Help! I've created a monster! 4.5 month DS will not nap on his own.

[LilLady30]

Seriously, this boy WILL NOT nap unless I hold him until he is totally and completely asleep.  If I try to put him down any time before that all heck breaks loose.  I just don't have time during the day to hold him and bounce him until he falls asleep.  I don't mind doing it at night to put him to bed, but I just cant do it during the day.  I work from home and need him to be able to nap so I can get things done.  Once he is actually asleep and I can put him down he takes good naps ... at least an hour, but usually an hour and a half. 

I really don't know what to do to fix the problem and I am really really frustrated. 

I dont think I am keeping him up too long and he is sleeping through the night just fine.  He rarely wakes up at night ... once he is down he is down. 

I know its my fault as I have gotten him used to me holding him and either rocking or bouncing him to sleep.  I've tried letting him get very sleepy and then putting him down and patt and shhh, but that just makes him REALLY mad!  He turns purple and does this gutteral scream thing that is just terrifying and heartbreaking!  I've tried just patting or just shhing ... same response.  I tried putting a stuffed animal in his crib that plays music, and he stopped screaming and watched the lights and listened to the music so I thought it was going to help him sleep, but when the music stopped he just started screaming again. 

He uses a pacifer to fall asleep at night and for naps, but he usually spits it out on his own when he is ready to really sleep. 

I think he is a combination of a touchy baby and a textbook baby.  From day one we have had to cover his eyes to get him to fall asleep.  We usually hold him and put a blanket over his head and body until he falls asleep and then remove the blanket when we put him down.  Blocking out all stimulus is the only way we have found to get him to calm down. 

Here is his schedule: 
Eat   5:00am   3oz
Sleep   515 to 7:00am   
Eat   7:30am   6oz
Sleep   9:00 to 10:30am   
Eat   11:00am   6oz and cereal/fruit
Sleep   1:00 to 3:00pm   
Eat    3:30pm   6oz
Sleep   5:00pm - short nap   
Eat    6:00pm   4oz and cereal/veggie/fruit
Bath   7:00pm   
Eat   7:15pm   4oz 
Sleep   7:30pm   

Please please help.  I'll try anything at this point. 

Thank you,
Corey
DS 04.12.06

[LaurenJadeMom]

Hi Corey!

I'm certainly no expert but thought I would share my experience since my DD is also 4.5 months old.  Until 1 week ago we walked/bounced her to sleep for all naps and at night.  This was necessary for the first 8 weeks of her life because she was in pain due to silent reflux.  After that I didn't know what else to do because whenever I tried to put her down awake she would fuss and then eventually start crying.  Pat/shush didn't really seem to soothe her in the crib.  I ended up with tendinitis in both wrists from all of the carrying!

Once she reached 4 months, I read about pu/pd and knew I had to try it. Yes, I was terrified because I had visions that she would end up crying for hours on end while I did pu/pd, but I knew I had to do something because it started to get more difficult to get her to go to sleep, plus she started waking more in the night.  Plus I liked the thought that I would be there with her every step of the way.  I posted on the pu/pd site a week ago to get some encouragement, started last Friday, and have been absolutely amazed at the results.  Within a couple of days, my DD was putting herself to sleep with little or no fussing.  We're still working on short naps, but she is a quick learner (as I'm sure your DS is too!) so I feel she can conquer this also.

I encourage you to read the FAQ and other posts on the pu/pd board.  The moderators there are also wonderful.  Please share what you decide to do.  I'll be thinking great thoughts for you and your LO!!

Dee