My 4 month old does not sleep during the day. I've asked so many people for tips and I am usually told 'get used to it'. Surely there is something I can do?! He will usually fall asleep on the boob but as soon as I move, he wakes up. I have a white noise player and a Lulla doll. I've tried self settling but he just gets really worked up and starts making this awful coughing/choking sound. (he's not actually choking and I always pick him up when he starts to get too upset.) I'm at a loss for what to do!
7 Replies
Some babies just don't unfortunately! My son was one of them, I tried everything too and it was all a waste of time lol. He'd be exhausted but to interested in everything going on around him to sleep.
I could get him to have a 20 minute catnap if I was lucky by swaddling him and putting him down in a pitch black room, he'd kind if whine for 15 minutes and then drift off (if he was or became hysterical, I'd abandon the attempt). Does he take a dummy? My son had a strong need to suckle, the dummy helped him settle somewhat.
The only other advice would be to baby wear, just so you have your hands free to get things done.
Dont move. Get your cup pf tea and snack ready and relax and sleep. Otherwise, get a sling and tie him on so you can still walk around and get things done.
seems like youre on a mission to put him down alone and I think as long as he feels that he wont let you move a muscle.
My nephew was like this, but not forever. I think my sister battled through with the with cat naps, gave wind drops, tried everything (thought it was wind) but I think at about 9 months he settled into his naps. I know as a toddler he had really good naps, I hope things improve for you soon xxxx
My boy was a lot of work. Things that helped were popping him in the stroller and pushing it back and forth over a crack on the floor.
Going for a drive.
Guarantee he'd fall asleep if we left the house! The more noise going on the better he'd sleep.
He'd fall asleep in this rocker baby seat we had at the time.
In the car seat/capsule he'd sleep if I gently swung it.
Take the opportunity to nap. That's what I did with my first and felt wonderful after the naps!
http://sleepandsettle.com.au/ this woman literally saved my life!! My little one was 3 months old and I couldn't move day or night when she was sleeping.. A 1hr phone call and my life changed! Swear by her and will be using the same strategies with the next one!
I wrote a very similar post a hear or so back when my baby was the same age. The things I found that helped were
- blacking out tbe room (I mean really black!)
- doing exactly the same bedtime routine for all sleeps, whether that be story, feed then wrap or whatever. If you do the same thing every time they eventually start to understand that sleep comes after X and it helps them settle.
- I found singing a song (always the same one and I never sing it in any other setting) while I cuddled him for a few mins just before putting him down also helped. The association between sleep and the song is now strong and it is a solid sleep cue.
- then when I put him down I rub his back till he's almost asleep and try to let him do the last bit on his own.
If your baby goes mental when you put them down drowsy but awake, id say they aren't ready yet and just put them down fully asleep or let them sleep on you. It's horrible and depressing having a screaming baby.
I went to sleep school, tried to let my boy self settle (cry) and all the rest but the only thing that really helped was him becoming more active. Once he crawled, the naps went from 45m to 1.5hrs , once he started walking they got longer again and he was less resistant to going to sleep.
Some kids aren't good sleepers, mine still doesn't sleep through the night but it's so much better than it was. I don't think you should just suck it up and cope with no break from your baby (cause that's what naptime gives us!) but trust that they will sleep for longer eventually. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
I remember one mum said to me that your baby's sleep will get better, then worse, then better, then worse and on and on! It's 3 steps forward and one back, the whole time.
Good luck x