6month baby can't seem to get enough sleep by day now!

73trix

Sorry for long post.

I have posted before in despair about my baby's non-day-napping since he was born and the battles that have ensued but as they say "be careful what you wish for!".

He has started to nap more by day in last 2-3wks. Only prob is that he naps TOO much. And seems to want to go to bed for the night earlier and earlier.

Day naps:- Awake for the day from 7am approx. since clocks changed. Grumpy for nap after 1st bottle. Goes back for 10-20mins some days. can still seem tired. After that, fairly grumpy for a sleep. I finally get him to nap between 9.30 and 11 depending on the day and this can be anything from 30mins to 90mins ( a very new thing. baby never slept longer than 30mins til a week ago). So he's up then. Maybe content for 30-60mins and then..tired again. Today he slept 9.30- 10. Was grumpy until I succeeded in getting him back to sleep from 11.30-1 (with a spell awake after 30mins but went back to sleep). Napped again at 3.30 for 20mins. Napped in car again at 5pm for 20mins. Then he was tired grumpy for rest of eve til bed. Majorly cranky from 6pm when I could have put him down but I think its too early.I put him down at 6.45 as he was so cross. We used to put him down at 6pm before clocks changed and were delighted that this became 7pm but now he still seems to want to go at 6. If we put him down again at 6pm new time, will it be 5pm the next time? I can't figure it out but nomatter what bed time is, he is very cranky for at least an hour beforehand and you can't do anything with him.

This latest phase means that between feeds (recently on solids) and sleeps and fights about sleeps, I am having very little playtime with him or he has verylittle time that he is just content playing.

He is good at nighttime lucikly. Sleeps 7-7 with one nite bottle. I wish I could get the hang of his day naps!

RentDayBlues

My first slept a lot, my second doesn't, they all find their way.

From what you posted it seems that he's not getting proper naps and then is over tired. I use this link as a good guide http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-much-sleep-does-your-child-need_7645.bc

I think you may need to look at setting nap times and only letting him sleep then. If he's up at 7 and bed at 7, ideally you need 3 hours over 2 naps. So maybe 10-11:30 and then 2:30-4. My first slept like this but if she was unwell she'd sleep forever.

The routine I've put up means he's awake for a maximum of 3 hours and you can schedule food around it.

If either of mine nap in the car, even for 5 mins they are in such bad form, they need their proper naps in bed

RentDayBlues

To add, to get the baby into this routine I had to work really hard to entertain her during her 3 awake hours, but if you think it's food and play it's easy to fill

73trix

RentDayBlues wrote: »

I think you may need to look at setting nap times and only letting him sleep then. If he's up at 7 and bed at 7, ideally you need 3 hours over 2 naps. So maybe 10-11:30 and then 2:30-4. My first slept like this but if she was unwell she'd sleep forever.

Thanks RDB but what do I do with him from 7-10? He is always tired after his first bottle at 7ish and sometimes goes back to sleep for a short nap in cot or else after breaksfast- 8/8.30ish - could nod off in his high chair. Should I stop him taking this short nap and try hold him off til a proper one later in a.m. ?

What you said about naps in car makes sense tho. I feel groggy after sleeping while travelling. Poor buck.

73trix

I was typing when you posted this. My question answered! :-)

RentDayBlues

73trix wrote: »

I was typing when you posted this. My question answered! :-)

Hope it helps, it's definitely work for the parents to get good naps going but so worth it. Babies will be in better form and you'll feel you're getting a break.

73trix

Oh my god! How, how, how do you do it? This morning has been a disaster.

Awake and bottle at 7.30. Looking to sleep after. Tried keeping awake but he just whinged and eventually let him nap about 10mins. Still grumpy. Gave breakfast but he half ate it. Tired cues . By 9am I tried the cot. Very cross and seemed overtired. Eventually after ckt not working put him into buggy and rocked to sleep. Slept 3rd in a. Overdue bottle. Took half. Still tired cues. Tried putting back in cot. Since then he's giving out in cot. He's giving out when taken up. I can't win !!its now 12pm.

Yest he slept 11.30-12 and 12.10 to 12pm is when I realised I got him up too soon. I'm trying not to do that today but nothing is working.

pwurple

Is that morning bottle warm 73trix? Mine could never keep awake after a warm bottle.

Try a cold one from the fridge, or room temp max instead if it is.

At 6 months we were getting 2 to 3 hours between naps. I never did cot during the day as I found it far too restrictive. I'd do buggy and be out and about going for a walk to the shops, or doing some gardening, visiting neighbours or pals. If I was stuck in the house with weather, I could never get them to nap without ambient noise. So a bit of lyric FM on or something (Today FM was just a constant stream of expletives out of Ray Darcy which I didn't want to brainwash into the baby!)


They nap badly when they are overtired, it's really weird.

Jerrica

If he needs to sleep he needs to sleep, some babies go through mega sleep phases, it doesn't mean he's going to want to sleep all the time for years to come. I really don't want to sound smart in saying this, but is there a reason for you why this is an issue?

73trix

Jerrica wrote: »

If he needs to sleep he needs to sleep, some babies go through mega sleep phases, it doesn't mean he's going to want to sleep all the time for years to come. I really don't want to sound smart in saying this, but is there a reason for you why this is an issue?

