refusal to nap

[FiFi118]

hi my 4 month old seems to refuse to nap - she fights sleep and always cries a bit before falling asleep. She will fall asleep ok at home in her cot but when I am out she struggles to - only having short catnaps. But I can't stay in all day every day! Any suggestions - i am hoping this is a phase?

It's a phase

Maybe she's just easily stimulated. Try putting the pram hood down over her or something. It's a hard age because they are so nosey, it definitely messes up their sleep.

It will, however, get better

You don't need to stay in all day every day, you just need to plan your days better. If it's a phase it's probably one that will last about 75 years.

She's reached the stage where she gets really easily distracted by everything. Why not compromise and spend your mornings at home so she gets 2 naps in peace and quiet and then her late afternoon nap on the move?

Hiya thats what I do Becky77. I fought it, if I'm honest as when my dd was younger she would happily sleep anywhere no matter what.

unfortunately now she just gets too distracted, or, like your dd only catnaps for 10 mins then is really grumpy and there is not much point being out..... Tbh I'm finding this stage quite draining. My dd still feeds every 3 hours and she onlky stays wake about 2 hours or less at a time so there is hardly any window to get out or do anything.

My dd wakes about 7 to 730 and has a sleep about 9ish for an hour then another sleep 12ish for 1 or 2 hours, then immediately has a feed so I can generally be out of the house for half two and she can just sleep in the car or on the move as I know she has had 2 or 3 hours sleep in her cot.

Its not ideal for me, I thought I could be a lady that lunches until I go back to work! Its not forever though and for my dd not to be gumpy I've found its the only way to work it fo us.

My dd is 20 weeks btw

i do try to organise my day around her - so we stay in usually in the morning so she has her morning nap at home but a lot of my things (postnatal group etc) are around late morning or lunchtime. so she usually has her afternoon nap at home too. your lo sounds similar to mine - in her morning routine. she used to sleep for at least 2 hours over lunch time but now that has reduced to 1 hour max but usually half an hour to 45 mins. I also put the hood down of the pram if we are out and about for her nap as she definately gets overstimulated. its so difficult isn't it!

Yes it is, I'm right there with you. we stopped going to baby massage as dd would just get tired out and it wasnt worth it. I have just put dd down for her second nap, I'm hoping she will have 2 hours but I just never can tell these days.
Im not a natrual domestic goddess you see so do find it hard staying at home, find it hard to moviate myself to do anything but mess aboout on mumsnet, erm and I'm here again!
I dont think there is a better solution tbh me and dp went out on sunday for a walk and sunday lunch, managed to get dd off to sleep and scoff our lunch .I was enviously looking over at onther couple with a baby fast asleep. She definatley didnt get enough sleep though as she woke for a feed at 4am and she had slept through for 5 nights before that, it seems the more sleep she has in the day makes it more likely she will sleep through the night.
There is no easy solution, maybe I should try and do some cooking or knitting or file my cd's into alphabetical order

I know what you mean - I am the same I go abit stir crazy at home too long! also every baby is different so if your lo is not having all the naps but not grumpy I think go with it! good luck with the cooking!