I feel a bit clueless but I’m struggling so much with 3 month old and daytime naps

[Wakewindows]

He’s always been a bit difficult during the day and will only sleep in a moving pram (not guaranteed) car (also not guaranteed) or me (also not guaranteed- there’s a theme here as you can see!)

So I keep reading things that say his awake window should be no longer than two hours but my question is if you go past this (and three, and four ...) what do you do?

It also means I get absolutely no time during the day (or evening) to get stuff done 😩

Sounds tough. If he is over tired a lot it makes sleeping hard, have you tried making his nap at 1.5 hours awake time, try taking him out then in pram at first, if it works...even if he sleeps at 2 hours he hasn't got overtired first... then gradually try for naps inside or after just a short walk so you can get things done. Start a routine for bedtime, 7pm, this is when you leave them to sleep...if he does? Or sit and pat him in a ark room till he sleeps if he has a good night wake at 7am and start day then? Eventually as routine was established I would let them lie in if they were going to but at first maybe making sure routine is always the same might help. At 3 months I'd want 2 or 3 nap a day, 2 of a good size, like 1.5hours! Good luck!

I'm living this with my 4 month old at the moment - don't think I have any advice, but lots of sympathy! She's always been an appalling sleeper who never ever sleeps when in a crib/carrycot etc.

What I've found helpful is starting to put her down for a nap at the first sign of tiredness and if she screams and fusses and isn't calming down/looking like she'll drop off after five mins, I give up and do ten mins or so of an activity (ie bouncing her on my knee and singing) so she forgets I'm trying to put her to sleep and then try again.

But it's one giant nightmare as she never sleeps unless I'm actively helping her either by pushing her in the buggy or cuddling her so I feel your pain! Trying to fit all housework/showering/eating etc etc during her wake windows is so hard and makes me feel guilty for not being able to play with her more!

My DD was about 5 months before I could get even 30 min naps in the cot. I used to let her nap on me a lot and have that as my rest time and get any essential tasks don't when she was awake and lying in the play gym or bouncer. I found she could stay awake longer than other babies. I would just keep trying to get her to nap once a couple of hours had passed and if it didn't happen quickly then play with her for 20 mins and try again.

I’ve tried so hard to get naps in before he gets tired but he just won’t.

He will sleep on me but only for about thirty minutes. I’m just concerned.

Have you tried a dummy?

Sucking is nature's way to sooth and calm a baby.

Oh yes, I probably sound like putting my baby down for a nap is easy when it actually involves the following:

-Dark room
-White noise
-No-one else there, particularly not DH who is DD's favourite thing and causes much excitement just by being in the same room
-Feeding her until she rejects the boob
-replace boob with dummy and start rocking her while shushing repetitively and cuddling her close to me and stroking her forehead

• repeat until she falls asleep or gets really cross, at which point I give up, do something else and then try again later.

I really feel for you, it's so hard when they refuse sleep. My DD went between 10am and 10pm with only 1h sleep the other week when she was 3 months old, and the tireder she was, the worse she was to get to sleep so my entire day focused around giving her as many nap opportunities as poss and ensuring nothing would disturb her once asleep.

Sending much sympathy!

Mine goes well past wake windows and always has - I've stopped stressing. She has plenty of opportunities to nap (on me, which is her preferred option), gets a reasonable amount of sleep, is generally happy, and sleeps well at night - often all night, at 4 months. I'm assuming she just has longer wake windows than average.