Nightmare Naps

Hi all!
Well, it wouldn't be a normal day around my house if Owen didn't have at least one sleep issue!!!!
So, I finally got him back on track at night but now I'm having a hard time with his naps.
He is on a 2 1/2 hour cycle all day long. He eats, plays and then naps in that order all day long. Normally he takes a 1 - 1 1/2 hour naps in each cycle. But this week he will only take 40 minute naps. He is clearly exhausted but I can't get him to STAY asleep. I feel like all I do all day long is fight him into naps!!!!

Is anyone going through this or gone through this? Any suggestions or advice?
He is wearing me out and today I yelled at him during the last "nap" and then I just felt terrible about it.

Thanks
Lou

Well,firstly hun,I think every mother yells at her kids at some point.I know how exausting it is or frustrating when you just want to put them down and go take a shower,bath,do some laundry or something for you.I think though that you are lucky with the naps.My little sweety wont sleep that long.She sleeps from about 11pm-midnight until about 6am,then she feeds and goes back to sleep until about 10am,Then she wakes ,feeds ,plays for about an hour or 2 ,then she will go down for a 2 ish hour nap,thats it the rest of the day she needs to be rocked,played with or entertained until her bed time,that period of time is only broken by 10-20 minute catnaps .I have gotten used to the fact that I have to get all my stuff done in the morning,the afternoon,she feeds WAY more,sometimes every hour and I cant leave her to her own devices as she gets bored.

I think all babies are different,at this age,it's very likely that as soon as you get used to his new rythm,he will change it.One of the many joys of chilhood.Probably wont last long.Tiff is the one who has read the sleep books,perhaos she will have a more helpful answer than me Great to see you here though!

Thanks Angel!
You are so right. Every baby is so different! I guess I should just count my blessings that he sleeps well most night! Ultimately, that is more important to my sanity right now! hahaha!!!!!!
My DH and I are kinda falling into a good pattern. He is on duty from 9-1 every night. That way, I can take a hot bath and go to bed at a decent hour and once he comes to bed, he brings the monitor back to our room and then it's my turn! It's a much needed break for me!
So your little one needs constant entertainment? I'll bet you see a change in that over the next few weeks. Owen was like that until about 3 weeks ago and now I can leave him to play on his own. I feel guilty when I do but I can't entertain him every second of the day..
Ok.... I'm rambling now! I guess I'm just glad to talk to you again!!!

Me too hunny!Yeah she does need stimulation,I am gonna get her one of those over the head baby gym thingy soon.She is bored I think LOL!

Glad you have a routine going with hubby.I am not in a routine at all yet,3 days a week I am childminding a half day then 2 days a week I have 2 extra kids for a full day,starting to realise that I need to plan everything more.Not east when one has ADD,a kid with ADHD and a new born!Still it's all good fun!LOLI havn't had those conditions confirmed yet,but I am 95% sure from all the research I have done!Still,I am lucky to have all that I do.Are you planning to put Owen in daycare if you return to work?

hey lou lou! Kaydance doesn't nap!!! lol, i just wanted you to know you aren't alone. she sleeps wonderfully at night, she will sleep for like 11-13 hours every night, but napping during the day, i would be luck to get her to take one 1 hour nap, and then maybe two 20-30 minute naps during the day! its been like that since she was about 4 month old. i just count my blessings that she sleeps so well at night. on the other hand, she is awesome when you plunk her down with some toys, she can entertain herself for a good while as long as im around folding laundry, or working or whatever i happen to need to do at that particular moment.

now that shes started daycare, i almost feel bad for them cause she doesn't hardly nap at all, even there. but they do tell me its not bad cause shes so easy to entertain.

and angel, kaydance used to behave like that when she was tiny, always needing constant attention, but now shes awesome at entertaining herself like i said there is hope that someday you might get to put your baby girl down and get something done lol!!!

hand up over here too!!!!
Kiers is a little poo bum! he sleeps awesome at night from 8pm-830am but when it comes to the day sleeps its an hour if im lucky, unless he going through a growth spurt and then he may have a 2 hour sleep, at the mo im trying to cut all his little sleeps out so he has just 2 big sleeps, hopefully that may change things!
Hopefully things will settle down and he starts sleeping longer for you!! xox

Well, he will go down for naps..... he just wont STAY there!!! haha!

He usually sleeps 30 mins but it's iffy! I just wish he was a little more consistent.
I feel like I can't get anything done during nap time because if I don't catch him as soon as he starts to cry out then it gets out of control and he wont go back down!!!

A couple of good naps a day would give me a much needed break! I guess we are all in the same boat.

So how do you all cope? What are you trying to do to fix it?

well if Kiers has only been in bed for 10-20 mins i go in and put the pacifier back in his mouth and turn the vacum cleaner on, he sleeps really well to the noise, it means my power bill is going up but it works, he will be sleeping within 2 mins if i leave it running and the moment i turn it off he wakes up, so i cheat a bit. If he has had an hour sleep already i allow him to get up. His room must be the cleanest int the whole house no dust at all

Lou Lou - Oh sweet heart, don't feel bad, we all get frustrated at times and they do go through these phases where they just don't follow their normal pattern of sleep. The only thing I would suggest is don't go to him right away when he wakes and see if he goes back to sleep. Where does he have his day time naps?

He takes his naps in his crib and just this weekend we have started to let him cio a little bit. We give him 3, 5 and 10 minutes and then we stay at the 10 minute mark. It has helped him at night but today and yesterday he skipped two naps. I do think we are just in an adjustment period but it's just hard to keep my cool sometimes!

Is Molly a good napper?

Sounds like you are doing all the right things. Molly is a good napper if we are consistent with her routine so it makes things difficult if she is staying with someone else. She always goes in the dining room in her buggy with the radio on and the window slightly open, otherwise she won't sleep. She normally naps after being awake for 3 hours. She looks so sweet when she is asleep x

lou lou, did you manage to get out of the house at all today? i hope you feel better hun!!!

yes! I did get out and I've decided I have to make more of an effort to do that!
I feel soooo much better today!
Thanks for asking!

Lucy seems to be about the same age as Owen -- we have been having the nap nightmares too. She just won't sleep, unless I am holding her or napping with her. And I can't get her to sleep then sneak away either, because every 10 min or so she slits her eyes open to peek and make sure if I am still there ... and if she thinks I am not both eyes and the mouth pop open and instant crying. It seems like I get absolutely nothing done all day long.

She is wonderful at night, 8 or 9 p.m. straight thru til 6 or 7 a.m. I am sooo thankful for that!

At least you are not alone!

It's so frustrating isn't it?! I managed to lay down with Owen today for about 30 minutes and then I was able to sleep away. He ended up sleeping another 45 or so! I have been getting out of the house every day going for a long walk and he sleeps the whole time so at least he's getting one 2 hour nap during the day but I know he still needs more sleep than that!

I think we should have a sleep support thread.... I know there are a few others struggling with this subject too and a few that might be able to shed some light!

Ok, so today we had a success.

I laid on the bed with Lucy this afternoon, me reading, her wide awake and playing as usual but cranky because she was tired. I went into the bathroom for a minute or two. When I came back she had pulled the sheet and blanket over her face. I pulled them off her and she was asleep under there! Of course she immediately woke up, and pulled her bib (also sitting right there) over her face and went right back to sleep. I pulled the bib up so it was only covering her eyes, and she slept for an hour and a half!!!!

Do they make baby sleep masks?