rolling over shortens naps

[micah'smom]

hi everyone

my 4 month old just recently beat 45 minute naps. he got to doing a 2hr morning nap, 1hr afternoon, and 1.5 in the evening.

BUT.... now he's rolling over about an hour into his first nap and can't go back to sleep. (tummy sleeper so rolls over tummy to back). sometimes he just babbles, sometimes he cries right away.

what do i do? when i roll him over it's hit or miss-  sometimes he goes back to sleep, sometimes he rolls over again.

if i leave him to babble i'm afraid he'll get used to waking early from naps. or is it best to try to train him to sleep on his back?

tia
selena

[Gigismom]

For us, the rolling over thing was temporary.  it disturbed her sleep for about a week.  i would go in a roll her back over.  she usually went back to sleep.  if not, oh well!  it's just one of those phases they have to go through.

[micah'smom]

hi lindsey,

thanks for responding. so your lo just stopped rolling at night? i guess i should just take it easy and enjoy the fact that he's developing!

[Gigismom]

no, she didn't stop rolling, she just got used to the sensation of doing it and of sleeping in different positions.  she actually sleeps better now that she sleeps on her tummy or her side.  just be careful and try not to engage in any accidental parenting along the way.  you can try to get him back to sleep, but sometimes it just might work.  we had to endure short naps for a while until she got the hang of it.  they always have something up their sleeves, if it's not rolling over that's waking them, it's teething!!

[Matthew's Mommy]

Give plenty plenty of opportunities for rolling about during awake time. Lots of floor time, and tummy time, especially tummy to back activities ( set up a little gym, put her on her belly under it to encourage the rolling to her back.

After you put her down, and she's into her sleep.  Quietly and discreetly as humanly possible, go in prior to her "roll over" habit. When she goes for the roll, put you hand on her to stop the roll. Act as though you are not even there.. no talking, or trying to engage her attention.  Keeping stopping the roll, by blocking it with your hand on her hip and shoulder.
Still let her shift about.. just block the roll.  Also, make the room as dark as possible so she doesn't "see" you.

What you are teaching her is awake time is for rolling around, nap and night sleep is for sleeping.

[Matthew's Mommy]

Opps.. replace she with he!! :oops:

Also, you'll get a sense of when to block and when to release.. also, as naps pass, you'll find that you won't have to keep blocking for long.. etc. Then you won't even have to go in.

[jennc123]

this is great advice, thankyou...I have been doing this because my liitle one is a roller!...

[micah'smom]

jane,
thanks for the tip - for some reason ds just refuses to even try to roll over when awake! i need some better toys on his gymini!