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View Full Version : HELP!! My sleepless infant needs rest!!



Marissa
12-09-2003, 09:50 AM
I am about at the end of my rope. My 3-month old son is woefully sleep-deprived, and I can't seem to get him onto a decent sleep pattern, plus, he starts daycare next month (we're transitioning him now), and he doesn't nap there at all!!

I know he's supposed to get 4-6 hours of naps, over the course of 2-3 naps a day, plus 10-11 hours sleep at night. Well, last night, he slept for a total of 7 /12 hours (including 3 long wakenings), and yesterday napped for a TOTAL of 1 hour, spread over 3 naps (20 minutes each). The poor little guy is so tired and cranky all the time, I don't know what to do about it!
Once in a while, he'll crash for an hour or two nap (like he is now), but that's only at home. At the day care center, he's napped for only 20 minute stretches. At the center, he's one of 6 babies, with 3 attendants. They are wonderful, and willing to work with me to help him sleep, but he just won't!!

My husband and I won't do the "Cry it Out" method, and are working with the No-Cry Sleep Solution book. ANY thoughts or hints would be GREATLY appreciated!!

~Marissa

shishamo
12-11-2003, 09:51 PM
Hi,

I don't have any suggestions but your son sounds just like my daughter (who's 20 months old now). She used to be in the same sleep pattern. I just want to say that she now sleeps 10-11 hours at night straight and naps from 45 min to 1.5 hours. I'm still working on the nap part (I want 1.5-2 hours everyday), but As they get older, things will get better. We tried a combination of both CIO and no-cry sleep solution, etc., etc. I can't say what worked and what didn't, since for example she pretty much refused to give up when we tried to cry it out.
Hang in there, and if you are nursing, try co-sleeping or slinging. That was what got me thru the first year. Trust me, it will get better! Also, my gut feeling is that the daycare people will probably be able to find a way to nap him, whether it's short or long. Also, as he gets older, he will be able to handle the tiredness better and won't need to nap so much.

Sara

Raidra
01-09-2004, 02:25 PM
I'm by no means an expert, but have you tried getting him to sleep for a nap before he's actually tired? My son (nearly 3 months) only took 20 minute naps and was very cranky in between naps until I remembered something I had read here while I was still pregnant. The idea was to start settling the baby down for a nap 1-2 hours after they wake up, depending on the baby's age. My son now sleeps about an hour to an hour and a half at each nap. I always swaddle him and start rocking him at the latest, 1 1/2 hours after he wakes up. If he takes a shorter nap, I start his next nap sooner, as he starts to get fussy earlier. Sometimes that means 5 naps in a day if he's not sleeping a full hour, but he's very rarely fussy now, and falls asleep very quickly (he used to fight naps when he was cranky and overtired).

Just a thought. :)

Rachel