6mo Naps are getting impossible!

[blessmefreya]

Hi mamas,

I have a 6mo boy, who has been generally sleeping ok at night. We have good nights and bad nights.

My main concerns is NAPS. Dear god I dread the daytime because of the napping difficulty. I've heard babies this age usually nap twice, for 3 hours total a day. My baby takes probably 5 short naps, for maybe 2 - 2.5 hours total.
The other issue is that it's damn near impossible to get him asleep. He fights it until he's falling apart, which goes against all the sleep advice I have heard (I know it's best to put them down before they're in meltdown mode). I have to bounce, walk, and shush him to sleep EVERY time... sometimes for up to 40 mins! (I set him down if he's too awake, then try again in a few mins).
He also cannot be laid down, at all, because he pops awake instantly. Then I have to bounce him around AGAIN to get him back to sleep. So I hold him in the rocking chair during his whole nap, and stay prepared to shush and rock him back to sleep when he wakes up (frequently) during his short (20-45 mins) naps.

HELPPP!!! This is obviously not sustainable.
I cannot find anyone on this same boat, or find advice specific to my situation. I am NOT ok with "cry it out". And he is going to be going to daycare soon... obviously the sitter can't do all this. I've read "the no cry sleep solution", and tons of articles. None of it fits for us.

Anyone? Anyone???

 

[IchigoMewMew]

My DD usually has two naps which are normally 45 minutes each although rarely one of them will last 90 minute and that seems to suit her fine. She seems to go to sleep best if she's been awake for 3-4hrs and maybe rubbing her eyes but not grizzly or upset with it. is there part of his bedtime routine that you could use before naps? Sometimes if they're not too tired they don't want to nap in case they miss out on something then they end up tiring themselves out by having a meltdown instead

 

[blessmefreya]

The biggest problem is that he's chronically tired and gets over tired so often because he won't stay asleep long enough.... it's a viscous cycle! There is hardly any point where he isn't fussy or tired or crying anymore. But then it becomes a chore to get him to sleep. I'm at my wits end

 

[Zephram]

If I were you I would bite the bullet and cut his naps down to two. You will be in for a rough few days while he adjusts but 5 tiny naps a day are obviously not doing the trick.

By 6 months both of mine were waking around 6am and going down for nap 1 at about 930/10am, the having nap two around 1/2pm in the afternoon. Wake time was usually around 3-4 hours. They had short naps at that age, one would be 45 mins approx and the other would be 45 mins to maybe 1 hour, occasionally longer. I think they both roughly did 11-12 hours and night with numerous wake ups. Mine never napped for 3 hours total a day, ever. Some kids are just not mega nappers.

Also, if your 6 month old is fighting sleep, he is probably not tired enough. I don’t buy the theory you need to get them to bed before they show signs of tiredness. I’ve had two kids who wouldn’t go to sleep on cue. After battling with DS1 and reading all sorts of Internet ‘advice’ that made me feel like I was failing, with DS2 I decided he would sleep when he was actually tired - voila, no more sleep battles. If you try to get them to sleep before they’re ready to, of course they’re going to protest and you’ll both be miserable. Keep him up longer and try two naps.

 

[cupcake.]

My DD was a very colicky and high needs Baby. The first four months she only napped in my arms and even when the constant screaming stopped, naps were still a struggle.

I think she may have been around 5 months when I decided napping in my arms no longer works - i could not be still and silent enough for her to sleep long enough so she had to learn to fall asleep in her crib. I did not let her cry it out, but yes there were tears. I started to not bounce anymore so she was still falling asleep in my arms but there was no movement. Then i started placing her on her side in the crib with a nursing pillow positioned so that she was cuddled right in - I held her hand, stroked her head, shushed and just stayed patient and she did learn to fall asleep. Putting her down asleep has never worked and even now probably wouldn‘t work with her, so i would suggest you try to teach your baby to fall asleep in the crib.
For quite a while I spent her naps in her room so when she started stirring (right around the 40min mark when they change sleep cycles) i could be there fast, hold her hand before she woke up fully. After a while she would continue sleeping on her own and that‘s how I got naps to 1 1/2 hours (for the most part).

Having been a colicky baby with history of being overtired easily, we were on 3 naps a day until she was about 7 1/2 months, maybe even closer to 8 months. I‘ve found the schedules on babysleepsite.com very helpful and for a long time she was put down 2 hours after first waking up in the morning. Even when we fully transitioned to 2 naps she would go down for the first one 2 hours after waking up. No way at 6 months would she have been able to cope with 3/4 hours wake time first thing in the morning - even now at 11 months we‘re on about 3 - 3 1/2 - 4 hours awake time and i‘m slowly trying to get her first awake time closer to 3 1/2 hours.

I know every baby is different but for months and months i felt like my main mission was avoiding overtiredness at all costs - and i think it paid off she is a pretty good napper (although trying to refuse the second nap sometimes now but i‘m holding on to that bad boy for dear life haha she is not ready for 1 nap and probably won‘t be for another couple months)

It sounds like your LO wouldn‘t be ready for only 2 naps but i would aim for 3 instead, which will probably come naturally once he‘ll be able to fall asleep in the crib. I also realized during our transition that my DD needs dark and quiet to sleep best and also for the most part unless there was absolutely no other way i avoided on the go naps and made sure to be home at naptime.

And sorry this was extremely long but your LO sounds a lot like my daughter at that age (nighttime sleep was also usually no problem) so maye some of what helped me may help you as well 😊

 

[sevenofnine]

My DD at 6 months had two naps a day. 30 mins - 1.5 hours each. Maybe try cutting down the naps to 2-3 instead of 5?

 

[Conundrum]

This was the exact issue with DD2. For us it started with food sensitivities but once their sleep has been disturbed it can take weeks to go back into a routine, especially without letting them CIO. Needless to say I agree with the other moms a routine is needed, and finding one that works for him. Cutting down the number of naps would be a priority. If he is averaging 30mins 5 times a day he is getting a good bit of sleep just way to broken up. Have you heard of the 234 method? If not give it a read. Whatever you decide stick with it. It might take a week or two it might take a couple of days but be consistent. Good luck Momma.