v tired 4.5mo - should I let her nap this afternoon?

[katiegolightly]

Trying to break the habit of rocking / pushing in the buggy to sleep, which unfortunately we've done for every nap & bedtime for the last couple of months.

Today she woke at 6 and fed, then slept from 6.30 until 8am (she does this nap fine in her cot) She had a 9am feed but then missed the nap window. She fed at 12pm and has again missed the next nap window.

Before today she would have been in her buggy and dropped off within about 5-10 mins of walking. Today I tried to put her in her cot. She grizzled which turned into full blown crying. I picked her and settled her with bouncing and sshhh pat maybe 20 times, but she completely missed both of these 2 naps today as she is struggling to master dropping off on her own, she's just not had to do this before.

Normally she would then stay awake until 6.30 / 7pm bedtime but she is clearly now very tired. Not sure whether to let her drop off on the boob after this feed now or push on through and keep her awake until bedtime through the inevitable grizzles.

Don't want to cave whilst trying to help her figure out sleeping without rocking but don't want to cause her undue stress.

What would you do?

I would give her a nap. But I failed to nightweaned my 11m old at the first wake up last night, so am not really one to ask.

anything to prevent a hysterical, overtired baby at bedtime! I would let mine have a quick nap, write today off and start again in the morning.

I did sleep training with my first and third and if the first nap had gone wrong and I couldn't sort it by lunchtime then the rest of the day was out the window.

You could try letting her cry herself to sleep. She won't hold it against you when she's older :) I'm not so harsh that I'd leave her for ages - but start with 10 mins and see how you get on.

Honestly, at 4.5 months they had unlimited sleep until 11am ( tried to keep awake over lunch/ play ready for 12.30/1 long nap
Unlimited sleep until 5pm when I tred to keep awake until 7

Had 3 naps ( approx 3 1/2 hrs until a year)

I would let her sleep for sure

let me correct myself, she'll be 5 months next week. I will add that I'm not letting her lay in her cot and cry, I'm picking her up when the crying starts but the crying doesn't stop unless I'm bouncing. No amount of walking or sitting in the rocking chair is cutting it. FWIW I'm feeling quite calm so I don't think she's picking up on a tense mummy ... she's just tired and probably can't figure out why we're doing things differently!

Thanks everyone - she's made her decision and 10 mins into feed is now thoroughly wiped out and snoring!! We'll try again tomorrow!

What on earth is a nap window? Surely she can just sleep after her feed?