Four month old won't nap without screaming

[mozette100]

My 4 month old has four short naps of around 40-45mins a day. She used to have one long nap at least of 1.5 hours in the middle of the day but this seems to have shifted to the last nap of the day and I don't know how to get it back to midday. Even though she naps longer later in the day, it doesn't affect her going down at night. Also for all her afternoon naps, the minute I put her down, she screams and cries for at least 15 minutes, sometimes longer before passing out. How can I get her to put herself to sleep in a calmer way? I do shhh/pat but when I go in, it just seems to agitate her even more? Her  routine is roughly

6.30am Wake & Feed
8-8.45am Nap
9.30 Feed
11ish - 11.45am Nap
12.30/1pm Feed
2.00 - 2.40pm Nap
3.30pm Feed
4.45 - 6ish Nap
6 - Bath
6.30 Feed
7.00 Bed

[ZacsMumme]

How is she when she is waking from her first nap? She could be UT at nap time, which is why you are getting the short naps. At 4 months most babies can do 1hr45 to 2 hours. (Esp after a decent night)

After a short nap that second A time looks too long, If you get a short nap you will need to shorten the next A to avoid OT which will also cause short naps and crying at nap time.

Try extending that first A a bit to see if you get a better nap (this can take a few days) and if you get a short nap keep an eye on your LOs cues and put her down earlier than you usually would. Her As later in the day are quite long considering she is short napping.

Also for all her afternoon naps, the minute I put her down, she screams and cries for at least 15 minutes, sometimes longer before passing out.

Okay so with this...when you say cries and passes out, are you in the room with her shh/patting or helping her to sleep, some babies prefer pressure, or only patting or shhing? If you are leaving her in the room to cry alone this will not help, CIO is not supported by BW and also breaks the bond of trust between mother and baby.

I really think this is likely to just be a routine or developmental  issue and things will come right. In the meantime you can also try W2S on her short naps to see if this will help her to extend them. Do you know what W2S is and how to use it? - I will hunt out a link

[mozette100]

Hi  - sorry I haven't written sooner. I have been doing W2S and it's sort of been working except that she can't seem to transition by herself - it always requires me to be in there for 20 mins or so, patting her gently. As for the screaming/crying before she naps, I have tried being in there with her patting and shushing, I have tried being in there just as a presence, I have tried letting her cry and then going on and reassuring her, I have tried letting her cry it out. None of this seems to make a difference. Someone told me that some babies just need to have a cry before they sleep. I'm beginning to think this might be true of her. However it usually is only her day naps where this happens. Not her morning nap or BT.

[ZacsMumme]

I have been doing W2S and it's sort of been working except that she can't seem to transition by herself - it always requires me to be in there for 20 mins or so, patting her gently.

This is great. It does take time, and at this age they are learning to transition so it is quite normal for her to need your help. I know it is hard. (I had a short napper from 3-6 months and spent endless time in his room)

I think she could do a bit more A time before that second nap if she has a good first nap, try increasing it 10mins or so, it may minimise the fighting sleep.

a presence, I have tried letting her cry and then going on and reassuring her, I have tried letting her cry it out. None of this seems to make a difference. Someone told me that some babies just need to have a cry before they sleep. I'm beginning to think this might be true of her.

We dont support leaving a baby to cry (CIO/CC etc) in any form at BW. All leaving a baby to cry does is make them feel abandoned and alone. At this young age they need nurturing and security...CIO will break that trust your LO has in you.

Some babies do need a little cry before they settle. Do you know the difference between her mantra cry and her 'I need you cry'? If she is mantra crying it is okay to leave her to try to settle herself. But if she is crying for you then you need to go in there and try shh/pat or another method to help her to sleep. What is your WD before naps like?

Here are a few links that may help you
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=85499.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64160.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=212645.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63839.0

[firsttimemummy]

Just wanted to remind you that around 4 months LOs transition to a 4 hour EASY and that shh pat at this age can stop working (depending on your LO) and some get on better with PUPD.  Also wanted to add that 4 months seems to be a difficult time.  I found BW around that age with Murray as I was at the end of my tether with screaming before naps (his screaming , I just got stressed) .... after a good routine tweak (well, routine!) and a few hard days of PUPD to get the routine sorted he turned into an angelic boy (some hiccups of course, but bw-ers helped me through it, and will help you too).  I used to remind myself that when Murray is a teenager I will have a battle to get him OUT of bed so knew that at some stage before then he would be keen to go to bed! By the time he was 1 he sometimes asked to go to bed

[ZacsMumme]

Also wanted to add that 4 months seems to be a difficult time.

Gosh yes...I think it was worse than 3 months which I thought would be the worst Lucy is so right!!! esp with all that developmental stuff going on too.

Hang in there hun