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Settling for night

11 replies

BabyBobbins32 · 20/08/2015 19:43

Hi, looking for some advice please...My baby naps 3 times a day c45mins at a time. She is usually only awake for c1-2 hrs between sleeps inc feedtime which is usually 20-25mins. She is quite good at self settling for her naps if I read the signs right and put her down at the right time. My problem is putting her down at night...her last nap of the day is usually at 3ish so she is then awake from around 4 too I manage to get her down for the evening anywhere from 7.30-9.30. The problem is she cries loads before she finally goes to sleep and I often end up having to rock her or feed her to sleep, I can't leave her to self settle because she is crying. I think the problem is she gets overtired but I can't get to have another nap to get her through to bedtime. I do a bedtime routine that I try and start at about 6,...I bath her, read to her and then feed her and then try to put her down about 7/7.30ish...the crying usually starts with her last feed where she'll keep pulling off and crying and I have to bounce her to calm her down and then put her back on...from there on its a feed/bounce/rock combo that eventually gets her to sleep but I think it may actually also be exhaustion from crying. I find it really upsetting that I don't know how to help her and it makes me cry sometimes (which I know is the worst thing to do but it's hard not to when I see her little bottom lip go). Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you! Once she is down she usually sleeps quite well at night, usually only waking for 1 or maybe 2 feeds. Thanks

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
BabyBobbins32 · 20/08/2015 19:48

I should've said my daughter is 11weeks old

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Rainuntilseptember15 · 20/08/2015 19:54

I don't quite understand - is she crying if you are holding her, or is it when she is lying down? If you pick her up, does she stop crying?
Both my dcs had a "grizzly hour" (to put it mildly) around 7 every night, when try would cluster feed and just generally want to sit with me the whole time. I just got used to having something good to watch on TV during that time.
It doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong - if you aren't picking her up, I would just do that and hold her if necessary. Why is it not ok to hold her to sleep? 11 weeks is still very young, though I'm sure it seems like a long time to you Smile

BabyBobbins32 · 20/08/2015 20:02

Yes she is crying when I'm holding her, I don't even get to the point of lying her down usually because she is so upset

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scandichick · 20/08/2015 20:05

It sounds like a very long time between the last nap and sleeping for the night, maybe try to squeeze in another nap?

Fluffy24 · 20/08/2015 20:09

Could you make bedtime a bit earlier? DS was fed bathed and ready for bed by 6pm - I found if I got him to bed earlier he went down easier.

soundsystem · 20/08/2015 20:10

Sounds as if she may be over tired? Have your tried another nap in the afternoon? If she normally sleeps every 1.5-2 hours then 3pm until 7.30 is a long stretch.

BabyBobbins32 · 20/08/2015 20:20

Thanks for the replies. Yes I have tried to put her down for another nap but she won't seem to go. I have tried taking her for a walk in the buggy as that usually settles her if nothing else will and even that hasn't worked. I have also tried bringing bed time forward but again she won't go down that early...she just doesn't seem to want to sleep at that time and yet I know she is tired...which then makes her overtired. I guess I just have to keep trial and error with different times either for bedtime or another nap and hopefully I'll find a time that works. It's just so upsetting to see her cry like that as she is such a happy baby at other times. She cries so hard it's like when she has wind sometimes but I try and burp her and that doesn't seem to help. Thanks for advice though all

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winchester1 · 20/08/2015 20:28

Sounds weird but both of mine cried when tired and over simulated from birth if put down so they couldn't see us they stopped after a half a min and slept.
I'd feed quick nappy change and put her down and see how she gets on.

We do bath etc in the morning as its over simulates them.

araminem · 20/08/2015 20:29

My DS is 6 months old and he wakes up from his second nap at around 3:30 and even he gets another nap in before sleeping at 8. Have you tried to get another nap in, some 1-2 hrs after she wakes up?

winchester1 · 20/08/2015 20:30

Really sounds like both of mine tbh I o ly realized with both as I put them down to fetch another bottle and they fell asleep.

Hope you find what works for yours.

BabyBobbins32 · 20/08/2015 21:52

Thanks all....will persist with trying to get another nap in and hopefully we'll crack it soon. Thanks

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