Everyone can put my baby to sleep but me - HELP!

[katerinask]

Our LO is 4.5 months old and has been increasingly difficult to put down to sleep from 3 months onwards (started with naps but affects bet time as well). We've managed to get over some really fussy periods, maybe the 4m regression, growth spurts etc. But one thing remains and it is really frustrating.

She can settle MUCH easier with her daddy or my mum, than with me. I struggle so much, even though we go through mostly the same routines. Her evening nap is especially difficult, it has taken oven an hour for her to go down. I feel so useless and distressed  . I've even  resorted to BFing her to soothe her sometimes, because her cries get so bad it's impossible for her to calm down any other way.

I've lost my confidence completely and wondering whether she can also sense this? Or maybe my AP (i.e. BFing her) has made her even worse? Could it be something else? Have you ever had anything like this?

[julia.north]

Hi there!

Could it be that she smells the milk and does not settle because of that?
What if you BF her, and then try to put her done, so that she is really full (but still awake?)

I also remember the 4th month to be extremely hard with my LO. It was the worst month so far (he is 7 months now) and he had sleep issues that appeared from nowhere and disappeared magically after a couple of weeks.

Might be wonder weeks with her?
What really helped me in the long run was not to start AP! It was rough, but once the sleep regression / growth spurt of the 4th month was over, things were totally smooth again!

Having said that, my LO was also more hungry during that time, and I had to BF him in the night twice after weeks of not BFing until 6 am.

hugs

[katerinask]

Hi there and thanks for the response!

She's definitely going through changes, but I do think the worst of it is over. It's clear that her sleep cycles are more pronounced, she is more alert and resistant to naps etc, but we're trying really hard to get through this without creating any more problems in the long run - like you said.

But I still don't understand why she would be more resistant with me! It's really disheartening
Do you think smelling the milk and not settling is really a thing? She shouldn't be hungry really at that time...

It's so frustrating being her mummy and not being able to settle her...

Good to know your 4-month problems disappeared though!

[dache]

I get you. Before having dd I needed 5 minutes and Id have any baby asleep in my arms. But with dd it was inpossible. I believe she could feel my distress and insecurity and it reflexes on her. She calmed down with my sister so easy, and now dh, but I always strugled.
Can it be something like that? And I agree about developmental stuff going on, WW and SP are at this stage so it can be that too.

[katerinask]

Hi everyone,

I thought I'd add an update here, for anyone reading this post in the future. It turns out it was the specific time of day she was (and is) resistant to, not me. It's just that I always do the evening nap, whereas the other ones are sometimes done by others as well. When my DH or mum tried the evening nap, they ended up with the same problem.

I think our LO is gradually moving towards a transition again. She isn't 5mo yet, but she has done everything earlier (she switched to 3 naps at 3 months). So maybe that's why she's fighting the evening CN so much?

[Buntybear]

Hi - I am glad that you have realised that it is not you that she is resistant to! Many Los are resistant to sleep at the end of the day 

[jessmum46]

We were totally done with the 3-2 with DD by 6 months so totally possible that's where you're headed x