Naps in cot shorter than buggy/car

[newmummy1]

Hi all,

I am new to this forum- I hope I have posted in the correct place!

My baby is almost 5 months and I have been implementing PUPD and naps in the cot in the past 10 days. Previously my baby would only nap in the buggy or the car, often with the buggy inside the house pacing up and down with white noise. The naps were 1-2 hours but now we are doing all naps at home in the cot with PUPD (and white noise still), they are only ever 30-45 mins. I have found it hard to follow an EASY pattern with the short naps and now he is massively grumpy and overtired! I tried to extend naps with PUPD a couple of times and he was so angry and upset for the rest of the day.

PUPD has decreased the night wakings from 4-7 to 2-3 which is more manageable. He is a spirited baby though and can be resistant to PUPD, on good days it takes maybe 5 mins and 1 put down but on bad days it has taken up to 2 hours and I have abandoned naps completely! He doesnt stop crying when I pick him necessarily..

I would love to hear others people's advice and success stories as some days I am really struggling with the PUPD tears.

Many thanks,
Newmummy1

[becj86]

Hi, welcome to BW

Sometimes PUPD isn't the best approach with a spirited LO. Have you tried shush/pat or some variation like holding a hand on his chest and singing?
Given the length of the naps, I'm wondering what A times you're doing, do you mind writing out a day or two in EAS format?

Nights often get better just with getting a daytime routine that is more appropriate for LO.

[newmummy1]

Hi sorry for the delay in replying. Having a terrible time with sleep in the last few daya. Waking at all times in the night and short naps. He is so overtired it is making me so upset.

There has been such a lack of routine but i can write what happened yday:

8.10am awake (up lots in the night)- feed
8.45Am activity
10.18 sleep in cot (took 20 mins to go down)
10.45 awake- feed
11.10 activity
12.40 sleep in buggy (parents giving me a break)
1.40 feed
2.05 activity
3.10 feed
3.30 activity
4.30 sleep in cot (took 30 mins)
5.05 awake- feed
5.30 activity
6.30 bath
7.10 feed
8 sleep
11.20 awake feed

Doing some shush pat as part of pupd, should it be when in the cot or you can hold too?

Taking so long to get down it is so hard :-(

I think he is overtired but dont know how to fix.

[becj86]

I think he's undertired for most of those naps and that's why he's taking so long to fall asleep and taking short naps.

Given average A times at this age are 2:15-2:30, I'd try doing that (2:15 at least, 2:30 ideally) from the first A time and keep it consistent for 3-4 days and see how he goes. Over that time I would expect to see his naps get longer and the NWs in the early hours of the morning decrease in length and frequency.

Has he ever gone down for naps easily?