Can anyone help me with daytime naps!

[becksmummy]

My DD has recently started sleeping a lot better at night usually going from about 9pm until 6am but I am having real trouble with her daytime naps.

She is 5 months old and usually naps in the morning, afternoon and a short nap around 5/6pm

The problem is if she sleeps in my arms she will have a good sleep for up to 2 hours but if I put her down to sleep she will have no more than 20 mins, sometimes only 5 mins!! I have tried putting her down awake and when already asleep and it makes no difference.

If she only has a short nap she is really grumpy as she is still tired but if I nurse her while sleeping I cant get anything done!

Please can anyone help??

Hi,

Really common problem. I suggest having a nap routine, similar to the one you possibly have at nightime. I used to think I could just put DD down and run away and that would be it. You need to give her cues. i.e put her in sleeping bag, pull curtains, turn on lullabye cd, give her favourite cuddly toy.etc etc.
Don't expect too much too soon but perservere. You're teaching her a new habit but you'll get there in the end.
P

everyone is different but heres what i would try

drop the morning nap

go and do something instead in the mornings, just anything, like a walk, mothers and toddlers, or even just go to a cafe and have a coffee, taking baby out of her pram

something significant

if its a rotten day, have a half hour of singing along to music, dancing with her in your arms, making a pot of soup and she is propped up watching you

then right after you have your (early) lunch put her down

she will be tired by then, and might have a long (ish) nap

this may mean she only has 1 nap a day, but both my dd's since about 6 mths old have had a 2-3 hr nap from about 1pm

hth

My ds1 was like this (and ds2 seems to be follwoing the same ideas). I tried some ideas from the unmentionable - putting him down before he seemed too tired, in a dark room, and then leaving him when he woke after 20m. Sometimes he cried, I'd wait and see whether the crying escalated - in which case I'd go in and stroke him a little but not pick him up - or whether it faded away. Within a couple of weeks he was consistently sleeping longer and not crying when he came into lighter sleep. Then I started getting him up at the time I wanted him to get up, so a shorter nap in the am, longer in the pm, and just a little refresher in the evening.

My lo only has about 30mins a nap but if I go in as soon as I hear him stir (or even just when I think he will stir) then ssshhhh him if he starts to wake he will sometimes go back to sleep. It is a little time consuming and can sometimes take 20mins to get him back into a deep enough sleep but then he will sleep for another 30mins or so making an 1hr 30min nap.

The sleep routine is a fab idea and my lo has really responded to this. I sing a sleepy song, take him upstairs, shut the curtains, put on a lullaby CD then watch him as he falls asleep. If he does not fall asleep I help him settle as I have found letting him cry just does not work.

I always put my lo down as soon as he shows sleepy signs and this seems to help too

Thanks I will definately give the routine idea a try, I dont know if I could manage to get her to miss her am nap as she gets easily over tired but distractions could work so I will give it as go!

Will let you know how I get on, thanks again all of you!!

DD has never beein big on daytime naps but persevered with 9am one last week. Cuddled and put in bed and patted and sshd if woke up. Worked every morning last week and got easier as week went on. Going to try afternoon nap this week. Seems DD has got tyo 20 wks and day time napping has just clicked into place a little.

i have exactly the same problem- DS will rarely continue napping if i put him down anywhere. I gave up trying, and just let him sleep in my arms on the sofa with plenty of cushions.

I second DG in that daytime naps are in my arms on the sofa with a laptop in easy reach to keep me amused. However I have just started trying the carseat She still falls asleep on me but i put her in the car seat soon after. Its sometimes 50/50 as to whether she stays asleep but is in there now and has been for about 15 mins. She did look like she was gonna wake within 5 minutes but she has settled down now. I am trying to get her to sleep without the boob as she is very much a comfort sucker as well. eventually i will try and put her in there awake and hopefully once she has learned to fall asleep on her own that will help with the nights as we currently cosleep. Sounds much easier than it is though as ill probably still be in exactly same situation a month from now.

Anyway enough of my rambling(sorry about that). I was going to suggest a baby sling so you can get things done - it works well for mine but shes 9 weeks so big difference. She sleeps in it while I get things done although more of a work around than a solution.

Have you tried tucking her in with a top that you have worn for a day or too? That way she can still smell you.

Hi,
I don't think you need to be too concerned at this age, but think about where you want baby to nap long term. I used to let DD fall asleep on me for a quiet life and I also bought an Amby Natures nest (hammock) which was great but it started to be a real tie so at 8 mths I had to get my act together and try to get her to nap in cot. We got there in the end (see previous comments on nap routine) but I probably should have done it sooner, I think it would have been less of a struggle.

I have tried to introduce a daytime nap routine but so far its not working, we spend the whole time in and out of the cot with her eventually screaming as she is over tired.

Today I have let her sleep in my arms as she has a cold so is already quite grumpy and has fallen asleep straight away no problem.

I think I might leave it a few weeks then try again, I go back to work part time in january so need to do something before then!

Might sound like a stupid question...but when are you trying to put her down - when you think its time...when she starts showing signs (if so what are they)?.....
You're right though, you have to fight these battles when you're both ready

another thought (which I remembered as I was putting DD down for a nap)....
I never used to use cot during the daytime and part of the battle in retrospect was getting her used to the idea of being in the cot aswell as the whole nap thing.
At first, we had the same fight and I would end up taking her out because i was just too shattered to continue. Hard as it might be, as even though it feels like a waste of time, try to get into the habit of going through the routine and putting her in the cot at least once if not twice a day at nap time. Keep routine consistent but it doesn't have to take too long.
Don't expect too much - as you're finding out she may not nap but she will slowly get used to the idea. Even if she naps in cot for 5 mins its a step in the right direction. Maybe if/when you take her out you could try sitting in her room while she sleeps in your arms so she gets used to the surroundings...?

Finally, forgetting about naps for a moment, I know its frustrating not being able to get anything done but as she gets older, particularly when she can sit up by herself, she'll be able to amuse herself more and you can take her around the house with you and she can watch you do things. You might find that helps even if naps don't immediately improve.