Terrible napper not getting in to deep sleep

[princesscarla1]

I've been lurking on these boards for a few weeks now after reading Bw a few weeks ago.

Since reading the book our feeding routine is a lot better but naps are practically none existent. Lg is 12 weeks old and we've always had problems getting her to sleep, the poor mite is mostly overtired although since trying a routine not half as much as she used to be and with a hubby that works away and not really any family support I'm feeling pretty exhausted.

I don't have a routine as such yet but I've been starting wind down after she's been away for about 55 minutes, just after her first yawn. I swaddle, take do her nursery, sit with her on my lap and slide her into her cot. She normally stirs when I put her in the cot, if I leave her, no real crying but plenty of grunts and can't settle, if she does settle it's 55 mins max.

After watching her closely, it's finally ticked that she doesn't enter deep sleep. There's no 7 mile stare, no jolts.

Can anyone give me any tips or advice. I don't if me putting her into the cot too early or whilst she's in light sleep if it's gave her anxiety stopping her getting into deep sleep. This morning I started wind down and am hour late she was still laid on my lap sucking her dummy with eyes closed. Y

[anna*]

Hi there welcome to the boards. She probably just needs a bit more awake time, at 3 months most babies can manage about 1.5hrs awake between naps.

[princesscarla1]

Thanks for replying, I follow her sleep ques from the first yawn. It's taking me that long to settle her that she's regularly arching her back whilst I'm trying to get her to sleep. Will try keeping her up once she's had agood sleep and feels refreshed. Today is a bad day and she's only had an hour

[lily_layne]

How have naps been lately?

[princesscarla1]

Still terrible, can't get passed either 30 minutes or 45 minutes . Fearing she was developing a cot phobia I've been sitting in with her on naps and using tracys pillow method. It's helped me to study her naps more. She's a lot easier to put down since starting that but I don't think she is going into a deep sleep even since altering her A time. Every nap she is definitely asleep but lays sucking on her dummy throughout, there's no jolts and im unable to remove the dummy. This seems regardless of if she is UT or OT.On an evening, she goes into deep sleep no problem. Really stuck as don't know what to next. She's fussy when I put her down, rubbing eyes. Flailing limbs, groaning noises but but doesn't show signs of OT.

[lily_layne]

Can you post your routine or 1 or 2 days if each day is different and I can see if a routine tweak might help?

[princesscarla1]

any help would be much appreciated she sleeps from 7pm till 11 for DF, then wakes for a feed about 4:30am then wakes properly at 7am, she settles back after to feeds. very good during the night.

no routine during the day as such as she's waking so early from naps. She tends to get fussy, rubbing eyes etc at around 8ish, have been swaddling her and settling her about about 8:10 then she normally falls asleep about 8:30-8:40, doesn't go into a deep sleep and  is wide awake any time between 20 mins to 40 mins. From there we carry on much the same for the rest of the day. She doesnt wake up fussy or crying from any nap and seems happy until we start again for about an hour at a time.

Feeding is fine, she can go for 3.5 hours and still no crying nor hands in the mouth.

The passed few days we have been trying to work towards a 3.5 hour routine, but I'm wondering if she could be ready for a 4 hour routine. Honestly feel like my head is going to explode trying to get her routine.

[princesscarla1]

Forgot to mention, she's 15 weeks tomorrow and BF

[lauradj]

Sometimes babies will fuss and rub their eyes when they are bored as well.  Have you tried changing the activity she is doing just before the 30 minute mark?  If she's having difficulty staying up for 1.5hr at this point, I would not recommend you push her to a 4 hr EASY cold turkey. 

[lily_layne]

If she's having difficulty staying up for 1.5hr at this point, I would not recommend you push her to a 4 hr EASY cold turkey. 

I agree. 15 weeks is still pretty small - she may be able to go 4 hrs between feeds but I think it would be tough to keep her awake long enough to make it work and she would likely get very OT. The most I would push her A time is probably 15 minutes. Like lauradj says, try changing activities when she rubs her eyes (maybe something quiet and low key) and then try for a nap after about 15 minutes.

[princesscarla1]

Thanks to you both. I tried keeping her awake for 15 mins more before naps today, she still didn't go into a deep sleep during her naps and still woke but actually wanted to go back to sleep when she did wake and I did manage to get her back down

[lily_layne]

With some LO's its easier to err on the side of OT than UT. My DD was like that - I could resettle if she was OT but didn't have a hope if she was UT.

[princesscarla1]

The passed two days she's suddenly started napping 1.5 to 2 hours! I haven't done a thing differently, I think it's maybe been a phase that unfortunately coincided with starting the baby whisperer. I only hope it lasts

[lily_layne]

I think it's maybe been a phase

More often than not, this is the case when things go goofy for a bit.