My baby is not napping at all, AT ALL. What to do.

[lovebebes]

Title says it all. Im so exhausted i can barely stand up by the day's end. My other two kids get no time with me during the day :(
My new dd is 4.5 months old and I really hoped something would have changed by now. I have to admit it to myself-it has not. She does not sleep during the day at all. She STTN since she was maybe 6 weeks old or so..occasionally she may have woken up to nurse, but i nurse lying down( we cosleep) so not a big deal.
But during the day it is just a huge huge problem. No matter what I do she will not sleep unless she is on me. I can nurse her lying down in the bed, and then sneak away once she is asleep. She is guaranteed to awaken in under 5 minutes. If i put her down 10 times in a row she will awaken 10 times in a row. I could spend HOURS doing this and it will keep on happening. She can be exhausted and going on like SIX hours of no sleep at all, and still she will not sleep.
What can I do? I am so frustrated.
ps she will sleep in the stroller outside but i need her to sleep INSIDE so i can sometimes do something for myself, my other two or my husband...

ps so yea ive totally disappeared from the boards because i do not have the energy or time to post :( I have not ONE minute to myself unless my mom is walking her in stroller outside. I love her so much and want to give all of myself to her but my health is suffering i seriously need a break mentally and physically. If I could even just count on ONE NAP a day....even 30 minutes....would be so amazing.

[DrSally]

The only way my babies napped for quite a few months was in the swing. At that age, I'd just do whatever I could to help them get a nap--swaddling, nursing down, rocking, swing, etc. Mine weren't STTN until muuuch later though, so I don't know if that's affecting it. They still need naps though! I hope something works soon!
Do you sling? Sometimes DD would fall asleep in the sling when her cheek was up agaist my skin.

ETA: I see on closer read that you nurse her down and she wakes right back up. I had that same problem with DS and it was sooo frustrating. Over and over and over. For me, the only thing that seemed to help was letting him fuss a bit and see if he could go back to sleep. Not exactly CIO by any means, falling asleep at the breast and then waking up realizing there is no breast is a hard cycle to break, KWIM? The other thing I did that bought me a little nap time was to nurse DS to sleep and then pop a paci in and he'd continue sucking on that. That worked--for a little while. Ultimately, I think there comes a time when you have to put them down relaxed and fed, but semi-drowsy and not asleep, so they don't awaken when they realize the same conditions aren't there as when they fell asleep. I think Weisbluth talks about it as being analagous to just as you fall asleep, someone swipes your pillow--LOL.

[MomToOne]

What about wearing her around the house?

[momm]

hi, I am so sorry to read the exhaustion in your post. :grouphug:

I have a bad sleeper as well. These are the things that work for me for naps (though not all the time):


- I put the curtains down and make it semi-dark, turn on his mobile which has a nice slow music to it. Or I turn on the glowworm with music and soft lights. I sit in the rocking chair and rock or nurse him to sleep. I walk to the bed (we co-sleep too) and lay down along with him, allowing him to continue nursing. When he stops suckling, I break the suck and lay there for another minute letting him feel my warmth. Then I place a soft toy/ with a shirt of mine that I've worn, smelling like me, and gently get up.
Sounds very long I know lol but it's not too long a process.

- If I am busy I keep him in the swing and he fusses, but falls asleep about 50% of the time. May or may not work.

- If I am at my wits end I wear him in my sleepy wrap. I love the thing and he loves sleeping next to me. I wear him, bounce him around for a minute and he falls asleep, and remain asleep. I can get stuff done around the house

- If none of the above work, I lay down next to him or lay him on top of me while I sit on the rocking chair, and I read or generally give myself a nice hour-long "reward" - getting to lay down in the middle of the day and read! he sleeps like a baby , as they say, and wakes up refreshed.
Consider it a reward and not a PITA!

Good luck, I hope something works for you soon.


ETA: PS - I do want to say that it's not the best for sleep training, but whatever works for you to get some rest and get through these days.

[bubbaray]

Will she sleep in her stroller INSIDE? Have the older children walk the stroller around inside or outside in your yard?

Are you swaddling??? Definitely try that.

Have you tried a wearing her -- a wrap or ergo would be worth a try.

Hope you find something that works!

[ashleybama24]

My son was an awful napper for the first few months. He would only nap in a swing but would sleep all night in his crib without a problem. We couldn't go anywhere! I think I also finally got him to take a pacifier at this age. I know it's an awful habit but bf babies need something else for soothing when Mom isn't around. It also kept him asleep longer so it was worth it. I would also try wearing your baby in a wrap or introducing a blankie that smells like you so that if she is sleeping she "thinks" you are nearby.