# My 3 week old wont sleep during the day!



## blinkybaby

How do I encourage napping successfully?

He sleeps OK at night, but during the day trying to get him down for a nap is a nightmare! For his morning nap I'll really persevere with it, I watch him like a hawk for his tired signs and put him down as soon as I am aware he's tired. The pattern will usually be that he'll drift off into a light sleep after a good half an hour in my arms of fighting sleep, then I'll put him down and he'll wake up fully 20 minutes later.

I even went out for a drive in the car with him (not because I wanted him to nap but I had to go pick something up) he dozed but as soon as we got home he was wide awake again!

I'm concerned he's not getting enough sleep during the day. Usually after fighting sleep all morning he'll eventually give in and have a really long nap in the afternoon, like at least 3 hours. I'm concerned I shouldn't be letting him sleep that long during the day though? Confused.com!

Is there anything I can do to encourage napping? Any tips? He slept from 8.30pm-6.30am last night, has had no naps whatsoever today, and I'm worried that 10 hours sleep is just not enough for a growing baby.

xxx


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## aliss

He's not getting enough you are right, should be a minimum 5-6 hours of day sleep even up to 4-6 months old! For me, the only thing that worked (after 3 months of him not sleeping) was to swaddle him, bounce him on my knee, while feeding him. Yes, many habits all in one, but he outgrew it. Persevere, it can take several weeks for a resistant napper to 'get it'.


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## TySonNMe

Jackson was like this too at that age. He never really napped other than short catnaps here and there. He would fall asleep on me, but as soon as I tried to move him he would wake up. Do you use a pacifier? This might help. We also swaddled since birth and now this is his sleep cue. It will get better as he gets older! Perhaps start some sort of nap routine...like dark room, read a book or sing a song...?


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## 2016

What would he do if you just put him down for a nap awake? Stewart does the sane thing and wakes up (usually crying) if I put him in bed asleep. He needs to fall asleep where he is going to wake up so he can self settle when waking between sleep cycles. He also falls asleep in the car because of the movement and white noise but will wake up if I so much as stop at the traffic lights!


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## blinkybaby

Sometimes he will self settle, especially at night. This is why I'm thinking it's something that IM doing because he CAN settle himself to sleep on some occassions?

I feel like I'm missing the cues or not doing the wind-down properly? But sometimes I watch him and he just looks like he's fighting that second stage of sleep, he'll stay in that zone for ages and just startle himself awake, even when I swaddle him he still can't get into a deep sleep during the day? xxx


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## lmel16

My baby is the same although she is 10 wks old. She used to sleep so well during the day. I would put her in her bed awake and she would drift of for a couple of hours. She sleeps brilliantly at night. Just won't during the day. I put her down and she will only sleep for 30 mins. She is tired because she is grouchy most if the time. I don't want to use the dummy however as this does get her to sleep but as she is so good without it at night I don't want her to start wanting it then.


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## 2016

I think Stewart is the same, and if I watch him while he sleeps I get very frustrated how he wakes himself up in 30 minutes. So now I put him down for a nap in his room (monitor on of course) and just leave him there for the required amount of time. If he's not crying, I don't stress about whether or not he is technically asleep. He is just resting and that is the important thing. Don't think there is much else you can do you arent already doing. Look out for cues, swaddle, (I have a phrase I always say when it's time to sleep...."Sleep well Stewart, sweet dreams darling", and then let it be. :flower:


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## summer rain

My second youngest would not sleep for more than 10 minutes at a time during nthe day, and in total maybe an hour, he'd then wake up several times at night or even stay up all night. The only thing that would help him sleep a tiny bit longer was putting him in the vibrating bouncy chair and rocking it at the same time, it didn't negatively affect his development, he hit all his milestones very early and continues to do so; just our sleep and sanity xx


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## Kitten-B

Sam basically gave up napping in the day at about 5 weeks old. There is not a chance of setting him down to sleep during the day now. I hate it but I'm used to it and from talking to people i've learnt it's not uncommon. Different babies need different amounts of sleep.

He sleeps in his car seat or pram when we go out so I go out at least once a day. I'll leave him in his pram (it's a fine art, must leave him in pramsuit for it to work - and then stress about him being too hot!) when we get back so sometimes he sleeps another hour. 

He'll occasionally nod off in my arms or in his bouncer for 15 mins. But try and set him down and eyes pop straight open and the crying starts!

He's a great nighttime sleeper too - sleeps from about 10pm-9am.

He probably gets 11 hours a night and 2-3 hours during the day (only if out) which isn't far off the textbook amount. I'm not worried, just never get anything done!


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