4 month old daytime nap help!

[Corilee2806]

I should start by saying that my 4 month old DD is a pretty good night sleeper and I know that’s the right way round to have it - but really struggling with the day and finding that tiring in its own way.

As I understand is quite normal for this age she doesn’t self settle yet so we have always had to help her get to sleep but she just doesn’t fall asleep or nap properly in the day, especially as she’s got older. She’s a very alert and nosy baby and always wants to see what’s going on. I can’t ‘put her down’ to nap in the day at home, it just doesn’t work no matter what I try, have the sleepyhead, swaddle, tried hot water bottle, white noise, shutting curtains, rocking, sshhing, everything to recreate night sleep as much as possible but it doesn’t work. Occasionally she’ll feed to sleep on me but only for a catnap. The one other thing that works is my OH bouncing her to sleep on the exercise ball but this is ridiculous and not sustainable! And no good when he is at work - she won’t accept it from me!

Until recently I could rely on her napping on the go or take her out but this also no longer works. She hates the pram and now the car which used to be my failsafe if nothing else was working. She might sometimes have a short nap in a sling but more often than not she hates that too and I have to take her out because she is screaming. I’m really running out of ideas and starting to get quite stressed by it all!

I know some babies don’t need as much daytime sleep as the books say and just don’t like to nap but I know she needs some daytime sleep - on the rare occasion it works she has a shorter morning nap (30-45 mins) then longer in the afternoon (45 - 90 mins). But I’m finding it increasingly difficult to achieve. Generally it doesn’t affect her nighttime sleep but she does get grumpy.

Any suggestions of how to resolve this? Do I need to try and create a really consistent routine? The only other thing I should say is she is a very small baby for her age - only 8.5lbs so still newborn size really. I don’t know if this is related at all. Really grateful for any suggestions or any advice from those who’ve experienced similar!

No ideas but moral support in spades!

My 4 month old is a great self-settler and sleeper at bedtime/during the night but only naps for max 30 mins at a time, 5 times a day. Would be fine if she’d self settle like she does at night, but she won’t even entertain going in her crib in the day - even with blackout blinds, white noise etc to recreate night. She also cannot fall asleep on anyone, so we’re stuck with Mamaroo and white noise in pitch black bedroom or car seat/buggy with Snoozeshade over to block out light and white noise again. Both work within 3 mins.

It would be bearable doing this for fewer longer naps, but five times a day.... 😩

My baby nearly 5 months and we have started various activities: sensory/baby swimming after these activities he is sleeping for a few hours. When we just stay at home he doesn’t I believe these new activities are really tiring him out and enabling him to nap for longer. Do you do much with your baby?

Thanks for your replies, glad to know I’m not alone! 5 times a day, wow. Has the mamaroo been good for her?

We do quite a few activities and she definitely does get more tired on the day we do that, so sometimes she naps a bit better but sometimes she just gets more overtired so it’s even worse! We do baby sensory, baby massage or just try to do at least one thing every day, starting swimming soon too, maybe I just need to work harder to wear her out!

The Mamaroo was amazing until the sun started coming out a bit more in the day and then there was just too much for her to look at.

I’ve currently given in and gone for pram in the kitchen with white noise and Snoozeshade over it to block out light. She’s taken to it well and even had a 45 minute nap today! Takes about 2 mins of pushing back and forth and she’s out like a light. I started trying it this week after seeing a friend who warned me against strict cot naps; apparently she spent months training her eldest to nap in her cot, then she wouldn’t nap anywhere else so she was stuck at home between 1 and 3om until she stopped napping altogether 🤔

Well there’s an argument for not getting them to nap in the cot - not that mine ever would anyway! Will maybe try the snooze shade. She hates the pram so much though I don’t think it will make much difference!

We had to sell our Osyter as she hated it and got a Maxi Cosi Zelia, then I made like a cosy nest in it and now she adores it. Think it’s a bit more enclosed for her maybe?

Talking to my MIL and her friends it seems that garden naps were the way it used to be done! Snuggled up in a pram, pushed back and forth till they nodded off and left there in the fresh air! I’ve got two one hour naps this week using that system so maybe the oldies know their stuff?

Hello, I have a 4 month old DD, which is my second and I have been strict with myself about not getting hung up on naps. Or a routine. She will cat nap on school run and in the car etc, or after a feed in my arms, but no set routine. This seems to be working and is non restrictive, so we can carry on life as usual. Night sleeping is good so we are going with the flow.
So perhaps just don’t worry about it (easier said than done) and just go with it. Unless she is cranky and over tired, just let her do her thing...

My youngest was like this - I had to take her out in the sling four/five times a day because she would only ever sleep for 30 mins at a time. Eventually, I had enough and started putting her down in her cot - even though she still only slept for 30 mins at least I could have a break, and she got used to the routine. As she got older (around 8 months) and dropped a nap or two she FINALLY started sleeping for longer. She's 19 months now and has one 90min/2 hour nap after lunch, and having gone through the 30-min-sling-nap months I have never stopped being grateful for this! So hang in there, do what ever makes life easiest for you and know that it does get better.