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Original poster

6 week old and naps?

34 replies

lilwelshyrs · 21/12/2015 21:28

Hi all,

My DS is 6 weeks old and rubbish at napping in the daytime. He settles really well in the evenings from about 9:30pm and will usually stay asleep in his MB until 2am... Sometimes until 5/6am!

But daytimes he's rubbish! After a nappy change and a lovely long feed, he's suitably sleepy and starting to doze off in my arms. I try to then settle him in the MB and he just wakes up and lies there gurgling, arms and legs flailing! I try rocking his MB or just ignoring him, but eventually he just gets pissed off and I pick him back up again.

He will happily fall sound asleep on me for hours, but as soon as I try to relocate him, he's wide awake!

I really don't mind holding him - I love it as I know he won't want me holding him forever, but I need to cook and eat lunch and dinner! DH does all the food stuff when he's at home but his working days are 15 hours so he can't cook all the time. He does prep lunch and dinner for me, but I still have to microwave/eat it Grin

Any tips or should I just sit back and enjoy these tiny baby snuggles?!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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Demoncove · 21/12/2015 23:29

For gods sake ughnotagain I don't think the op was actually saying her baby was rubbish , it pisses me off on these threads when people ask for advice on their Velcro baby and people imply you're a terrible unfeeling mother for wanting to be able to take a piss or make a piece of toast.

Anyway deffo recommend a sling, mine works a magic, 5 mins and she's off and I can tidy etc.

And co-sleeping naps aswell, I love them!

Original poster
lilwelshyrs · 21/12/2015 23:31

Wow, i did not know any of that. The appointments seemed obligatory when she arranged the next one HmmShock
Thank you, fate. Your help has been quite invaluable! Whilst it's nice having someone come and weigh him every few weeks, any concerns I have I usually get the answers myself by calling the HV number and researching online and using my books (and obviously asking on here!). So not really totally worth having a lady come round then!

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53rdAndBird · 21/12/2015 23:32

I guess I'm worried that because he likes to be in my arms for sleeping (which i love), that I'll have a 4 year old who won't sleep unless they're in my arms/bed!*

I wouldn't worry about that! I had one who would only nap in arms/in sling, nowhere else, no matter what I did or tried. But even she grew out of it eventually.

So absolutely try bouncy seat and everything else, but if you do end up with a baby who just won't sleep unless held - it still won't be forever and you're not making a rod for your own back. Just do what you need to do (and ignore your HV, she sounds awful!)

Original poster
lilwelshyrs · 21/12/2015 23:37

Thanks all - was obvs typing when you guys posted!

I have literally just been letting DS dictate everything so I'm really grateful to read that he should let me know when he no longer requires being on me all the time :) I'm also glad it's not the summer as walking the dog whilst DS is in the sling is warm enough at the moment!

And I'm gutted that my HV is rubbish... She seemed good initially!

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SouthernComforter · 22/12/2015 03:07

My 6-wk-old naps in bouncy chair, pram if we are out and about or in his sleepyhead if I bring it downstairs. I did away with the Moses basket 3 weeks or so ago as I couldn't settle him in it at all. Now he's in the sleepyhead in bed with me. His daytime naps are good - sometimes he seems to doze most of the day. But he comes alive in the afternoon/evening and often won't settle until between 11pm and 1am. I'd like to bring that forward by a couple of hours...

GastonsPomPomWrath · 22/12/2015 03:29

The no swaddling thing is because they now believe that tight swaddling can cause damage to babies hips and also potentially cause them to overheat because they can't lift their arms up.

GoldPlatedBacon · 22/12/2015 04:14

Your baby is 6 weeks old, I wouldn't stress about it too much at this stage. My dd didn't nap properly (I.e be in any sort of routine) until she was 3 months. At 6 weeks all of her naps were either in the pushchair, on me or in our bed (we Co slept for the first 3 months and many an afternoon I retired for an afternoon nap with dd). It's unlikely to create a precedent, my dd is 5 months now and will nap in her crib although a couple of times a week she'll nap on me after her feed (but I like the cuddles and the opportunity to watch a TV show without pausing it!)

I'm not a sling wearer & Dd hates being swaddled but they work successfully for other people so definitely worth a try.

Sparrowlegs248 · 22/12/2015 07:39

Ds was, and still is the same at 5 months though i did manage a transfer to bouncy chair the other day, i can't consistently put him down for naps. He has at least one nap a day in the car, often two (too and from town) maybe pram /sling. He wouldn't tolerate bouncy chair til he was about 7/8 weeks but one day just seemed to like it but only for awake play stuff. I can't often get h to sleep in it though and Tbh for me its not with the effort - 15 minutes of crying followed by 20ish minutes of sleep but only if i keep bouncing. I would rather he be in it awake and happy as i can do stuff then.

Original poster
lilwelshyrs · 22/12/2015 17:05

So today he's had mini power naps... Tried the sling in just a nappy but he got too hot and frustrated so now asleep across my lap on my breastfeeding pillow in his nappy!

Thanks for all the replies! I feel much more normal now!

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