9 week old - Won't nap at all!

[Jasperc163]

Can anyone help? My 9week old daughter is refusing to nap in the daytime at all (apart from maybe a couple of 10 min snoozes). She has reflux we think (on ranitidine and gaviscon) but sleeps very well at night (bed at 6.30-7pm, feed (bottle) at 10-10.30) and now sleeps through to 6.30/7am).

However in the daytime she refuses to nap, either in her crib or anywhere else. As a result she gets more and more difficult as the day goes on (until bath time) but it is difficult to tell if her colicky type behaviour later in the day is all discomfort or partially at least, overtiredness. She has gone 13hrs before without sleeping during the day. She is swaddled at night and for attempts at daytime naps. She feeds very slowly so can take an hour or so for a feed.

Routine as follows :
7 am feed
8.30/9 ish attempt to get her to nap
10/10.30 feed
12.00 attempt to get her to nap
2pm Feed
3.30/4pm attempt to get her to nap!
5pm partial feed followed by bath (which she loves) and rest of feed
6.30 pm To bed (usually not too difficult about this but then of course she is exhausted!)
10.30 feed

thanks :?
Alice

[Mom2katiebug]

We just went through 3.5 tough days with our DD.  She would nap, but they were very short.  I think my DD wasn't eating enough.  Was wondering how much your LO is eating and when.

Am assuming that you have a wind-down routine for her - even for naps.  And, was wondering if another bath - not to wash her, but to calm her - might help.  You might never get all the naps you want/need, but it might take the edge off an overtired, cranky baby.

[mommyof2boys]

Hello there,

Sounds like things are a bit tough right now.  I'm so sorry!

I would recommend cutting down on activity time.  At this age, she may just need to be fed and then put to bed again after no more than an hour--perhaps even 45 minutes.  You can add the fun cooing and singing together in a few weeks; it may just be too much for now.

Let us know how it goes!

[Deb_in_oz]

i agree with PP as 1.5-2hrs activity time at 9 weeks is likely to be way too much and by the time you are putting her down she is overtired. if she does not give you any tired signs until 1.5 - 2hrs than i woudl work off the clock and put her down bet 45m - 1hr at the latest and build from there if/when she is napping regularly

[Meg's Mom]

I too agree w/ all of the above, you might also want to look at the room environment, some babies need a dark room or anything will catch their attention and they will focus on it.

Shielding dc eyes with your hand also helps.

I would pat and shush dc on your shoulder first, to get dc drowsy, and then lie dc down, keeping with patting and shushing. In Tracy's sleep interview, she talks about this - the sleep interview is attached to the board, as an announcement.

Definately keep dc awake times short, especially for a newborn. If feed time is close to sleep time, that's okay, just make sure that dc isn't lying completley flat on dc back-- Tracy has always recommended raising the crib mattress slightly to aid in digestion. With a newborn/young infant, the EASY routine looks more like Awake and Sleep. The Eating and the Activity are together (since eating is an activity!)

Another thing you can do, is to stay with dc for the first 20 mins. to make sure dc enters deep sleep. Keep your hand on dc limbs and shield dc eyes as well. There's a post in the infant sleep thread regarding this.

[Jasperc163]

Thanks everyone. I will give the suggestion of shorter activity times a try. However at the moment everything else seems to be getting worse so I think I am not going to get anywhere for the time being. Afternoon crying has got worse and she is now getting difficult in the evening too (previously not a problem).

The doctor has put her on Nutramigen (as well as gaviscon and zantac) as her wind seems so bad to see if it helps.

alice

[Meg's Mom]

I am sorry things have gotten worse - please let us know if you need more help or support!

We also have a reflux forum if you think that might be the issue...and there is lots of helpful/experienced moms over there.

Hugs!

[Jasperc163]

thanks meg's mum

I have already posted on the Reflux board re the milk etc.

Still having problems with naps and she is now pretty much objecting to being put down to sleep at all (including at bedtime though she gives in much faster here). I try to put her in her cot (after wind down etc) when she is drowsy. A few weeks ago she would chatter away to herself in the evening and drift off to sleep. Now she screams at bedtime and during the day. The only way i can calm her is to give her the paci in her cot and sooth her and then remove it before she actually falls asleep (so at least she isnt falling asleep with it). However i am worried that this is still going to make her too dependent on it? ssh/pat etc don't seem to have much effect.

The above is in the evening. During the day she is far more resistant to sleep and i really can't get her to nap properly at all despite trying to watch for the slightest sign of tiredness and putting her to bed much sooner after she has fed? (she yawns alot but resists sleep if i try). She is managing on about 30-1hr MAX napping a day which i know is nowhere near enough at 10 weeks!!

Do i persist through the whole of the planned nap time with soothing her etc even if she doesnt go to sleep, in the hope that she will get less resistant over time?

thanks again