Long naps but won’t sleep at night?

[canarypotato]

My ds is 5 months old. He naps really well either in the sling but mainly in his pram. I take him for a walk and within about 5 mins he’s alseep. I can then leave him in the hall and he’ll sleep for 2-3 hours. He does this twice a day and will also and have a quick nap about 1.5 hours before bed time.

Then bed time comes and he won’t sleep in his cot. Or in our bed. Or in the sling. Or in a bouncy chair. Or on the sofa. Or on DH Or me. Last night I rocked him to sleep in his cot with his dummy and he seemed fast alseep but once I left the room he was awake within about 2 mins. That happened all evening until about 11pm and he conked out in our bed next to me.

I wonder what on earth is so amazing about his pram? He is in a kind of snow suit (which I unzip when we get in and he only has one layer on underneath so not too hot) and I wonder whether it’s the sensation of being ‘wrapped up’ which he likes? Is there any way this can be created at night time? We tried swaddling a while ago, didn’t really work and I think he’s too old now? He hasnt really taken to sleeping bags either and sleeps with blankets (although they get kicked off).

Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for his great day time sleeping ! But I also have a 3 year old who is awake when he’s napping so some evening time to myself would be wonderful!

Hopeful bump?!

Maybe he isn't that tired at bedtime as he has napped so well? When is bedtime? I would try either reducing nap time or pushing bed time to later on. What happens when he finally does sleep? Is he quite settled then the rest of the night?

Thanks for your reply!

I was wondering too whether he is sleeping too much in the day. But he is definitely tired and needs his naps but maybe I should wake him up? Bedtime is around 7.30 - 8. Depending on last nap.

Once he’s settled and I’m in bed he tends to sleep. Will wake for a feed or two. He’s now asleep and has been for the last 20 mins. But on our bed. Not ideal...

Ds3 slept amazingly well in the day but only in his pram or car seat. Unfortunately night times were horrendous. I think he just liked the way he was snuggled in and although I tried to recreate it I never could. I also realised he was just not tired at bedtime but I made the decision that I would just live with it as it suited my day. I could get on with stuff and give ds1 and 2 attention in the day and then give ds3 attention in the evening and just accept the sleepless nights. Eventually he dropped his naps and I worked on night time sleep. If you really don’t want sleepless nights then I would look at a routine with shorter day time naps.

I would co-sleep (in fact I do with my 6.5 month old!) if he settles well with you in your bed. Is that an option?

I do think it’s something about the way he’s snuggled. As tonight I’ve snuggled him into a blanket and it’s working but he’s on our bed which I don’t really want. Happy to co sleep once I go to bed but not from 8pm.

I just know he is capable of 3 hours independent sleep as he does it in the pram! I just wish he’d do it at home from 8-11 ...

I might try to shorten his naps but I know he needs sleep often as he gets super grizzly if he’s missed a snooze.

Definitely sounds like he is napping too long. Im pretty sure it's recommended they should be having no more than hour in the morning (approx 1.5-2hrs after waking), 2 hours at lunch and maybe 40 mins mid afternoon but not later than 5pm. Maybe you need to make bedtime a bit earlier? I've always had to put my baby down to bed between 6 and 6:30pm.

Ok maybe I will try to shorten the naps. It’s generally the morning one which is super long but maybe that’s because he’s seeing as an extension of his night?! Yargh, wish babies would come with instructions.

I would suggest:

7am - wake baby if not already awake
9am - nap
11am - wake baby if not already awake
1pm - nap
3pm - wake baby if not already awake
5pm - powernap
5.30pm - wake baby after just 30 mins
7.30pm bedtime

Have at least one milk feed (and once weaning one meal aswel) in each of those awake times.

Thanks fate, will give that a go.

Sleepyhead was great for us... I'd buy the big version (Grande) if you were to get one now. I think 1.5 hours is not a quick nap and it's likely that one that's derailing night sleep.

Will look into sleepyhead. Thanks.

I meant he has a quick nap (30-45 mins) which ends around 1.5 hours before bed.

He naps for around 4 - 4.5 hours a day total.

So we had a good day of naps yesterday, very similar to fate’s suggestions. However it took 4 hours to settle him at night time!

He woke up at 7:30 and by 9:15 was showing signs of tiredness. He was in his bouncy chair and as I was getting his pram ready to take him out and he just fell asleep on his own in the bouncy chair.

I’m wondering whether my presence is hindering him settling at night time?! As soon as I spot the tired signs maybe I should put him down on his own and not try any rocking or cuddling. I was reading about babies who prefer to settle on their own from about 4 months.

Mine wasn’t going to bed at 7.30/8 at 5 months old, all that napping and then 11pm bedtime seems reasonable!

But surely having a last nap at 5pm and then staying awake until 11pm is not good? 4 hours napping a day doesn’t seem excessive.

I think I’m going to get a sleepy head, they look brilliant.

Ooh let me know how you get on...considrering one myself. Thought I'd missed the boat as I didn't realise they did a bigger one for older babies.
Definitely worth trying to see if your baby can self-settle. I've been trying with mine and he definitely can't which is a right pain.

Sleepyheads are amazing!

I'd knock the last nap on the head and bring bedtime forward. Then gently move it back by 15 min every day.

@KatnissK just an update to say that the sleepyhead arrived 10 days ago but so far has not been successful! I will keep on trying but has not revolutionized ds’ sleep - as much as I was hoping. I would try other things before investing in one, think probably most effective when used from birth.