Naps for newborns

[Chloevalentine]

Why does my 3.5 week old not nap much? Today he woke at 730 and he's still awake at 1130. He might doze off in my arms or the swing for like 15 mins but that's it. As soon as I try to put him into bassinet or on down Anywgere for a nap he wakes up and starts crying after about 5-10 mins.

[lolsyb1982]

I think most newborns like to be held and feel secure which is why the majority will sleep for longer if they're on you etc.
Do you swaddle or have a sling you could put him in? They usually love being carried in there and you can then have free hands to get in with things then.

[Chloevalentine]

Yes I will put him in the sling and he will sleep. But it's so hot and he gets so sweaty. Just thought maybe there was another way to get him to nap sonewhere else. Lol. And just thought he should be sleepingbmore than a few catnaps.

[Shiv52]

At 3.5 weeks he is teeny tiny.   He will nap in his basket in time, I promise. If he goes to sleep on you can  transfer him to beside you?  Mine went on the settee and I kept a hand on her and she slept longer. I'm not much help as we held for majority of sleeps. Bedtime I fed and settled awake but drowsy and that was the start of her sleeping on her own. What about the pram?  Mine slept in there ok and meant I could get the bigger ones out walking.

Hugs xx

[Chloevalentine]

The thing is that hes a big baby 12 lbs! Which makes wearing him all the time to nap difficult. With him only taking a few naps from 15-30 mins he's exhausted by night time. Tonight he was due to eat at 730 but he's passed out where I can't even feed him. !!

[Haribo2012]

I used to put mine in the car seat and rock him to sleep then transfer to car and drive, download a couple of programmes for toddler on the iPad then just drive in peace for half an hour then wander round shops.

I just found getting out and about helpful kept me from obsessing over sleep that wasn't going to be any better in the house or out and about.

[Shiv52]

Did I ask you about discomfort? Any reflux signs? 

Hugs xx

[Chloevalentine]

I was just trying to start some good sleep habits and not have to always put him in the car to get a nap lol I also feel bad that he's not getting much day sleep and is so tired. I thought newborns napped a lot
As far as reflux he seems to be ok besides some gas and the gas drops are helping.

[Haribo2012]

I think second children often start the good routine a bit later as its not possible to spend all your time shush patting etc.

If it's any consolation my DS2 is 6.5 months and was apopped for 5 months and now naps ok in his cot and sleeps at night 

[Martini~]

Hon don't worry so much:). My son slept in his cot for most of the naps from the beginning but it was as Tracy said, settling took a long time (much shorter with a swaddle and white noise when I found them), than first 20minutes were light sleep and he could cry so I usually sit beside the cot. And still when you look at Tracy 3h EASY: our first nap from 3rd week was 45min and!!! nothing comforted him later LOL, than I had a gooood long cot nap around 11am but still settling was long and he could wake in first 20 minutes, third nap was always in a buggy and many times I could ask someone to do it for me and 4th nap... It was a distaster as I refused to apop it. When after weeks I understood that APOPing a catnap is not a bad thing and it doesn't impact other naps, our life was much easier. Bedtime - I firstly BF before bathing and settling after bath was a disaster:). Many ladies here told me to feed AFTER bath but I didn't won't to go into APOPing <stupidme> but when I finally started to do it (I found one sentence in Tracy's book that it's ok to do it LOL), our life was much easier.

In recognition, I probably could do much more APOPing instead of torturing myself and DS. Even with short term APOPing - you can start in 1-2 weeks once again with cot napping. As Trach said - it will be 2/3 days in first months to fight bad habit so really it won't be a big fight. That said - I would try as much as you can for no APOPing, but if you need it, just go with it and try again after 2 weeks.

[Shiv52]

When I had my DD2 I had a nearly 3yo so it was hard to get a balance. The baby was totally OS with the crazy toddler and so A time was much shorter than normal and if I missed that window she got so OT.  I'm having the same now with DD3.  What I do is try and make the lunch/PM nap a priority for a good long sleep in bed.

When I had the two I strapped the nearly 3yo into her high chair gave her a snack like Cheerios or raisins that took a while to eat and put her in front of the telly with a fav show. Meant she couldn't follow me and I had a chance to settle the baby in bed and to extent if needed.   Would some thing like that work?

[Chloevalentine]

Thanks everyone. I don't have sidewalks and on a Main Street where I live so going out for a quick stroll is out. Ive tried the swing or his boppy pillow. Not sure what other apops there are.  I will do the car when necessary but sonetimes getting us all out is to hard lol. Hopefully when 3 yr old starts pt school in September i can get baby in more of a routine.
So far today first nap failed in the bassinet with white noise dark room moved him to the swing but he's nods off and on its not a steady nap.

[Shiv52]

I hear ya. I was never out of Jammies to get out for a walk to do a nap. My DD3 tends to short nap all day then naps for ages at 5/6 and is zonked.  Sounds a bit like your DS2! 

[Haribo2012]

Those first few weeks are a test of stamina and getting out is a marathon. Today DS2 has 30 min napped all day and noisy big brother is at nursery....just some days it's like that!

Do you have a back yard or garden you can put baby out in the pram?

[michaeljacknnugg]

My little guy was very similar and could stay awake for hours!

The sling was the only thing that worked for us as he hated being swaddled. What kind do you have? Some are more breathable than others. He needed a lot of movement too, so if I wanted to sit down I would sit on my birth ball and gently bounce.