgan · 29/11/2011 22:21

I disagree that grizzling is needed for sleep to be honest! And do you mean you leave her alone to cry for up to 20 minutes? That sounds really excessive to me in such a young baby.

Little babies often need help to get to sleep, take her out in the buggy if that's what she needs.

LittleMilla · 30/11/2011 12:25

I would get her out and about. I try and give my DS at least one nap a day outside - breaks up the monotony for him and me!

Re: 45 mins, my DS would ONLY sleep for 40 mins in the day. As many on here said he would, when he started to crawl they magically went to 1 hour +!

Envy at your 7-7! I am only just getting him 7-5:50am and it's proving tought to get that extra 1.5 hours!

beckieperk · 30/11/2011 19:16

I'm having the same issue...I am now trying wake to sleep method. Google it if you're not sure - bit complex to type just now and ds is ready for bedtime.Wink It worked for afternoon nap....will try again tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

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