6 month old refuses to take regular naps even though he's tired?

[Itsychik]

My (nearly) 6 month old just absolutely refuses to get on any sort of a napping schedule. By this time my 2 other children were both taking 2 naps a day at more or less set times (9:30/10am, and 2:30/3pm). We could put them in bed awake with a pacifier and they would go to sleep on their own. My DS2 gets really tired, but the ONLY way to really guarantee that he takes a nap is to lay down next to him and nurse him to sleep, and then either stay there, or creep away and hope he doesn't wake (this works 75% of the time). But anything else we've tried has failed dramatically...

I started back at work a couple weeks ago and DS2 is at the child minders during the day, but we're having the same issue in trying to get him to sleep. Sometimes he'll fall asleep after having a bottle, rarely he'll fall asleep in the stroller/pram, sometimes he'll fall asleep if he's being carried or rocked... but you just CAN'T put him down and let him go to sleep on his own. He cries and cries and cries.

Anyone have any suggestions on getting baby to nap? He's a really happy baby for 90% of the time--until he gets tired! He WANTS to sleep he's just not doing it on his own and we're not sure what else to try...

 

[MindUtopia]

I focused on making sure naps happen any way possible, because being overtired and sleep deprived just reeks havoc on sleep overall. So I took the approach of getting her to have enough day and nighttime sleep however I had to do it, and in the long run, I think that worked well. Mine definitely did not go down sleepy but awake and fall asleep until about a year. There is no way it ever would have happened at 6 months. At that age, I would have worn her in a wrap or pushed in a pushchair for naps if we were out, especially with two older ones. Or if you have time to, I would lie down and sleep with her, including feeding to sleep, though might start moving in the direction of offering a bottle to feed to sleep if that's what she'll have at the childminders for naps. We did this right up until she started nursery. When she went to nursery, they pretty much did the same, feeding to sleep (from a bottle, obviously), took her outside in the pushchair while the older kids played and rocked her, or they came up with this great way of wrapping her in a blanket and then rocking the blanket back and forth under her on a mat so she would fall asleep. She actually slept much better in a noisy, busy nursery than she did at home. The first few weeks there were a transition and then she just napped on someone's chest while they held her, but then she eventually moved to sleeping on her own and they figured out what works. I don't think most babies that age easily fall asleep on their own, so they will find ways that work. Mine definitely didn't fall asleep on her own at nursery until past a year and if they are good, they will figure out a gentle way to encourage sleep, even if it's not on his own. If they aren't managing, they might just be understaffed or have too many small babies than they have hands, but I know ours, had just the right ratio of older kids to little ones, so there was always someone who had time to work with her at naptime until she could sleep more independently.

 

[babyjan]

Yep my baby doesn't nap at all and has been this way few months now! He gets very tired and just rubs his face and cries/moan! No advice but stalking X

 

[happynewmom1]

One thing I have learned is that what works for one baby won't necessarily work for every baby I have. They all need different things. This baby may need you more for sleep.. It sounds very frustrating but figuring out what the baby needs to get some sleep is really important even if it means being attached to someone to get it. This baby has required a lot of me. She's taken a good number of naps in the carrier or lying beside me. Some babies just want more of their mom.. Which in your case I can see how that would be a challenge with going back to work. I know I rambled.. And didn't really offer any solution. I really hope you find something that works for him and you.

 

[CRWx]

When my daughter fights her nap I resort to anything possible, so hard, isn't it? I've resorted to putting her in the pushchair and rocking her until she falls asleep many a time then just put the hood over and stuck her in the hall, might be worth a try being as you said he falls asleep in the pushchair? xxx

 

[dani_tinks]

I don't stop until she's napping, I try anything and everything, because I know if she doesn't nap (even be it 15-20mins), the rest of the day is a total write off in terms of her mood . I usually rock and sing to her, she'll cry herself to sleep in my arms after wrestling me. Sometimes I end up pushing her in the pushchair. But the arm rock will usually work, even if it takes an hour.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I used to resort to car naps x

 

[Itsychik]

Thanks ladies!

It's definitely difficult! On the days where I'm home alone with all 3 children, it's hard to dedicate the time necessary to get DS2 to sleep (i.e. laying next to him and nursing to sleep) because my DD (2 years old) almost always comes to 'find' me and wakes the baby up. Up until a few weeks ago DS2 has HATED being in a wrap or carrier, so that has made it challenging to juggle all 3 kids at once sometimes!

Thanks for the responses! It's good to know I'm not alone at least

 

[babyjan]

I used to resort to car naps x

OMG this exactly!

I would just go out everyday just so he can nap in car/pushchair!

 

[hellojello25]

My son does this too and I have no suggestions. I know by now that about 2 hours after he gets up, he's ready for a nap, but his schedule is so weird. He wakes at 5 am and is UP, it's not a night waking, and then goes down for a nap at 7, sleeps until 8, is up until around 10ish, sleeps until 12-1, takes another nap from 3-4ish and then will be up until we put him to bed at 7 pm. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!

He's got a routine since he was a month old for his bedtime, bath, bottle, book, bed, but we seriously cannot nail down a normal nap schedule. And he will NOT sleep at daycare. He only goes 2 1/2 days a week, but on the full days he only sleeps for maybe an hour all day.