DD won't nap, any suggestions? | ExpatWoman.com
 

DD won't nap, any suggestions?

46
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 14:01

She is only 6 weeks but have her in a sort of routine(ish) which works well at night - she goes down at 7ish, feeds again at 10.30ish and then generally goes through until 4 or 5... however she fights sleep during the day. I can't get her to nap at all in the morning or at lunch although she's clearly absolutely exhausted, red eyes, eyelids drooping etc. If I swaddle her and put her in her moses she'll settle with a dummy but then ends up dropping off, losing it, waking and yelling for it - if I take it away she won't settle at all. I REALLY don't want these habits to affect her night sleep but need her to sleep during the day - otherwise she gets so overtired she gets grumpy and grizzles for hours. Any suggestions??? Should add that she feeds really well so it's not that she's hungry!

:)

1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 21:46
it sounds a bit like she's overtired when you put her down. Have you tried following her nap cues and put her down at the very first sign of tiredness (every child is different, but it could be a yawn, pulling ears, blinking slowly...)? When you get to know her special signs, you can kind of pre-empt them and it makes life sooo much easier. With DS, I had to put him down for a nap as soon as he yawned - he'd be out like a light within 5 minutes, BUT he would only do this in his cot. If he's in the buggy, he will fight it and then conk out suddenly. DD, on the other hand, would rub her eyes and get a bit fidgetty and I'd have to take her out in teh buggy - she wouldn't ever nap in her cot. Both children never had any problems falling asleep at night.
101
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 19:14
We got a swing for DS and it worked really well for a period of time - like 8 weeks to 4 months! After that I transitioned him to the proper cot and it was really easy. If she's good with the motion, maybe look at a swing or a hammock?
426
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 15:38
My DD always slept well in a baby sling when she was very little, but rarely had 'proper' naps.
46
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 15:32
I will have a look for the Marc Weissbluth book thanks. DD will fall asleep in her bouncer or swing but then wakes upon transfer to her moses basket. I guess I could leave her in the bouncer/swing but worried that's bad for her back! We will persevere with the daytime naps, she is very determined bless her - I think she is worried she will miss out on something exciting if she risks a sleep! She always falls asleep in her car seat and generally in the pram so guess the key is vibration/rocking... thanks :)
436
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 14:42
Some kids in the first 6-8 weeks don't sleep alot, however there will be a change, and she will need to sleep during the day....sleep breeds sleep, so the better sleeps she has during the day, the better she will sleep at night. Sleep is really important for brain developement so you will want her having good daytime naps eventually. There are several differents ways to get them to sleep during the day...a really good book is Marc weissbluths, healthy sleep habits, happy child.......I really liked it because he outlines the importance of sleep, how much sleep each child should get at what age, and then the differents techniques for getting them to sleep. I have a copy if you want to borrow it
181
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 14:17
Do you put her in a dark room? My kids used to fall asleep in the car but thats probably not very practical here. When they were older they would sit in a bouncy baby seat in front of the washing machine and that always made them sleep! Sometimes rocking them can help
 
 

ON EXPATWOMAN TODAY