No daytime naps for 6mth old - any advice please.

[Carrie06]

I would be grateful for some thoughts/advice on my 6mth old DS.

He currently does not have any daytime naps unless he is out for a walk in the pram or perhaps on a long drive. I have tried to put him down for at least one nap but I can spend an hour trying to get him to sleep and just give up due to exhaustion/frustration.

It's been a few months since he last had a daytime nap in his cot and even then, it was 20-30 mins at the most. I'm not expecting too much from him, but even one hour a day would mean so much to me.

I'm still ebf him and my theory as to how he gets his sleep in the day is that he falls asleep while feeding and when I try to move him, he immediately springs awake so sometimes, I can just be sitting with him on my knee sleeping unable to go and do anything.

I haven't tried controlled crying with him but from recent car journeys, I know that he is capable of crying for up to an hour without a break. His sleep at night isn't great....goes from 9 until 4am occasionally but can often be only until 1/2/3am with subsequent 2 hrly waking/feeding until 7.30am.

It's really the daytime that is driving me mad as i can get nothing done when he is awake so any ideas to try would be great. I blame myself for not being stricter about naps and how i have ended up like this. Thanks in advance.

dd1 did this at 6 months I have been a lot stricter with dd2 but she seems to be going the same way

no ideas I never got dd1 napping again, but watching with interest and sharing the pain

I feed LO on top of a big thick sheepskin - then when he falls asleep I can ease him into cot on it. Still takes some time to wait until he is asleep before I go for the transfer. But I think you've got much more chance that way than expecting him to go from warm arms to cold cot. If no sheepskin, you could try a large pillow? Could be worth a try. Good luck!

You've probably tried this but...have you tried lying down on the bed with your DS to feed to sleep and then once he's asleep using the no-cry sleep solution pull-off/out? Its when you pull your nipple out of their mouth (once their really dozy and no longer feeding of course!) and then quickly closing their mouths and keeping it firmly closed, they continue 'sucking' in their sleep. it doesn't always work first time though and she wakes up and I have to wait fo the next opportunity.

My DD- now 6 months as well, was similar to yours in that she wouldn't sleep readily but this is how I get her to have naps now. I've given up worrying about her sleeping in her cot for naps. Good luck!

my dd does exactly the same. she used to be like clockwork up until we went on holiday and then came back with an abscess and had to have an op. she's nearly 6mo and she just has random naps either in the car or the buggy, or sometimes when everything's quiet she'll fall asleep next to me on the sofa while i'm looking away. but its only ever for 20 or so mins at a time. I'll be interested to see any tips and i'm definitely sharing your pain.

thanks for your comments everyone; glad to know i'm not alone. dirtyyurty, that is how i get ds to sleep at night although when i lift him, he tends to waken so the dummy goes in and he tends to settle. I haven't tried it in daytime but will give it a go although not really keen to leave him on bed for a nap.