Catnappers and 'bad sleepers' support thread

[AwesomeSuperTasty]

This is inspired by this napping thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/2123505-Any-advice-for-daytime-naps A user commented that they wanted to start a catnapping thread, but seeing as no one did, I thought I might start a 'support group' for all parents of catnapping babies and generally poor sleepers. (I hope the user who prompted this thought will come forward to claim the credit!)

Anyway, it's really just a place to vent and maybe share experiences.

So, I will start. My 7 month old son still catnaps 30 mins at a time, something he allegedly should have grown out of. He also wakes every 90 minutes at night, and wakes up at 5.30 in the mornings. He self settles to sleep and has an early bed time but can't resettle at night. Basically, since he was born, I've not slept longer than 2 hours at a stretch. I'm sure I'm pretty exhausted but stopped registering it.

I do have some questions for anyone who'd like to share.

• If you have an older catnapping baby, how long does she/he go between naps?

-Has anyone managed to sucessfully implement some kind of a napping schedule, for babies who sleep only 30 mins?

And please don't tell me to get a sling...or co-sleep

Our 40min epic meltdown was due to......wait for it......a bogey. Yes, a bogey. You would have thought the world was coming to an end the way he was carrying on. Back feeding now and he seems sleepy, so fingers crossed. I am never going to say I eat an early night again be side every time I do we have some sort of bedtime disaster!

Monster-hats off to you for coping on so little sleep

Argh, excuse typos, stupid autocorrect

Oh Goodness Earth! You must want to laugh and cry at the same time ( probably lmore of the latter)

Not coping brilliantly - back at my dp's for support! He went to sleep tonight at 7.40 and woke up at 10. Ive justwatched him try so hard for 20mins to go back to sleep before he became agitated and started to cry. Poor baby. But waking this early is a bad sign...could be another long night. Thanks for kind words as much needed. He cant sleep this badly forever!!

Welcome monster! Well done so far. Keep us posted on how it goes and feel free to unload/rant if needed, that's what the thread is for.

Will catch up with the messages in the morning - so, so exhausted that I can't hold my phone!

I hope everyone has a good night.

Aaaaa!

Up at 5am!! I left DS in the cot (he sleeps in our room) but he was just babbling and laughing for 45 minutes.

The first nap will be done by 7.30-8.00 :(

And... I go back to work in three weeks and I'm seriously panicking at te thought of so many night wakings and early starts.

Thanks Awesome and I feel your early morning pain. I hate it when they just won't go back tosleep! Its a bad sign when even the children's tv hasn't started yet. Not our best night. 6 ups but mostly before 1 so got a couple of blocks of sleep. I never wanted to know how little sleep I can survive on but apparently it's four hours :). He was practicing rolling I think last night. Just learned it. Noisy baby!! Its a good job he is cute...

Morning all! Sorry to hear of bad nights. My toddler was asleep at six so predictably woke at half five and baby woke at quarter past five for food so a good night from baby as we fed her at 11. However, she has woke with the start of a cold and toddler came I to contact with a vomiting bug yesterday. Predictable as we are going on holiday tomorrow.

Would you believe me when I say that we haven't had a holiday since Dc1 was born that has been illness free? We came home early from last one to go to hospital. Previous one I had hyperemesis, previous one DC1 got tonsilitis at six months. Feel like we are fated!

Good luck today peeps.

Oh no! I hope everyone is better Popalina! Where are you off to?

I know what you mean, monster. It's surprising how we adapt to so little sleep. 6 wake ups is a tough one. Hole the day goes better.

I had to laugh at inapickle's comment that she spent so long wondering how to spend her tiny window of time, that she didn't do anything. I remember that well!

Multiple night wakings here last night, longest one was 45 minutes from 5-5.45. I was hoping for a repeat of yesterday's good naps, but no such luck - nap number 1 lasted 20mins and she now has hiccups so no hope of her nodding back off [sigh]. I was hoping to shut my eyes for half an hour as well.

Morning all, sorry to hear of bad nights. I've attempted to implement a new nap regime this morning (gentle massage, 0.5tog sleeping bag, feed, crib). Went well until I winded him, wide awake but put in crib anyway. Cue massive poo and now he is properly awake but grumpy. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.....

Lol Earth! It was the massage that did it!

We are staying in the UK so no fuss of having to prepare for plane travel thank goodness! I am travelling on my own with the kids though so praying we don't have a mid- motorway vom situation as a result of yesterday. It would be Sod's law for it to strike on the M25!

Toddler and baby asleep for last hour and a half. It must be my lucky day! At least I can pack!

Frankel, mine often gets hiccups when she is tired. So annoying. The only way to get rid of them is to feed I find.

Hideous night but managed to stay in bed snoozing til 8:30 (both had been awake half the night though) so first nap at about 10:15 til just before 11.

