(as you can see...i'm not the only one stressed about this situation.)
is there anyone out there that knows how to get a baby to nap. here's the situation. this little darlin doesn't take naps. i have successfully followed the eat, wake, sleep schedule with 3 out of my 4 sugar plums, but sweet puddin has gotten the best of me so far. here is what we do:i feed her.
she is awake until she gives me a sleep cue. (usually she yawns and rubs her eyes.)
i put her down for a nap.
she cries.
at this point it could go one of two ways. she may not go to sleep at all and then she is beside herself for hours, OR she cries for 15 minutes or so and falls asleep.
if she falls asleep, she will only sleep for 20 minutes at a time. i have tried letting her cry, hoping she will go back to sleep, but she never does. 20 minutes is all she will nap. and let's face it...that is NOT a nap. plus...when she wakes up, she is still tired. she is usually so tired that she falls asleep at her next feeding. by 4 or 5:00, she is beyond cranky and then by after her bath, she is down right pissed! (and i don't use that term lightly.)
here is my question to all of you who have successfully "trained" a baby to nap:
how do i get her to nap for more than 20 minutes? is this too much to ask from a 6 month old? she is tired and i know she needs to take good naps so that she won't be so fussy in the evenings, but i don't know how to make that happen. any advice?
5 comments:
It isn't unrealistic to have a baby nap for longer than 20 minutes at 6 months. I am sorry you are going through this with your lil' pudding cup. She is so cute, i could just eat her up!!
I have no other advice for you, I am at a loss. Have you tried essential oils or baby massage?? Just a thought. Will she nap longer if you hold her? Does she oppose being swaddled? Is she too old to be swaddled? Have you tried her on her tummy? What about have her run a couple laps before bed...that works with oliver (grin).
Crap, looks like I have more questions than answers! Sorry!!
I'm going to try and call you again tomorrow. Hopefully, we can catch each other and talk through this for you. :) I owe you.
Amanda
Find a good chiropractor. After Cash's first visit he proceeded to take a 5 hour nap that afternoon. He also had an ear infection once. Took him to chiro and the next morning there was a little puddle of fluid on his sheet where his ear had drained. There is something to it!
I wish I had the magic bullet. I think for my kids it was all about temperament. Silas would take okay naps. Luke took 20 minutes snoozes. Zee slept the best of the 3....and I did the same thing with all of them. Except i was reduced to driving Luke around in the car...as you probably recall from beach trips! I think now that I am just working within that temperament, although he STILL doesn't sleep enough. Now he gets caffeine when he gets home from school, just to keep his passion at a level we can all appreciate! :)
Gah, you must be exhausted! So sorry she won't sleep for very long ... I think you are doing a great job working with what she's giving you, and I don't know of any more to do than what has been said here. Doesn't sweet little A know that mommies need a break??
Keep at it, and I hope relief comes soon.
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