Need help with 11 week old naps

[dkm15]

My LO is brilliant at night time. Has slept through 7:30 pm till 7am since eight weeks with help of dream feed at 11. He goes to sleep easily with no intervention at night.

However I just can't seem to get his day time naps sorted. I watch carefully for cues and swaddle him and sit quietly. he immediately begins to squirm and fuss and usually have to use ssh pat to stop him crying. It normally takes half hour to get him over and he wakes after about twenty minutes usually smiling and looking like he wants to play.

When SSH patting in cot he squirms  trys to turn head away and almost bury  into the mattress. Could ssh pat be too stimulating for my LO?

Thanks for any advice you can give

[*Jo*]

Hi there, we found the same thing with Caleb when he was that age, what we did was a variation of shh/pat, we left him on his back and patted the mattress firmly by his head instead. it was easier too because we could put the chair by his cot and put our arms through the bars to do it so we werent standing the whole time.

have you tried white noise? we did this instead of shhhing and it worked a treat!

[snoopz]

What exactly is white noise and how would you use it? Put it on before they go to sleep and keep it on?

[dkm15]

I already use white noise which works sometimes. he just seems to get wound up as soon as I start the whole nap routine

[*Jo*]

snoopz - white noise is something like the radio turned to an off station or the fan blowing in the room, its kind of a static noise. for some babies this is very calming for them, it wasnt quiet in the womb so its weird for them to have total silence now.

dkm15 - have you tried starting your nap routine a little earlier? can you post your EASY routine for us to have a look at?

[dkm15]

My routine at moment is

At moment he feeds every three hours starting at 7am and is usually ready to sleep about an hour after he wakes but it normally takes 30-40 mins to settle him which obviously begins to go to next feed time. Sometimes he just fights sleep and will hardly nap at all during the day

[*Jo*]

ok so if he wakes at 7am try taking him to his room for wind down at 7.50am, this allow 15mins for wind down and then put him in his cot, this allows him 10min to fall asleep on his own, do shh/pat if he cries, give that a shot

[dkm15]

Will try that at home tommorrow. How do you recommend dealing with naps when you need to go out with baby. He is even worse when out and sometimes I have no choice but to take him

[*Jo*]

I try to make sure im either in the car or in a quiet place where he can be ready for sleep at the time he needs to be. If you are at someons house ask them if theres a room you can take him to to wind down in. is that possible for you or are you at a public place?

[dkm15]

No I can try that, he doesn't sleep in car or pram much but will try and ensure have somewhere quiet to do wind down


Thanks for all your advice

[*Jo*]

let me know how you get on! it might not work the first few times but keep at it and you may see some success