Lots of back and forth?

[KingCabbage]

We had a really good day full of my 5 week LO easily going down for naps. I thought she was beginning to learn and was very excited. Then, that night (she usually sleeps easily at night it was the naps we were fighting with) she REFUSED to go to bed and it took a really long time, way more than usual. I couldn't figure out what was wrong or if I had done anything wrong.

Naps were a bit dodgy the next day and it felt like a regression.

Today we "took the day off" and I tried other methods to just get her to nap so she could catch up on sleep. Nothing worked for long. There was a bout of colicky screaming at one point and I was miserable.

Later that evening, after rocking her a bit, I was out of ideas. She was still up, eyes open. So I lay her down in her bassinet and shush-patted her a bit - and she dropped off like a stone!!!

Maybe she just needed a break from it all? Maybe something was wrong the night she wouldn't go to sleep and I was misreading her cues? I am so new to this, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I think we're both still learning!

Is that normal? The back and forth?

[creations]

Sounds totally normal
She is so so little, my experience at that age was certainly the back and forth, some naps and nights easier and better than others, shortly after this he started to nod off on his own but not for every nap, some, he was pretty much independently settling around 8ish or 9ish weeks so I thought we had totally cracked it. Then I had this other weird thing at 10 weeks he totally refused his naps which were usually taken in a travel cot in the family room so I was close at hand. I was really taken aback by the refusal. After a couple of days struggling as a last resort I tried him upstairs in his night bed because he just wouldn’t stop crying or settle downstairs yet he had settled well at night. I took him up, he just stopped crying, I put him in his night bed, he smiled at me turned his head and went to sleep!
Expect anything to happen...  be grateful for the successes and not too worried about the days that don't go so well. I tis a process over a period of time and even when they are able to self settle there are still times they need more help.

Sounds like you are doing great!