4 month old and contact naps

PinkCheetah · 2022-08-15T14:19:28+00:00

So I have a 4 month old DD. I realise contact naps are pretty common especially at the newborn stage. But mine still likes to contact nap at this age, is this normal? She will not be put down at all for her daytime naps. We've tried different places but she'll only settle for 5 mins then wake so not getting the sleep she needs. I just wonder if there is a way to get her to settle on anything other than me? I just feel trapped on the sofa for hours of the day when she's napping when I have things to do. Her nighttime sleep is absolutely fine.

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freehours · 15/08/2022 15:21

I have a 2-year old who's the same. I realised around age 1.5 that we could lie in bed together and breastfeed, and once she's fallen asleep I could slip away. Provided you install a bed guard on your own bed or sit nearby, that way you can at least free your arms.

Original poster

PinkCheetah · 15/08/2022 16:12

freehours · 15/08/2022 15:21

I have a 2-year old who's the same. I realised around age 1.5 that we could lie in bed together and breastfeed, and once she's fallen asleep I could slip away. Provided you install a bed guard on your own bed or sit nearby, that way you can at least free your arms.

I've already tried this method unfortunately it font work!

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Original poster

PinkCheetah · 15/08/2022 16:12

*doesn't

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SalviaOfficinalis · 15/08/2022 16:17

I had to do contact naps until about 6 months. The only other way DS would fall asleep was in the pram (and then I had to carry on walking or he’d wake up).

So no advice, just sympathy.

Highly recommend sleep training at 6 months - read Dr Ferber’s book on your phone while you’re trapped on the sofa. Even if you think sleep training is not for you (like I did), there’s no harm in reading the theory.

ChittyBang1987 · 15/08/2022 19:30

As pp. We did contact naps until 6 months. Then did ferber.

Original poster

PinkCheetah · 15/08/2022 19:57

@SalviaOfficinalis @ChittyBang1987 to clarify you did Ferber for daytime naps or just bedtime?

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MsChatterbox · 15/08/2022 19:58

I did contact naps until 10 months. And then all of a sudden she started falling asleep in her pushchair and staying asleep for 30 mins. This lengthened over time until it reached 2-3 hours for each nap. I would take her for a walk and then leave her in the (secure and visible) garden. Sometimes I could just place her in the garden and she would drop off without even going for a walk. I never would have imagined it would be possible. It was a life saver when it eventually happened! Hang in there 🤞🏻

SalviaOfficinalis · 15/08/2022 20:03

PinkCheetah · 15/08/2022 19:57

@SalviaOfficinalis @ChittyBang1987 to clarify you did Ferber for daytime naps or just bedtime?

Started off just bed time and still did contact naps in the day. Then moved on to naps as well.

Naps are harder than night time as the urge to sleep isn’t as strong. So if he couldn’t sleep we’d just abandon the nap and try again half an hour later. But from about 7/8 months he went to sleep by himself for naps too.

ChittyBang1987 · 15/08/2022 20:07

I think we started with bedtime, and with naps after. I can't remember tbh, it was over a year ago. Knowing me at the time I likely started with bedtime and then a day or so later did it with naps.

Starsandstripes24 · 15/08/2022 21:05

We had exactly the same at 4 months. But then as if by magic at 5 months lo could suddenly start being put down whilst asleep. We started with first nap of the day going into the cot. At first we managed 20 mins but pretty soon we now get a whole sleep cycle and sometimes 2. Afternoon nap we now do in the pram and Im building to getting them to fall asleep in the pram independently.
I used to stress so much about contact naps, bad habits and judgement from others but it was completely unnecessary. I really believe a lot of sleep is developmental and most “problems” will sort themselves out.

jumperoozles · 15/08/2022 21:10

So normal! Start with the morning nap as they are easiest to put down then and see if they go every day. If they don’t settle no big deal! Pick them up and try again the next day. I found my one gradually got used to going down for a nap and then we moved onto midday and late afternoon nap.

Original poster

PinkCheetah · 16/08/2022 00:01

Starsandstripes24 · 15/08/2022 21:05

We had exactly the same at 4 months. But then as if by magic at 5 months lo could suddenly start being put down whilst asleep. We started with first nap of the day going into the cot. At first we managed 20 mins but pretty soon we now get a whole sleep cycle and sometimes 2. Afternoon nap we now do in the pram and Im building to getting them to fall asleep in the pram independently.
I used to stress so much about contact naps, bad habits and judgement from others but it was completely unnecessary. I really believe a lot of sleep is developmental and most “problems” will sort themselves out.

Yeah I'm not worried about forming bad habits or anything like that. It's more for my sake. I don't know how people get anything done doing contact naps for several months?

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Original poster

PinkCheetah · 16/08/2022 00:02

jumperoozles · 15/08/2022 21:10

So normal! Start with the morning nap as they are easiest to put down then and see if they go every day. If they don’t settle no big deal! Pick them up and try again the next day. I found my one gradually got used to going down for a nap and then we moved onto midday and late afternoon nap.

I will try this thank you.

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MolliciousIntent · 16/08/2022 00:04

Get a good sling or carrier!

Original poster

PinkCheetah · 16/08/2022 00:11

MolliciousIntent · 16/08/2022 00:04

Get a good sling or carrier!

When I'm out for a walk in the baby carrier she can sleep in it fine. But as soon as I step inside my house her eyes spring open. I'm losing the battle aren't I?

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RedRobyn2021 · 16/08/2022 12:59

freehours · 15/08/2022 15:21

I have a 2-year old who's the same. I realised around age 1.5 that we could lie in bed together and breastfeed, and once she's fallen asleep I could slip away. Provided you install a bed guard on your own bed or sit nearby, that way you can at least free your arms.

We do the same as freehours

Tbh at 4 months feeding to sleep laying down and slipping away didn't work for me either. But it does now (can't remember when it started to work). DD is 18 months. My mum is able to lay her down for a nap, her dad hasn't managed it so just lets her sleep on him.

Tbh I sometimes just stay with her anyway, I came to realise that I was absolutely knackered 😂 she was waking frequently and I needed to take things slow too and go at her pace. I would either snooze as well or watch tv on my phone/iPad and just chill.

I look back and I stressed so much about getting things done around the house and I should have just not worried so much about it because none of it actually matters as much as you and your child.