Advice please - baby fights daytime naps

[Babyface179]

Hi all, my 3 month old needs to sleep after every 1.5 hrs of awake time or he gets super cranky or spins out of control. He really fights sleep though. I have to cover his eyes and hold him to me to get him to nap (at night he is fine and mostly STTN) and even then he cries in protest. I have tried to put him down in his cot but his arms flail about and knock his dummy out (he now detests being swaddled as well). He does sleep in his sling (again have to cover his eyes) but he weighs so much that this is becoming impractical. Anyone's LO the same or have any advice? I don't mind him napping on me but he will be going to a child minders soon and she won't be able to do this with him. X

 

[wishingonastar]

Which sling do you have? My 5 month old is 22lbs and naps on me in meitai and feels almost weightless

When are they starting with childminder as a lot can change in short time with LOs and sleep

Best suggestion is consistency...work out what works more often than not and adapt it. You may find you can rock LO to sleep, hold for 10 mins they gently lower into cot and keep hands firmly on tummy and arms for a min so if they stir they can't flail and wake up...this often buys me 30 mins free time in which LO naps alone (mine only generally does 40 mins at a time)

 

[madcatwoman]

I wouldnt say i have any advice for you, but i can sympathise. My LO has always wanted to be 'awake for 2 hours and nap for 30 mins', but like yours would fight it, i could clearly see he was tired, but wouldnt give in

Then theres the whole 30 min sleep cycle, and i tried everything in the book to lengthen this.

At four and a half months old, ive noticed a new pattern. he likes to stay awake all through the morning, gets cranky about lunch time and starts fighting his sleep,the only way i can get him off is to leave him in his jumperoo until he nods off, then pull him out and put him in his chair.
He may or may not have another nap in the afternoon, for another 30mins, or not.

He does however sleep very well at night, and this(touch wood) has started lengthening to 7.30am, so i presume hes just a baby who likes to sleep well at night but hardy in the day.

Ive realised theres nothing i can do to make him nap more, or for longer,nothing at all, ive just had to go with it. It just doesnt bode well with my housework!

 

[elliot]

I don't have any advice about how to handle LO going to the daycare, but my LO fights sleep too. I've found the best thing for her is to hold her in the crook of my arm and walk around while bouncing her just a bit. Two other things she needs when she's really fighting the nap are to have a blankie snuggled around her and often over her head and some white noise in the background. The white noise, like a fan or the vaccum, really seals the deal when she's very overtired.

 

[Babyoh]

I'm also keeping an eye on this thread!! I have no hard and fast rule about getting my 9 week old down during the day - it varies to trying to feed him to sleep (I bf) to putting him in his swing chair to just leaving him in his moses basket (I tried this twice, both times it was very stressful and didn't work so I've given up on the whole sleeping in his cot thing for now.) I try and get out in the morning so he can have a nap in his pram (I have an 18 month old daughter and this is the only way I can get out and about with her otherwise she's stuck at home all day which isn't fair) but all methods are out of desperation as I know he's tired but don't know how to help him sleep!! It's so horrible and very stressful too. Night times are better and we have a routine of bath, feed and bed which at the moment works well - but daytimes are hard. I do remember this being the same with my daughter and at around the 5/6 month mark everything became a lot easier so it may be a case of doing what you can now, waiting it out and letting them figure it out for themselves. Sorry this isn't much help!!

 

[lynys]

My LO has to be held for naps. If I attempt to put her down, she wakes and cries. I've even swaddled her because she is swaddled over-night and sleeps through, but she won't have it.

Our doctor said some babies are just bad day sleepers, and be grateful we have an incredible night sleeper. I am...

 

[nicole_]

my LO fights his naps too and hes even swaddled lol, i have to rock him through the screaming, with his blanket on his face and force the dummy in his mouth, as soon as he admits defeat and sucks the dummy hes off lol
its such a nightmare

 

[Babyface179]

Nicole that is exactly what I have to do with my son. Strange children! x

 

[bellablue]

Nap fighter here!!!!!

Lol

arianna has just started to be put in her crib during the day for naps she will pass out now before hell no!

I had to rock her to a sleepy mode then gently put her down or she cry the only thing that helped me at 3 months was her swing!