Why does my child not sleep?!

[emyandpotato]

LO is 12 weeks and will not nap in the day. At all. He sleeps normally at night (wakes up a few times but goes back to sleep mostly) but during the day he refuses to sleep. He'll fall asleep feeding sometimes but wakes up after about a minute even if I keep him exactly where he is. He'll sometimes sleep in his carrier (though he's stopped doing it as much, unfortunately) but wakes the second I stand still or sit down. He will not sleep in his pram, swing, moses basket, or on my chest. He gets himself so overtired and it's a bit of a nightmare cos when he's exhausted all he wants to do is comfort feed for a few seconds then cry then comfort feed on repeat for ages, which drives me mad! Does anyone have any tips? I've read the No Cry Sleep Solution but it's not relevant for us as our problem is that he just doesn't seem to fall to sleep in the first place!

 

[Button#]

How long are you leaving it before trying put him down? I would start trying for a nap an hour after he wakes. Maybe try white noise. If you're out and about and he's in the carrier try a hat with a brim that blocks his view.

 

[emyandpotato]

How long are you leaving it before trying put him down? I would start trying for a nap an hour after he wakes. Maybe try white noise. If you're out and about and he's in the carrier try a hat with a brim that blocks his view.

I don't put him down, I stay as still as possible to keep him sleeping but he still wakes after a minute or two.

 

[Button#]

Sorry I meant it as in when do you try for a nap. Do you have a nap routine?

 

[bundle4me]

We use white noise app on phones it works amazingly and i think it gives them something to focus on and avoid other noises distracting or waking them, also u could try taking him to bed and making it dark so lo thinks it's bedtime x

 

[emyandpotato]

Sorry I meant it as in when do you try for a nap. Do you have a nap routine?

Oh sorry! We don't have a routine cos I had no idea how often a 12 week old should be napping. With my first he just fell asleep when he needed to at this stage. He feeds on demand and falls asleep feeding but of course it doesn't last. What sort of nap schedule is normal for this age?

 

[emyandpotato]

We use white noise app on phones it works amazingly and i think it gives them something to focus on and avoid other noises distracting or waking them, also u could try taking him to bed and making it dark so lo thinks it's bedtime x

We do use white noise and it works at night but not during the day for some reason?!

 

[Zephram]

My DS2 is 12 weeks also. He doesn't just fall asleep when he's tired, he needs help. Though I must say he is significantly easier to get to sleep than my older son was. As far as I know most babies don't just fall asleep when they're tired after those first few weeks where they're oblivious to everything.

My LO starts showing tired signs from around 45 mins to an hour after waking up. He needs to be asleep again by an hour and a half of awake time or he starts getting over tired (exception being end of the day before bed where he might do two hours).

I feed, cuddle or I wear him to sleep in the front pack. He also will sleep in the car or buggy. I generally do not put him down in bed for a nap as he will wake up. So I get my older boy busy with something (shhh, tv ) if I have to and hold him. Otherwise I chuck him in the front pack, car or buggy as we are getting on with our day and let him sleep there.

I really advise you get a front pack or wrap if you aren't already using one. It saves me everyday! I make dinner with the baby asleep in it, I play with DS1 while he sleeps in it, supermarket shop with him asleep with it, etc. I also find that he will nap through noise whilst in the front pack, which he won't if he's actually in bed, which is great for us with noisy older kids.

 

[emyandpotato]

Yes we have a ring sling, SSC, and a wrap. He used to sleep in them when I went out and walked quickly, and would wake up if I stopped walking or sat down or went inside. Now he doesn't even always fall asleep if I'm walking fast. I do feed him to sleep at home and it works but then he wakes a few minutes later. I timed it today to see how long he slept for and it was 7 minutes. I just don't understand why he's waking up. I do always feed him if he looks like he needs a sleep as it comforts him and lets him shut his eyes just for a bit but I'll try scheduling naps for an hour after he wakes and see if it helps.

 

[amelia26]

Both of mine have been awful at feeding to sleep and would always wake within minutes like you describe. I find it works better if we do feed, activity, sleep. Activity can be as little as a nappy change. Around an hour after walking I try to get her to sleep. This could be cuddling and patting, using white noise, going out with the pram or sling.