Can't get a second sleep cycle...

[Arcadia]

My DD is easy to get to sleep (well, she does manage it eventually) its STAYING asleep that is the problem. The last week she has only managed one sleep cycle per day time nap. At night she is getting better and going for longer stretches (5-6hrs), but the days are a nightmare. She is constantly tired and doesn't want to play or interact because she's too overtired.

Apart from wearing her in the sling all day, does anyone have any other suggestions/experiences?

I generally rock/cuddle her to sleep, and put her down in her co-sleeper cot. Previously she has managed two sleep cycles with this method, but now she wakes after 30 mins crying for me.

I have tried putting her in the co-sleeper to pat to sleep, but she SCREAMS and I cannot bear it even for a second (and this is a gentle parenting thread anyway)...she is addicted to the bouncing/rocking I think...and I seem to be shifting from one sleep association to another...

HELP..does it get any easier???

[Kristin27]

Yes it does get better with time!

When your bub wakes crying it often means they haven't had enough sleep, this is the case with my DD. If this happen under one hour into her nap I will pick her up and rock her back to sleep, if that doesn't work I breastfeed her back to sleep. I keep the room dark and quiet. Also, if your DD wakes regularly after say 30 minutes, you could wait outside her room and when she stirs go in and pat her bottom/put the dummy in/rub her tummy before she wakes fully, this should help her go back to sleep without even knowing she woke.

If this doesn't work you could add an extra day sleep to get her through to evening?

[mumiloo]

Hiya, I have a similar issue with my DS (5 months old). I tried one of the suggestions from "No Cry Sleep Solution", which is to do something nearby/wait for them to wake up (e.g. my son has a 45 min sleep cycle so I would go into the room and wait at about 40 mins) and then as soon as they stir, to start doing what you did to get them to sleep in the first place. In my case this was breastfeeding him and patting his back. This did seem to work for me for a while but often he would wake up still and take 20 mins to go back down.

Lately it has been getting more and more difficult to resettle him and I was getting very cranky trying so I stopped doing it. He has "slept through" his cycle a few times- having a 1.5-3 hour sleep- but only does this maybe once every 2-3 days. Today he just had 3 x 45 min sleeps but was really cranky at bedtime. Other days he seems to cope ok. He sleeps ok at night (well, he wakes up several times but not every 45 mins at least!) I've been trying to decide whether to keep persisting and trying to get him to sleep more or whether it stresses us out too much to do that. I'd be interested to hear what others say!

You could try the NCSS suggestion above and see if it helps?

I have a copy of No Cry Nap Solution coming so will see what that says!

My DS rarely wakes crying, he usually wakes very happy and chirpy which is why it is so hard to get him back to sleep.

[Kristin27]

Actually another thing I forgot to mention is that as DD has got older her naps got longer on her own, I didn't need to do anything to encourage it, I think it's because she's more active crawling rolling etc. It's not a solution for now I know, but hang in there and it will get better!

I have the no cry sleep solution and have found the tips great, it takes time but I just refuse to do controlled crying.

[Ezz]

Can you try lying on the bed next to her so that she gets used to falling asleep in bed, without being rocked? (you could lie with her & pat her bottom, stroke her face etc). Then once she is used to that, you could try getting her to fall asleep in the cot, while you pat/stroke from the outside. We started patting DS to sleep when he was 3 weeks old & it's a really strong cue for sleep now.

I agree with others about being ready for the change of sleep cycle - I still ahve to go & pat my DS back to sleep about 40 mins

[Tish]

We're still having similar problems, however.......

Watch closely when she cries during sleep. Once or twice I noticed DSs eyes were actually closed when he was crying. I think he was crying in his sleep or having a nightmare. Often I was waking him up barging into the room to comfort him or picking him up. So if his eyes were closed, I gently pinned his arms down and quietly shhhhhed.

No Cry Sleep Solution also mentions this, and I read it once I think on BB. He was about the same age when he was doing it.

HTH

[Tish]

I just found a great section on Elizabeth Pantley's website dealing with this!

Elizabeth Pantley

[Arcadia]

Watch closely when she cries during sleep. Once or twice I noticed DSs eyes were actually closed when he was crying. I think he was crying in his sleep or having a nightmare. Often I was waking him up barging into the room to comfort him or picking him up. So if his eyes were closed, I gently pinned his arms down and quietly shhhhhed.

Thanks for the tip. I did this last night and it worked! She went 6 hours without waking!

I have just hired a baby hammock to help with day sleeps and so far so good. In fact its stuffed up our night routine because she's STILL asleep!

I hope the good times roll on...but knowing bub, tomorrow will be full of surprises!

Thanks for all the tips, I appreciate it!

[mumiloo]

Wow Anna, that is great about the hammock! Maybe I need to get mine out again...

[Tish]

That's great Anna, I'm so glad it worked for you!!

What's the max weight for a baby hammock?

[Arcadia]

Uh-oh before you get excited...she doesn't like it after all!!! It's almost as if she only likes things once...I seem to be chasing the magic bullet solution, when there isn't one...

Arrghhhh

[Tish]

Ahhh doh! We have exactly the same story! He'll respond really well for 1-2 days to a particular thing, then we need to come up with something new to surprise him with. It's almost as if he learns that something is going to put him to sleep, so then he resists it.

Maybe we should start a list of things that have worked for us, and we can refer to the list when we run dry of ideas! LOL

My list of recent stuff goes...

1. Swaddling again
2. Putting my head beside his and pretending to be asleep
3. A thousand kisses on the forehead
4. Patting the mattress beside his head
5. Patting his legs from the foot of the cot in syncopated rhythms
6. Gentle side to side rocking in the pram
7. Sweeping my hair across his face, especially eyes
8. Gently breathing across his eyes (not blowing)
9. Putting my hand on his forehead (I command thee to sleep! LOL) Crazy but it has worked a few times
10. Stroking bridge of nose

That's all I can think of for now - anyone else got something else to add?

[Kristin27]

9. Putting my hand on his forehead (I command thee to sleep! LOL) Crazy but it has worked a few times

Hilarious Tish! If only it worked everytime!