Hi, my lov is almost 14 weeks old and I have yet to break the 40 minute nap problem. She began it it seems basically after the 2-3 week womb sleepyness left. I have tried pat-shush and staying with her but she gets worked up and mad and then I've found, when I try to extend the naps, it appears to make her more sleep resistant altogether, as it's like she associates the frustration of the sleep extending with the sleep. I read a post on the nap board about when they're younger doing a bit of accidental parenting (ie stroller ride) to extend and then change the strategy around three months; however, she's over three so I don't think I should try the accidental, right?
Her feeds seem to never be a problem for her, just her sleep. Feeds are b/t 3 1/2 to four hours. She's combo touchy-spirited . . . that type that people think she's not tired-- just happy when really she's tired; the type that hears every tit and sees the movement (the shades moving ever so slightly by the airconditioning) . . . (unfortunately, it's not pitch black in the room even though I do have black out over the two windows in her room . . . I don't know how to get it any darker with the two windows in there.)
Anyhow, the forty minute naps truly are what I guess Tracy would call a "routine buster" and I wish soooo much I could help her get rid of them. As I've had no luck, is there much hope at all that she will "grow out of it"? I feel as though if I ever do get her to sleep through one of them w/ or without my help that with any event or anything over a weekend, I then result to not wanting to go in case she might be able to sleep through or that I might be able to help her to. Then of course, as it's a very uncommon occurance, she won't. My husband resents this "stay at home and try to nap her all day stuff" -- extended family don't like it either.
Paci wise, she's one of those that spits it out 5 or 10 later crying, so we quit giving them a long time ago. She will wiggle her fingers in her mouth sometimes and suck a few seconds only to frustrate herself. I swaddle her--all but one hand in case she decides not to frustrate herself with it one day. She has done some mantra stuff but most of the time it turns, which makes me feel bad for leaving her through even the mantra part and then of course I can't get her back. I've even done the enter early thing and she still wakes and gets upset . . . why is that?
Thanks in advance for any help!
