Author Topic: 4 month old short napping  (Read 1278 times)

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Offline Ethanthescreecher

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4 month old short napping
« on: March 14, 2017, 22:39:11 pm »
My little boy has just turned 4 months old and I am finding it difficult to get him to nap at home during the day. We seemed to have cracked overnight sleeping which I am delighted with. He will go into cot without dummy whilst awake and fall asleep himself. We DF at 11 and he will then wake about 6-7. For the past couple of months we have often been out and about during the day and he has slept in the car or pram. I recently have decided to slow activities down as I am taking an extension on my ML so are trying to be financially sensible. As a result we have spent the last two days at home during nap time and it has been rather stressful!! I try and get him to nap as soon as he is yawning but it is an ordeal as he resists (and screams the place down). I have to use the dummy to calm him down and hold him until he is sleepy. I transfer to the cot. Sometimes he wakes and we restart. Or he goes to sleep but only for 20-30 minutes and then it starts all over again. He is so cranky when he isn't getting his naps and it means that during awake time he is grisly too.

Today looked like this;
6am woke and E
6.30 S
8am E
8.15 A
10 S (screamed and soothed before)
10.20 Awake
11 E
12 S (screamed and BF soothed before)
12.20 awake
12.30 S (screamed and soothed before)
1 awake. BF and slept in my arms
2 E
2.20 A
4 S BF and slept in my arms
5 E
5.15 A
6.30 bedtime routine
7.30 E
7.45 A
Still asleep now

He has developed a real screech over the weekend, it really goes through me. God knows what the neighbours must think is happening!! When he wakes up he just crys from sheer tiredness and frustration. I am not a fan of CIO, prefer PUPD

Anyone have any insights or bright ideas??! Really want to enjoy his awake time but difficult when he is so upset

Offline ginger428

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Re: 4 month old short napping
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2017, 12:26:27 pm »
Hi there, sorry about there being no response yet. Bumping your post up. Someone will jump in soon.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2017, 12:29:36 pm by ginger413 »

Offline jessmum46

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Re: 4 month old short napping
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2017, 13:29:02 pm »
If he's never regularly napped in bed then it is only natural that it will take some time for him to be comfortable there and he is likely, at least short term, to need help to settle.  At just 4 months I would start with shh pat - Shush-pat - How to PUPD is quite stimulating and really only a last resort at this age.  Shh pat is gentler on you both and easier to transition from arms to crib. 

Has he had a routine before or has every day been different?  If he's never had a particularly structured day then it would be worth spending two or three days just observing him and recording when he seems to show sleep cues, when he sleeps, how long for etc (like you have above) and then posting it here so we can help you with a routine to aim for.  Roughly speaking a typical routine at this age on BW would be about 2h awake time with two 1.5-2h naps and a catnap. 

There are some sample routine on the EASY FAQs and some useful links about getting started :). Let us know what you think and we can hopefully help you to get him napping more happily in bed x