Do you have a cat napper?

[phxmama]

My daughter is 8 weeks old and only cat naps throughout the day. She sleeps between 20-30 minutes several times throughout the day, but will only usually do this if I am holding her or we're out and about. I never get a break during the day. My house is a disaster as she will never take a long nap or let me put her down to nap. It's so frustrating.

I'm grateful that she does sleep well in her carseat at night, but when I try to put her in the carseat for daytime naps, forget about it! I'm so jealous of those mothers that have babies that take REAL naps.

Will she never be a good napper?

[karime]

UGH. I'm so sorry! My son was/is the same way. He is now 5 months old, and will take 30-50 minute naps during the day (when I'm lucky!!! he still wakes up after 10 min sometimes), which is actually a pretty good improvement for him! It makes things very difficult...Everyone is amazed that he just doesn't stay asleep for long periods of time during the day like other babies do, even when he is tired. At 8 weeks, he was taking 10-30 minute naps (about 5-6 naps a day). She should start organizing her day sleep around 5-6 months of age, I think. I don't know if you've read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth or not, but it's a very interesting book and has a lot of info about colicky children (yeah, right-like you have time to read a book, right??). Does she like her swing? My son would very occasionally take longer naps if he was in his swing, but he generally wasn't a huge fan of the swing. His startle reflex was really bad, so I had to swaddle him for his naps at that age or he'd flail his arms around like crazy. Some ladies on this site have had great luck with letting their babies sleep on their stomach for naps (obviously I'm not recommending that, especially if you are nervous about it at all, but it does seem to help some babies sleep more soundly).

So, I would say that my son Levi has definitely improved as far as naps go, but he is still a poor napper for the most part (there is the occasional exception). After she is old enough, there are some things that are mentioned in that book that can be done to hopefully help her nap better. I'm just now letting Levi cry it out at night so I'm waiting to work on naps until I feel more comfortable. The book states that it takes longer for post colicky children to develop organized day sleep, so our little ones may still become decent nappers at some point!

[llamajenn]

I guess all babies are different... My friend's baby takes many catnaps, while mine (once he started sleeping normally...after 6-8 weeks is when he started to gradually improve) would take 2 naps per day, about 1.5-2 hours each. Now at 5.5 months he usually takes a morning nap of 1.5-2 hours and maybe a late afternoon or early evening nap. Sometimes that second one is only about a 30 min though. Often it depends on the amount of sleep he had the night before. He actually sleeps great most nights, which is also a big change from his colicky days. The main problem I have now is getting him to go down for naps. I usually have to nurse him to sleep. But I'll take that over what we used to go through (often 12+ hours of NO SLEEP).
It should get easier for you soon.

[phxmama]

Unfortunately, she is not a fan of the swing. She only lasts in it for about 5 minutes. I do have the Healthy Sleep Habits book, but you're right, I haven't had much time to read it. I did read the chapter on colic though, which was interesting. I have thought about putting her on her tummy to sleep. I think I might just give it a shot as I'm getting desperate. I'll just make sure that she is somewhere that I can keep an eye on her.

I'm hoping she will get a better napping schedule in a couple of months. I just really need that break during the day.

[mommyof2gurlies]

I agree. Brooklyn used to take cat naps all day. Not in the car though....she screamed bloody murder from the time we got in our car till the time we got out, till she was about 5 months.
She'd sleep in her swing a lot...That used to be the only way she'd nap....for awhile she'd have to sleep swaddled for naps, in her swing.
Shes better nowdays and takes two naps a day. I had to let her cry it out a few times after about 5 months. As long as she was changed, fed, and tired....i'd lay her down when she was at her melting point and really really needed sleep. She'd scream sometimes from 5-20 mins. And eventually fall asleep. After that she started napping way better. At night i gradually did that too. I wouldnt quite call it "sleep training" like how the books recommend it. I just did something similar that fit our schedule and my kid. I let her cry it out for as long as I felt comfortable, and i knew it wasn't TOO stressful on her.
The regular naps will come with time, 8 weeks is still sooo early. They are still working thru all their quirks and getting used to the world. I still have to think that a lot. Even at 7 months when Brooklyn is frustrating me....i kinda check myself and remember "geez, shes only been around and trying to figure out stuff for 7 months. Shes so new to everything...it must be frustrating to not be able to communicate what she wants to say"

I have to add what a lot of the other ppl have said about, the more tired the baby is....the fussier it becomes. That is SOOO TRUE. The less she naps during the day, the more fussy she'll be, and the harder it will be to get them to sleep at all.
You'd think it would be the opposite. I used to assume that since Brooklyn had been screaming, and hadn't slept all day...she'd sleep AWESOME at night. I was so wrong....She would be restless all night and scream.
Get the naps however you can get them right now. We used to only get a fwe naps here and there for short periods of time, when Brooklyn was 8 weeks. And that was ONLY when we had her swaddled, white noise machine on, and her swinging. If the wind blew the wrong way, the chair creaked or anything...it woke her up. So I know how ya feel......

Hang in there...its not forever

[mel5mel]

As soon as the colic was over at around 2.5-3 mos i let P cio. for his naps it only took him a few times to figure it out that mommy wasnt letting him out of bed, even if he flips himself at the 20 minute mark and wakes up i dont let him out of bed i flip him back and pat his bum. every baby is differnent and P now sleeps for 2 hrs at a time with a 30 min cat nap around 2. It will get better

[mtmomx3]

Olivia still has poor napping habits. Some days she will sleep the whole day and others she will just take long enough naps to revive herself and get up to play again. She does sleep the night most of the time though. But she is a lmost six monthes and still does this. However, she sleeps better now than she dis as a younger infant so it could improve .

[mommyof2gurlies]

Hey, Does Livvy still use her paci?
Brooklyn stopped once she was teething really bad on her top teeth. I think it hurt her too much to suck on them. Now she just chews on them, but wont suck on them. I know they used the same weird kind...so i was just curious

[ahoward]

Jenn,

Garren and David must be on the same type of schedule! Garren will also do a morning and late afternoon nap (1-2 hrs long). He has just started sleeping better at night though. I'll usually lay him down between 9 and 10pm and he'll sleep until 5 and 6am. Thank goodness he's finally making it past 2-3am. Those middle of the night feeds were killing me! :<

Audrey