Lack.of cot naps is driving me fucking insane

[Sparrowlegs248]

I've posted a million times about ds sleep. He's never napped well blah blah blah. Night sleep not too bad now but gets up at 4.30-5. I'm 36wks pregnant and just exhausted.

Occasional naps in cot. Just spent an hour trying. First 15 minutes laid down quietly. Then gradually worse despite getting more and more tired.

I'm starting to get pissed off with him. I just want him to sleep somewhere safe so that I can sleep. Slept 3 bloody hours in the cot at Mil on Tuesday which just fucks me off tbh. I know it's ridiculous.

I just need some rest. Took.him out of cot and laid on bed with him, he just poked my face and wailed. Now my choice is to walk with pram and spd, or drive.

I have no idea how I am going to cope with another one.

I think you need to get your husband to leave him. If he's awake but not distressed he may naturally drop back off.

I'd also try putting him in another room ASAP. Give the responsibility for his sleep to your husband.

Yes, that's the plan Nora. We are going to leave him and see what he does in the morning. He had a nap 1.30-2.30 today so not an early nap, and had the opportunity to nap earlier if he wanted (long walk in pram)

He's just going to sleep so a little later than usual.

The decluttering exercise began today (h is a bit of a hoarder and the 'spare' room is full of crap.)

So cot should be in the other room soon. Off to post about the transition......

Epic fail. Husband got him.out of cot at the first peep at 2.20. Got him.back to sleep but on my bed (I'm just not physically capable of transferring him back at this stage) and he slept til 4.55. I didn't sleep at all. Bf then for a bit, then waited til 6 before giving milk. Think that's the last bf. He clearly doesn't need it and may be waking for it. Also, I know from last time that I won't be able to feed laying on my side after a c section.

Ugh you need to get your husband on board urgently. All he's doing is encouraging early waking to be a habit. Could you put your foot down and if he gets ds out his cot just leave him to deal with it? Maybe take yourself off to the couch or a spare bed leaving ds with him?

Is he walking? Any chance you could get him to a park or have a garden that he can run around like mad in the morning to tire him out properly and then be more willing to nap? Or invent some kind of game at home that has him running around loads so hes tired and happy to nap? And do a proper bed time routine at nap time like wind down and story time? Definitely think you need more support from DH though!!

Slightly hysterical.laughter

Yes he's walking, well running mostly. Or bouncing, dancing etc. Climbing. He runs to and fro in the house, the gardenn, the park, I have two ponies and we go there daily. He doesn't sit still.

My dilemma is that he gets up early, and then needs a nap early. The nap never works in the cot if I leave it too late. As in past 10. I want the nap later to encourage later waking. Gets up 4-5am.

Can you put the buggy in a darkened room and put him in it to nap and rock him to sleep in it?

Does he have a bedtime/naptime comforter? Muslin square or teddy etc?

He might still need 2 naps. So if he sleeps 9-9.45 then back to sleep 1-3 if he can?

Unfortunately the buggy nap at home has never worked for me. Mil used to do it every time she had him, in her hallway which wasn't even dark. Husband did it at home once when I wasn't there.

He probably does need two naps but won't. The afternoon nap got to the stage where I had to drive for 40 minutes before he fell asleep. I just can't do that. Wouldn't fall asleep in the pram either and Def not the cot. So we are down to one.

It has just taken me an hour to get him to sleep in the cot. Slept 7-5 last night. Put him.in cot at 9.45. Didn't wait for tired signs as that's too late. He kept laying down but really bloody fought it. He hum. He's asleep now.

The early nap is the result of the early waking, not the cause. The cause is habit formed by him being taken out the cot the moment he stirs. Instead of worrying about the nap you need to concentrate on finding a way to keep him in the cot until a reasonable time in the morning - somewhere between 6 and 7am. There are plenty of methods to do this, some involve leaving them to cry, but plenty don't. You just need your husband on board.