3 month old naps too short - Nap-train?

[ElizabethK_]

So my 3 month old DD will only nap 30-40 mins at a time unless i'm holding her which then she can go up to 1.5 hours.

My shoulder is kinda giving in so I'm trying to get her to nap in her cot but it's not working... And if she doesn't nap long she becomes cranky and gets hugry at 2h when i'm trying to get her feeding every 3 hours (till now it's been every two because of the naps).

How can I nap-train her?

 

[halullat]

Personally I'd get a wrap, that way you are hands free and she still feels comforted and safe, I definitely wouldn't do any form of sleep training.

I've never tried white noise but I've heard others say that can help too xx

 

[mummyruston]

My DD was the same - would literally stay asweep for about 10-15mins if not continuously pushing in a pram or on me:

I got a wrap and let her sleep on me and embraced it. She finally settled into a nap routine when she was about 9-12m sleeping longer in a push chair or eventually her cot.

 

[Button#]

I agree with a wrap or a good ergonomic carrier. My DS wouldn't nap in his cot until 7 months. DD will nap in her bouncy chair sometimes but mostly naps on me.

 

[staralfur]

Cat naps are pretty normal at that age. My LO napped on me until after she was 1. At some point it grew to be a nice time spent relaxing while snuggling her.

She's still so tiny in the grand scheme of things, I'd be following her lead and letting her nap whenever/however long she wants and feeding on demand.

 

[ElizabethK_]

Thanks for your replies!

I have tried the wrap but she really hates it. She will only be comfy on me if she is sleeping on my shoulder and my arm supporting her bum.

Also I do like snuggling with her but the days here are very hot and it's just too unbearable after 5 minutes. She sweats, I sweat and she gets hot. Which I really want to avoid. No aircon I'm afraid and the fan really does nothing when she's on me.

so I really want her to nap on her own for both our benefit.

Plus she's just over 15lbs and even though her weight is bearable right now, soon it won't be so I need this to work!

 

[bdb84]

My LO takes very short naps as well BUT she sleeps completely through the night (9-11 hours) without waking so I feel it's a fair exchange

As much as I love my baby, there are things that need to get done around the house and it's difficult when I'm wearing her. And also? Some times I just would like to have my hands free for half an hour and that's completely okay!

If she wakes up too early and I cannot get her back down, I cuddle her for a few moments and place her in her swing to see if she'll at least rest a little more. Some times it works. Some times it doesn't.

 

[ElizabethK_]

bdb84 you're lucky! Mine sleeps a long stretch of 4-5 hours then wakes after 3 hours feeds and sleeps two more. I get sleep, just interrupted.

But with the hot weather here and the fact that she's heavy is making my shoulder ache AND full of little acne spots..... I use a cotton sheet or towel between us but we sweat and I cannot avoid that.

Anyways... Seems like her schedule is all over the place these days so maybe she's also going through some kind of growth spurt... Let's see..

 

[SoldierWife]

My son would only sleep 30 min tops at that age unless he was on us. We ended up getting a wrap. The wrap helped so much it let me get stuff done during his naps.

 

[ElizabethK_]

She hates the wrap. Unless she's sleeping on my shoulder she's not happy and won't fall asleep!