SO frustrated with day sleeps :(

[Ezz]

I hadn't noticed the red eyebrows before, but today I was watching for them

Well, the two short sleeps didn't work so well this afternoon . He ended up getting really tired and cranky (screaming) and I ended up patting him to sleep in my arms (where he slept for over an hour). I think it was my own fault yesterday though - I waited too long to put him to bed when he was tired (because I wanted to finish my lunch with my friends!).

Bek - Thanks for your comment about just aiming for one long sleep each day - the info from Karitane says that he should be sleeping 3 x 2 hour day sleeps - which just stresses me out! I guess I should lower my expectations for now! (he does do 1 x 2 hour nap most days - usually in the middle of the day).

Sounds like he's just put himself back to sleep again (after a feed)... I'm off to bed!

[~Trish~]

Ezz - I don't know many babies who actually do 3 x 2 hour naps a day! I let things like that stress me out too until I realised my bub just doesn't fit into that "square"! Once I accepted it I relaxed and it all got a bit easier.

Definitely watch for those tired signs, it is a much easier to get your baby to sleep well if he isn't over tired. Watch for jerky movements (my DS would start kicking his legs jerkily), grizzling and yawns (and the red eyebrows if your bub does it too!). As soon as he shows tiredness put him straight to bed. Don't worry that you got him back to sleep in your arms, at least he went back to sleep! He will eventually get it.

You're doing a great job!

[shellbell3]

I'm glad I never was told bout the 3 2hr sleeps I think I'd stress too cause my DD did nothing even close to that!

The other thing I thought of is a bouncer if you have one. DD used to have alot day sleeps in one cause I'd just sit on the couch and relax and rock her with my foot til she went to sleep.

[Spring Angel]

3 x 2 hours sleeps, unheard of here.

We are lucky to get one 1.5 hour sleep. So I agree with the others, just go with the flow and follow bubs lead.

Spring

[KatieRabbit]

Ezz, I had a little chuckle as my DD (who shares a b/day with your DS) does the exact same thing and I am puzzled too! She even does the 'wake from the pram when you walk in the front door' bit as well. Anyway, waking out of her sleep is an issue but I find that (sometimes) after she wakes at 45mins and I leave her 10mins to see if she will self-settle, she will and mostly not. When she continues grizzling/full crying I pick her up for cuddles, stay in the room holding her over the shoulder (not cradle hold- she loves that to go to sleep but she is too heavy to walk to sleep) and shhhhing and patting, then I put her down. And funnily enough a few times she has gone back to sleep! When they wake at 45 they are still tired.If you have to get him up, keep him up for a short time only then back to bed (say 20 mins then start sleep routine). If I keep DD up to her next feed she is impossible (overtired) to get back to sleep. Also, I have found one hour up time is enough for her. Anymore and sleep is a big problem. Have you heard whether they grow out of waking out of the sleep cycle and if so when? Dd has been doing it for about 3-4 wks now.

[KatieRabbit]

I have just read Belle with the Bump's thread called Won't sleep longer than 30 mins and Bucca posts a link in it to a NZ site that talks about sleep cycle strategies. Worth a read!

[Willow]

Hi Ezz. We've spoken about all this before and Trish, Spring and I are 'sleep buddies' so anything they have to say, I completely agree with!!

But I just wanted to add this - I was where you are now about 6 weeks ago, and I was there for a loooooong time, I tried everything to get the boy to sleep. I resettled my brain out but guess what?? IT DOES WORK!!

He now does 3 sleeps a day of 1.5-2hours and I haven't had to resettle him during a sleep for weeks now

I have to admit, that 3x 2 hour sleep bit did my head in too but seriously, I don't know any baby that has slept that much during the day at this age. Maybe one or two big sleeps like that, but not all three.

While i was 'in it' I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, I thought it would never end but I promise you, you're doing all the right things and he is going to 'get it' really, really soon. In my experience, they usually get it around 16-18 weeks, which seems like forever away probably, but when it happens, it's sooooooo great!!

Your hard work will pay off, don't give up!

PS The times I just couldn't get him to resettle we would do feed, play, sleep, play. Try not to move his feeds forward, keep them spaced out as they normally would be otherwise you might be feeding too often which can cause a whole other set of problems...