How do I reset this baby?

[DappledThings]

DD is nearly 6 months. She's never had the opportunity to regularly have cot naps as I also have a 2 year old to entertain so most of her life we've been out and about.

Until 2 weeks ago she was mostly doing well, 1.5-2 hours in middle of day plus about 40 mins in am and half an hour or so later on. Big nap was usually in buggy but stationary so at home she was doing same.

Started a few days ago only doing one 40 minute cycle at a time so at least 4 naps in the day. Today however has been terrible so far.

She suddenly slept 7-11 and 11-4 last night (has previously been feeding every 2.5 hours roughly) but from 4 refused all attempts to settle.

Since then she has finally slept 6.55-7.10 (in arms), 9.40-10.10 and 11.20-11.40 (in stationary buggy).

I know the crap naps are a function of being over-tired but I don't know how best to overcome it. She fights sleep in the cot, in the buggy, being held, in the sling until she accepts she's tired then happily drifts off.

But I feel like she needs to sleep so much today that I need to be trying to get her to sleep all the time. Or do I just accept it will be a day of 7 or 8 cat naps and hope for better tomorrow?

Bumping. She ended up on 5x short naps yesterday so I knew we'd have a harder night but she's been just dozing and feeding since 1am and now convinced it's morning.

DS is awake too.

I think you need to find a way to get her to nap longer, I'm sure at 6 months mine we're having 2 naps a day or it might have been One long one... and it was always in the pushchair and at home while my older one watched some tv or something quiet. When she wakes do you attempt to resettle or just get her up?

I always try to resettle. DS by this point was on a happy 9-10 and 1-3.

It's just impossible to get that first one working at home with a 2 year old who wants to come and cuddle her all the time
And the first one sets up the day.

Going to go out today so that should give us more chance for walking about for the long one.

DD2 was an awful sleeper and only napped in the sling until 7 months. Between months 4-7 I was constantly trying the cot and one day it just clicked. The main thing I did was aim to get sleep into her any way possible before trying anything new, so that she wasn't overtired. Because it's so easy to do that right!!

At 6 months she was having 3 naps a day so I would start with that. I recall her suddenly refusing all of her 3 naps at 13 months until one day I tried for 2 naps and she slept like a dream again. So try and get her naps down to 3 and look out for tired signs. From memory mine was napping 930 - 1100, 1300 - 1400 & 1600 - 1630 at that age, but overall I think I was going for 2 hour awake periods.

It can be hard when they get into a rut of being overtired so definitely start with that.

When she was born I was at home with 4yo which has its own challenges (lots of loud noises) and I would set up activities. Could you try the same? Perhaps puzzles/colouring/playdough/films at nap times? Not sure if that would work with yours. Fwiw I am expecting DC3 and DD2 will be 2 when she's born....so I'll be coming to you for advice!

Started well yesterday. Managed to get her an hour 8.50-9.55 albeit with a bit of an interruption.

Went out and she was asleep again in buggy at 11.50. Half an hour and she was wide awake again. Tried to resettle but no joy. Half an hour later fed her again then spent half an hour trying to settle her. Eventually went from screaming to sleeping for, yep, 30 minutes. Had another half hour or so in car home around 4.45.

Went down at 7 as normal. Woke at 10.15, Had a feed and went down again ok. Woke up again at 12.10. Had a feed, I dozed and I think she did too. Tried to lay her down and she was wide awake. Really jolly and making lots of happy awake noises. Tried to get her settled for ages.

She's now been lightly asleep on me, sitting up for about 10 minutes after 90 minutes awake. I now can't move or sleep myself. I suspect this will last all of 30 minutes again.

Tomorrow DH is around so DS can be properly distracted and I can work hard on her long afternoon nap. Going to try the wake to sleep idea. Anyone had good results with that?