Daytime naps in 3-month old (or lack thereof) - help!

[sleepychunky]

DS2 is 15 weeks and I'm having real difficulty with his daytime naps. At night he's pretty good - goes down at 6.30-7, has one feed in the night and is then up again around 7am. In the day it's a different matter. He gets really tired after a maximum 2 hours awake (and sometimes as little as an hour), but he won't sleep for more than 20 minutes, after which he thrashes about and cries. He doesn't want to be awake - his eyes are shut and he makes his tired cries,but he can't settle himself back to proper sleep? At the moment I'm either going in and out of the room every 2 minutes to give him his dummy or stroke his head etc. or leaving him screaming, but neither of those are easy (particularly the first as I have a 2.9DS1 as well who needs attention and creates all sorts of havoc if I leave him alone). DH does shifts and is often sleeping in the next room, so I can't just leave him to cry himself back to proper sleep (and DS1 still has a lunchtime nap 4 or 5 days a week, which doesn't happen if DS2 is screaming as he hears him).
This is probably completely incoherent but what can I do to help DS2 have the sleep he wants and needs? DS1 was much easier and slept for an hour in the morning and 2 hours at lunch without a peep by this age (at least i think he did), but I shouldn't be comparing them anyway...
Any tips on what to do to help DS2 would be much appreciated, anyway. Thanks

bump

anyone?

My DS was never a big daytime napper as a small aby. I thought i'd done really well if he slept for 30 minutes. I gave up trying to get him sleeping longer in the end and would just get him up again. If he was still tired and grumpy I'd maybe pop him in a sling or go out for a drive which would normally help him sleep.

He does have a 1 - 2 hour lunchtime nap now, but tbh this didn't really kick in till he was about a year old.

Sorry, not much help but didn't want to read and leave your post unanswered!

Could you try swaddling him? I know that is good for newborns, not sure how well it works on a slightly older baby - but it stops my DD waking herself by thrashing about, which is why I am suggesting it. Good luck

Have you got a pram you can use for naps? MY 9wk old is lousy at napping and the pram seeks to work the best - quickest for getting him off to sleep and you can rejiggle if he stirs.

not much advice, but sympathy, my 3 month old is similar - today she has had 4 20-30 min naps, and is totally unpredictable. I think she and I would benefit from a routine of sorts, but have no idea how to help her. she really would benefit for a nice long nap, she is much more refreshed when she has one, but it hardly ever happens. good luck, I am sure they will settle down with time, sorry not to be more help

I second gingerkirsty around the swaddling, it really helped my DS . He did resist it at first but then soon realised that he was secure and i kept telling him it was nap time.

Have you also tried a particular routine for nap times to signal a nap is coming? It might be a song or something so that then as soon as he wakes up the song is played so he knows its still nap time?

I hope things get better for you.

I had this problem with DS2 who is now 16 weeks. He goes into his cot on a night no problem, he self settles lovely, awake once during night, then up for the day at 7am. I was trying my hardest to get him to nap in his cot during the day, but found i was spending longer trying to settle him than he was actually asleep for.
The only nap he will have in his cot during the day ,is his 8.30ish one, i lay him down with his cot mobile on and leave the room, it switches off after 10 mins, by which time he is flat out, for 30-45 minutes.
The only way i can get him to take his other naps is to put him in his pram in the back garden (hes well wrapped up, with cat net over the pram,backgate is bolted so hes safe, window is left open and i keep checking on him). He will sleep for 2 hours from around 11-1 then i take him for a walk in the afternoon around 3pm and he,ll have 45mins-1hr sleep.

Is that an option for you-letting him sleep in his pram during the day?

I posted a simialr query a little while ago. Nearly got shot down in flames for daring to suggest that my little one needed more sleep but I know exactly how you feel. If it makes you feel better I notice that another thread with simial theme has just been added. You can follow mine if you want...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/924867-3-month-old-daytime-sleep

I haven't found an easy answer but I do keep a close eye on my little one to spot her early tired signs. She won't settle herself so it's our job to help her to sleep. This usually means walking around the house chatting to her about all sorts until she gives in! Then she goes down in her cot, usually for between 45mins and an hour. Then we repeat about 1 hour and half after she wakes. She has got herself into that routine and god forbid anyone try and change it!!!

The propblem we have is when we are out and about or in an environment with too many distractions. Then she really fights her sleep or gets woken before she's ready. Both scenarios equals a grumpy baby!

Hi,

My DS, who is now 6 months, also used to have a series of really short naps. It's got much better only in the last few weeks, he often sleeps for a good 2 hour stretch at midday now.

I didn't do anything to help, it just happened when he was ready. There is hope!