Won't nap in crib in the day

[dancingintherain92]

My baby is 3 months old and sleeps brilliant in his crib 6:30-6:30, has not had a night feed since 8 weeks. He has cmpa and silent reflux, not sure if relevant.

I can't get him to nap longer than 30 mins in his crib during the day. Yet I pick him up after 30 mins of his lunchtime nap and he will happily sleep in my arms for 2 hours.

I love having him sleep on me but sometimes it would be great if I could get him to do atleast an hour in there so I can try and get some stuff done. I also don't want to set any bad habits.

He is already swaddled and has whitenoise.

Thank you

Ah this is normal I'm afraid. And it's not really a bad habit. They will get there.

Yes it is normal - my DS would never nap anywhere else than on my chest during the day until he was around 4 months old. So it's only last month that I could do anything around the house or for myself really (he's 5 mo). They need reassurance especially if they're going through their developmental leaps. I know it's hard but it's probably best to give them this reassurance. Gradually you could start closing the curtains during the day for his naps and offering a comforter to fall asleep with (take it out once he falls asleep for safety). Do you use a dummy at all? It's helped us for day time naps and it's in line with the most recent SIDS prevention advice. Also I personally would gradually move away from swaddling, it's now considered unsafe for babies to be swaddled once they can roll - which can happen at this age. My DS rolled just past 3 months old (and not since ). Just be mindful he might be more comfortable now with more freedom to move as well. Sleeping bags might be a good alternative xx

My eldest was exactly the same! Reflux baby, slept all night but would not nap for more than 30 minutes. Even if I took him out in the pram, his eyes popped open at the 30 minute mark.

I just got used to doing stuff with him awake. I put him in his cot with the mobile on when I had a shower, lay him on our bed with some toys while I got dressed, make up and hair done. He'd sit in his bouncer while I did a bit of house work, made up bottles etc. Then when DH was home one of us would take DS while the other did jobs etc.

When DS2 was born he napped for hours and it would have been great expect I had toddler too

It’s normal. Both of mine slept through in their cots from 10-12 weeks but would not entertain napping there until they were over 6 months. I always did naps in the bouncer or pram (pushed in the living room if I didn’t want to go out) so at least then I could sneak away to make a coffee quickly, put a wash on etc.

Also get him on the recline - does your crib recline safely? Have a look at the manufacturer's instructions. My DS had bad reflux and he wouldn't lie flat without recline at all. He probably sleeps better when you hold him for this reason too. xx

I used to obsess over getting him to nap in the day until one day my DH said about messing with his daytime sleep might stop him sleeping through at night! I decided that it wasn't work it and just went with what I had.

I don't think improving day time naps messes with night sleep at all, in fact it improves it. With babies, sleep generates more sleep and at this age ideally they need 14-17 hrs in every 24 hrs. That's the theory, but in my experience this is also true in practice. Don't beat yourself up though OP, some babies just aren't nappers. At least if you get to him sleeping a full cycle (45 mins) and in time join up two cycles (1.5 hrs), it would be fabulous (can you tell how happy I was when this finally happened!) xx

Thanks all for your comments and sorry for the delay in replying!

So baby has a dummy, which he loves, he has it for all naps.

Have ordered him a new swaddle (arms up) but a transition one, where I can start with leaving one arm out and then 2, as I think you're right possibly more comfort with arms out but scared to jump straight to sleeping bag; I tested the other day with one and his arms were doing the Mexican wave distracting him from sleeping lol!

Night time sleep is still great, 6/6:30-6:30/7. In crib no issues settling himself back to sleep, don't hear a peep from him at all from 6pm until the next morning.

First nap of the day is fine, goes into crib self settled and sleeps 30-40 mins. Mostly 30mins, but he's still tired when he wakes up, because he really needs atleast 45 mins...

Second nap of the day he will go in crib and self settle, but again can't get past that first sleep cycle. He wakes up tired because his second nap of the day needs to be around 1.5-2hr for him to wake up refreshed (I know because that's how long he will sleep on me at the same time)

Afternoon nap- will absolutely not entertain crib, not an issue though as we use the opportunity to go for a walk and he sleeps in the carrier.

I just can't understand how he can self soothe at night but not in the day, am I doing something wrong?

Will he eventually just evolve into napping for longer in there? Or should I be doing something to help this?

Should I just keep putting him down for naps in the crib and not letting him sleep on me?

Or should I just roll with the first nap of the day in crib, and let him do his lunchtime nap on me so he is happy?

He is 3 months old tomorrow.

Xx

I'm also trying to introduce a comforter. He has a little bunny teddy that I wore on me for the day and I've been keeping it with him at all times, apart from in crib. Will he naturally start to like it? Can I leave it in the crib when he has his arms out

Wow, 6-6 is brilliant. What nappies are you using because if I left my son all night he would have leaked his nappy, my son is 19 weeks on Friday has 4 9oz bottles a day..first bottle at 8 then 12, 5 and last bottle 9pm, cries as soon as I put him down in his cot at naps and bedtime so we have to bounce and shush him in our arms, he sleeps for 2+hours on my chest though so I know he does want to sleep, had only self settled once when he was so tired I think he was half asleep when we put him in his cot. Up until last week he was waking once or twice but recently it has been 4+ times. Not sure if it’s growth spurt or sleep regression or both but terribly frustrating, just wish he could self settle.

Almost 5 month old and still contact naps only during the day. Will settle in pram / carrier if out and about but not in the house. No idea, was about to post something similar as I can’t get a thing done. As soon as my arms put her onto the surface (pram, bouncer, crib, even cushion on the floor) her eyes ping open. Won’t even contemplate being put down drowsy lol.

@Algorfa92 sounds like sleep regression :-( I'm actually dreading it and preparing for the worst! Re nappy question, he has a dream feed at 10, he is partially awake after I change his nappy. Then before when he was leaking through I stated to put two nappies on over night and that stopped the leaking, but didn't need to put two on once I went up a size xx

@SpiceRat oh no! I was hoping my boy by 5mo he'd have learnt how to do it but maybe he won't! The way I'm doing it at the minute is - first nap of the day in crib, easiest one to get down for. Lasts between 30-40 mins. Then his lunch time nap needs to be about 2-2.5 hrs, he will only do 30-40 min in crib so I'll either put him down for that if I need to get stuff done and then let him continue his nap on me for the rest of the time. Or I've now just resigned myself onto the bed for 2 hours and I either nap with him or just take up snacks and coffee and just watch tv whilst he naps on me. Then if he has a short cat nap on the afternoon if he's tired still w take him out in the carrier for half an hour. Just accepting that he doesn't like napping for longer than a cycle in the crib in the day, as long as he does it at night I'm happy and especially as I can't do anything about the day time napping I've realised! Xxx