Tips on settling LO for a nap

[Lu28]

I could really do with some advice on settling LO for a nap.

Aisling just point blank refuses to nap even though she's clearly tired and getting into a really bad mood. I'm trying to get her to nap in her cot because nothing else has worked.

As soon as I notice any signs of tiredness, I take her upstairs, pull the curtains and change her nappy etc for a bit of a wind down period. I'll then cuddle her or give her a bit of a feed if she seems hungry. Sometimes she'll get sleepy, other times she's now wide awake for some reason. Even if she's tired, the second I put her in her cot she wakes up and starts moaning. I'll let her moan / cry for 5-10 minutes then go in and pat/shush her for a couple of minutes and repeat the process. It's like even if she's tired and rubbing her eyes at this point, she just fights going to sleep.

I've been trying this for about 2 weeks now and apart from a couple of good days, it's been horrendous. She's moan or cry sometimes for an hour until I give up and get her up and then she'll be really grizzly for the rest of the day because she's tired but too tired to sleep so it's a vicious circle.

Sorry for the long ramble, I'm just getting to the end of my tether with this and I'm just about ready to cry every time I try to get her to nap . It seems to have flowed over to her nighttime sleep as well and she's no longer able to self settle resulting in a sleep deprived mummy with little patience!

Thanks ladies

 

[sarahjanek88]

I know how you feel! It can be a game to find out what works. My LO always fidgets, and we suspect that it keeps him awake, or he is deliberately trying to fight his sleep. Now I wrap him so his hands are tied up in the blanket and can't fidget... I can describe what I usually do if you'd like me to. This is usually enough to settle him, but if it isn't, I'd give him a dummy and then he's off (assuming the dummy doesn't fall out lol - my biggest pain!)

I'd also suggest heating up a hot water bottle and sitting it in her cot for a while before you put her in. The comforting heat helps, especially if she likes cuddling into you!

Hope this helps!

 

[Lu28]

I'll definitely try the hot water bottle, that's a good idea. Not sure the arm restrictions would work, she's screamed the house down every time we've tried! She has just passed out while feeding and I've popped her in her swing chair where she's still asleep - great she's getting the rest but it's not exactly self-soothing

 

[Kiree]

I know this sounds odd, but if she has socks on, try taking them off. For some reason it works for Noah x

 

[jms895]

I know its not self soothing, but with Caine HE WONT do it on his own.... but as soon as I lie him next to me on the bed on his side really close to me, he drops off

 

[sublime_ivy]

I rock dex to sleep for a nap when i notice he is tired or he sometimes is nursed to sleep. I then swaddle him so he cant fidget. It also helps if i put him to nap where he doesn't sleep at bed time. He seems to sleep longer that way.

 

[Arcanegirl]

Have you tried putting her on her front?

 

[jms895]

Caine sleeps loads better on his side, not his back xx

 

[dali]

in the early months i would cuddle baby until he was just dozing off and try to gently put him down in the short time between awake and completely asleep, if that makes sense...
at that point he was awake enough to notice being out down but too close to sleep to care too much, most of the time this worked fine and when it didnt i just let him be cuddled to sleep, if that was what was needed. turned out fine though , he soon learnt to settle himself and didnt depend on the cuddles too much.
going in and patting / rubbing without picking them up never has worked for my lo, though if he gets too upset i pick him up for a cuddle but dont sit down with him (so he dosnt think were about to settle down for a long cudle to sleep) then put him back down, after a few goes he would usually go back to sleep alone.

is there any chance she may be starting to teeth hun ? if it has only been going on about 2 weeks that may be the culprit... maybe try a little calpol half hour before trying to put her down? ( hopefully it hasnt become too much of a habit )
as far as sleeplessness due to teething goes my advice (based on my experiences with lo) would be not to worry too much about setting bad habits , if she has slept well in the past then chances are she will get back to it soon after the teeth come through. just do what you need to so that you both get some sleep could someone look after he for a couple of hours one day soon so you can have a nap maybe ? a rested mummy is a happy mummy.
ive gone on a bit huh ? well .. hope it gets better soon