A first here: popped DS down on the middle of the double bed for his nap time wind down (dark room, Ewan the dream sheep harp music on). Left the room to start putting make up on in the bathroom next door. Came to check on him 5 minutes later. Fast asleep!

This is the first time he has not been BF prior to a sleep in his entire life!

So far we've had a 20min nap and a 45min nap today. Currently trying to settle her for nap #3, she's be awake 2.5 hours and not showing any signs of wanting to go to sleep! I'm meeting friends for coffee and cake at 4pm, so what are the odds she tries to pull a long nap now

Earth, well done on getting a routine going! Its a great start. Btw do you have a blackout curtain? I found it invaluable as a sleep cue, addition to the routine.

Frankel - yes, I often find hiccups to be a tired sign (not that DS actually sleeps if I put him down then).

Well done Mrsmugoo! Now you know he can do it :)

How did it go Frankel?

DS fell asleep in his car seat this afternoon. Lasted 16 paltry minutes from 4 - 4:16

So that's not even an hour and a half total sleep all flipping day.

I'm going to make a last ditch attempt to get him down at 5:30 but not holding out much hope.

She napped for 45 minutes in the end, and then had another 15 minutes in the car as I drove back from the meet up. I'm going to start bedtime routine shortly so hopefully she'll go down without too much of a problem.

I truly wonder how these babies manage on so little shut-eye. DS is almost verging on the hysterical because he's so tired (shrill screaming, manic bouncing/humping against my leg-you have to laugh, tears, laughter etc. ) yet he will fight to the death.

Last night, predictably, was shit. Up at 9/1030/145/4-6 and up for the day at 7. DH and I thought "sod it-we panned a day out and we're bloody well going and DS will enjoy himself"

Nap from 930-10
Doze in the car 12-1215
Doze in the buggy while we walked 2-330 (but only after a full hour of screaming his head off)

He awoke from that nap in the worst mood imaginable. Not just cranky, but genuinely angry; like we had tricked him into going to sleep and missing things.

My punishment? The river of orange sick which projectiled from him all over himself, the car seat, the car and me. 25 degree heat and an hour journey.

I swear that the little shitmonkey smiled the second he saw my horrified face. It would seem revenge is a dish best served lukewarm.

On a sleep related note, anyone have ny ideas on how to encourage him to nap without going batshit crazy?

Our routine (ha!) looks something like this:

630-7: up
7-730: attempt (and fail) to get DS to take a bottle
8: breakfast (usually porridge made with the rejected milk-that'll teach you for being sick on me mwahahaha, and fruit)
830-9: first nap fight. This will last anywhere from 5m to 1h and we're very VERY lucky to get more than 20m of napping

11-bottle (refused)
1130: snack of fruit or yogurt

12: nap (15m to 45m)

130: lunch (whatever savoury is in the cupboard and fruit)

2pm: nap (20m)
330 bottle (refused) so snack of toast/cheese
5-dinner
630 bath
7 bottle (ha!) and bed

We seem to cope ok" with the micro naps during the day, but the stretch from 330-7 is a killer as DS will not concede that he is tired and progressively becomes more shill and unhappy.

If anyone has any ideas on how to get longer naps/night sleep, can you share? I realise the thread is for troubled sleeper and their weary parents BUT perhaps you've tried something that has failed for your DC BUT may work with mine?

For the record DS loathes:
Rocking
Cuddling
Shhhhh-ing
Swaddling
Lying flat

The only things which seem to calm him are ridiculously fast and aggressive movements and letting him cry.

Will he take a dummy? DD has one to help settle for naps/sleep.

Have you looked at this site, there are some useful articles on it.

I wouldnt dare give advice with ny track record but I cantell you what we did. He was swaddled and would scream when tired so I created a very set routine. It did mean I didnt go out much for a week, but it eventually began to sink in and I could use bits of it when out which would help. I would wait until he was just looking tired - second yawn. Then always hold in same way andthe same blue blanket snuggled against his hand/face. Then we patrolled the room saying goodnight in a set routine ans shutting all the curtains. This included the cat, garden, sun etc. I said each phrase twice and in a really storylike voice. Then I would walk up and down quickly until he would fall asleep. The last bit was crap i know but the walking was the only way to get him down. We even ran!!!! I also shushed continuously.But after a few days he started to calm when we said the goodnights and even shut his eyes. We did the opposite after the nap and said good morning to everything. Took a lot of patience and repetition though and was restrictive to start with. Rarely sleepsmore than 45 mins but if i shush loud enough at the right time when he stirs on the odd occasion he has gone back to sleep for a while. Bedtimes a nightmare now. I always struggle to put ds down at right time, but read a few days ago, that you should put down 2 and half hrs after last nap so trying that. Seems to go down really well so far - just cant keep him asleep once down!!! I need a sleep fairy. No other ideas as generally have failed in all sleep related aspects :(