I'm not explaining myself very well. My issue is that I have been finding the last couple of days very stressful. My little guy seems constantly tired and cranky. I seem to be spending most of my time trying to help him sleep. But even after a nap he is still tired. He doesn't cry just whinges and I can't do anything as he is not content. If he needs to sleep all day - fine - if I could get him to sleep! Up to a couple of days ago I was craving him to nap by day but now he does but it's still never enough! I do take him out in buggy but I can't keep doing that . I am trying the advice give here e.g trying to keep him awake and stick with 2 naps but I can't keep him entertained in between. He used to play in his gym or be content in his bouncy chair for periods but these days this only lasts minutes until he is giving out. I can't leave the room and he's shouting for me. If he would nap and then be content for a little and play a bit between naps it would be great. I don't get any playtime with him at all these days. It's feed, nap, whinge about being tired, try nap again, feed, whinge that he is tired etc and the same thing over until bedtime. He sleeps brilliantly at nite which is keeping us sane but it's not much fun by day at the moment. It is very wearing as I can't get a break..

Its only been this bad the past few days. Teething?

73trix

pwurple wrote: »

Is that morning bottle warm 73trix? Mine could never keep awake after a warm bottle.

Try a cold one from the fridge, or room temp max instead if it is.

At 6 months we were getting 2 to 3 hours between naps. I never did cot during the day as I found it far too restrictive. I'd do buggy and be out and about going for a walk to the shops, or doing some gardening, visiting neighbours or pals. If I was stuck in the house with weather, I could never get them to nap without ambient noise. So a bit of lyric FM on or something (Today FM was just a constant stream of expletives out of Ray Darcy which I didn't want to brainwash into the baby!)


They nap badly when they are overtired, it's really weird.

I tried your suggestions thank you. The radio may have helped eventually but it still took an hour and half yest afternoon trying to get him to sleep. Eventually he slept for 2 hours in cot 2.30-4.30 waking in the mid dle but did get back to sleep with some effort. I was delighted but from the time I took him up til bedtime -7pm - he gave out as tho still tired and he looked exhausted. We put him to bed early as it was just too difficult. Then he was out like a light as usual.

pwurple

My little monkey is also fighting the sleep the last while. Very interested in the world around her, not interested in naps at all.

The weather has been good though, she is going off for me outdoors. Eventually. Luckily walks are good for me too!

Jerrica

73trix wrote: »

I'm not explaining myself very well. My issue is that I have been finding the last couple of days very stressful. My little guy seems constantly tired and cranky. I seem to be spending most of my time trying to help him sleep. But even after a nap he is still tired. He doesn't cry just whinges and I can't do anything as he is not content. If he needs to sleep all day - fine - if I could get him to sleep! Up to a couple of days ago I was craving him to nap by day but now he does but it's still never enough! I do take him out in buggy but I can't keep doing that . I am trying the advice give here e.g trying to keep him awake and stick with 2 naps but I can't keep him entertained in between. He used to play in his gym or be content in his bouncy chair for periods but these days this only lasts minutes until he is giving out. I can't leave the room and he's shouting for me. If he would nap and then be content for a little and play a bit between naps it would be great. I don't get any playtime with him at all these days. It's feed, nap, whinge about being tired, try nap again, feed, whinge that he is tired etc and the same thing over until bedtime. He sleeps brilliantly at nite which is keeping us sane but it's not much fun by day at the moment. It is very wearing as I can't get a break..

Its only been this bad the past few days. Teething?

Ah ok, that's a rough situation. My little girl is 8 and a bit months, and tbh her sleeping habits have been all over the place at various times, particularly around the six month mark. There's a huge growth spurt around that time so that could explain his need to rest more. After battling with routines and reading books and advice on line I king of let go of it all after a while and let her take the lead. When she starts getting into fussy periods I just have to leave her to it and trust that she'll go back to her sunny self after a few days. Not worrying about it saves me a lot of stress

Your little man will get back into his stride, one of the girls in my birth group had a little boy who was only awake for a few hours a day but it passed (around the same time as you're at now). I can't offer you any advice on how to fix it, but I for me things got a lot easier when I stopped trying to fix whatever bump my little lady was going through. They keep us on our toes!

73trix

Jerrica wrote: »

Ah ok, that's a rough situation. My little girl is 8 and a bit months, and tbh her sleeping habits have been all over the place at various times, particularly around the six month mark. There's a huge growth spurt around that time so that could explain his need to rest more. After battling with routines and reading books and advice on line I king of let go of it all after a while and let her take the lead. When she starts getting into fussy periods I just have to leave her to it and trust that she'll go back to her sunny self after a few days. Not worrying about it saves me a lot of stress

Your little man will get back into his stride, one of the girls in my birth group had a little boy who was only awake for a few hours a day but it passed (around the same time as you're at now). I can't offer you any advice on how to fix it, but I for me things got a lot easier when I stopped trying to fix whatever bump my little lady was going through. They keep us on our toes!

Thanks. My friends who are also parents (but past the baby stage so forget a lot of it now) just keep saying "everything is just a phase" ! I hope it passes quickly. I miss having fun times with my little guy and even just being able to leave him play for more than 2minutes at a time!

kildareash

Just a thought, but could you give him his breakfast when he wakes at 7 instead of bottle and bottle at the time you gave him his breakfast? Maybe some porridge first thing will fuel him for longer, and give him the bottle before he naps so he's not waking with hunger.

Or the other thing I'm thinking with the tiredness, could he be low in iron?

Marz66

My baby is around same age as yours and just had terrible time with teething but also 6 month growth spurt. Normally smiley happy but a demon at times the last few weeks and sleeping worse.

I had a look at the wonder weeks app and now is a stormy time for him! Put in your babies due date and see if he might be having his growth spurt around now. It *might* possibly explain the grumpiness.