Catnapping - how to teach lo to self-settle between sleep cycles?

[Luzelle]

I used to co-sleep with my baby, and this past week we've changed it to OWN ROOM/OWN BED. He used to wake up every 40 minutes to 80minutes throughout the night and used me as a soother to go back to sleep. Which meant that I am/was very very tired.
Last night (after many teary evenings and days) he slept for 8 hours solid for the very first time!!!!!!
During the day he still catnaps, doing 30/40 minutes, and isn't able to sleep for longer than that.
Any advice on how I can help him do that? If I sleep with him or lie down with him immediately when he wakes, he'll sometimes sleep another cycle. I feel so sorry for him because he really does need that extra hour or so during the day and gets very tired.

 

[snowflakes]

I will be watching your thread, as my LO does this too. Well she does the cat naps on me as i carry her around, because she will not let me put her down. That is the only kind of nap she will take lately and its not what i call a nap, its about 15 mins or so. And nights have been just as bad. I feel so bad for her, she is really struggling. Its been a rough few weeks here in our home.

I pray someone has some good advice.... I'm going !!!!

 

[Luzelle]

Yes, its very hard on mom and baby if they only catnap, since the baby gets so overtired and grumpy.
We co-slept until last week, he'd scream like mad if I put him in his own cot (still does mostly, we're working on it). But last week I just realised that something has to change, big time. I was starting to resent him (guilty feeling about that), and it was starting to affect his health. I noticed that his eyes looked constantly red-rimmed, and the veins on his forehead were really blue and prominent. He is a big healthy baby, but I noticed things that only a mommy does.
I think that even though he used me as a comforter/soother, he is a light sleeper and my presence actually causes him to wake more than he otherwise would have. Makes sense? It was incredible to get 8 hours of sleep, and this morning he played happily on his own with his toys, unpacking his toy box and chattering. So, even though it is sooooo hard to let him cry in his cot, something must be working!
Note - I don't just let him cry, and don't do Cry It Out in the ordinary way, I listen to the way he cries and goes to him if necessary. I'm learning to properly listen to his cries now, as they really are different when dirty, sad, angry or tired etc.

 

[membas#1]

i spent about a week trying to get my LO to nap longer. i laid down with her, nursed her to sleep and waited for her to come out of the first sleep cycle at 30 minutes...as she would start to come out of it i would nurse her or pat her and she'd usually go back to sleep..at that point i could get up and leave the room as she'd sleep another hour after that. after about a week she just started sleeping longer. unfortunately then we started dong some summer travel and it all went down the drain since we were staying in different places etc....but today she woke out of her late afternoon nap (she had 2 cat naps all day with dad) and then i put her down around 4:15 and she came out of that around 4:50 and I heard her so i came in and nursed her and after just a few minutes of suckling she was fast asleep for another hour. so it does work if you catch it before they wake (nursing/patting/whatever)...and i think with some consistency, at least for us, we eventually "trained" (for lack of a better word) her to sleep through multiple sleep cycles. i think had we not had all the traveling and then i went back to work as soon as we were done with our travels, she'd be a better napper..but dad has to do naps now and she likes to nurse for naps--so they gotta figure that one out. good luck to you. hope your catnapper turns into a longer napper

 

[snowflakes]

Yes, its very hard on mom and baby if they only catnap, since the baby gets so overtired and grumpy.
We co-slept until last week, he'd scream like mad if I put him in his own cot (still does mostly, we're working on it). But last week I just realised that something has to change, big time. I was starting to resent him (guilty feeling about that), and it was starting to affect his health. I noticed that his eyes looked constantly red-rimmed, and the veins on his forehead were really blue and prominent. He is a big healthy baby, but I noticed things that only a mommy does.
I think that even though he used me as a comforter/soother, he is a light sleeper and my presence actually causes him to wake more than he otherwise would have. Makes sense? It was incredible to get 8 hours of sleep, and this morning he played happily on his own with his toys, unpacking his toy box and chattering. So, even though it is sooooo hard to let him cry in his cot, something must be working!
Note - I don't just let him cry, and don't do Cry It Out in the ordinary way, I listen to the way he cries and goes to him if necessary. I'm learning to properly listen to his cries now, as they really are different when dirty, sad, angry or tired etc.

We also just started putting Lily down in her bed, we were co-sleeping as well. And i totally know what you mean when you said that the no sleep that LO was getting was affecting him health wise, i think the exact same thing with Lily. Her eyes are the exact same way.... Also, she is very heavy lidded all the time.. Awe, poor babies and poor MOMMYS! I did have a major breakdown today and cry, as i just could not take it anymore. Good Luck with your LO, hopefully we will get some good advice from all these wise ladies.