Catnapper

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-10-2004
Catnapper
4
Tue, 09-28-2004 - 7:50pm
Does anyone have a child that will only take 30 minute naps? It's driving me crazy b/c I cannot get anything done. My daughter is 6 months old. Any input as to how to lengthen her naps? I can get her to sleep for two hours, but only if she sleeps ON ME. I am concerned that she doesn't get enough sleep throughout the day. Any input would be appreciated!
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2004
In reply to: arscot
Tue, 09-28-2004 - 9:36pm
My son did this for a long time until about 8-9 months old.
It drove me up the wall since I did not get a chance to get anyhting done before he was up again.
Is your dd teething? My son was at the time when he took 30 minute naps and once he was done with 8 teeth, he slept longer.
Good luck.

Lilypie Baby Days



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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-07-2004
In reply to: arscot
Wed, 09-29-2004 - 11:14am
Ug. I feel for you. My daughter did not nap well until she was a year old. She was a catnapper. She was also colicky in the beginning. So when she was awake, which was most of the time(!), she was tough (sometimes impossible) to entertain. The worst part was that other people/moms who never had that type of baby just had no clue and looked at me(us) like I must be some kind of pathetic lightweight for being so burnt out all the time. My mom and my dh truely understood and sympathized, because they witnessed it. That helped, but I still had to take the brunt of it (understandably) because I was there most of the time and they weren't.

Hang in there.

You might ask your pediatrician. Though she/he may or may not have anything practical to offer you in terms of tactics. But they can rule out any physical issues.

Try this book, which someone gave me:

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0449004023/qid=1096470368/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/104-5145316-9231943

Some of it is useful. It talks about sleep habits from birth until well into childhood and it might give you some ideas about how to manage her routines and suggestions for adjustments for better sleep. It might give a clue if you are causing/contributing to the issue yourself. Although I think sometimes you do all that you can, but it just takes time for their sleep/nap patterns to mature and settle in. I think it's hopeful for you that your dd *does* actually sleep for two hours (mine never did during the day) ... if you could just figure out how to get her to do it somewhere besides your lap! :)

Also ... if at all possible ... try to get yourself a break. I live out of state from most of my support, so that was advice that I didn't really follow. But you gotta get away from the baby and the house to stay sane, especially if you have challenges like colick or catnapping or whatever. Oh. And accept that the house is going to be messier than you'd like it to be for a while. unless you can afford a maid. Just have company less!! (If at all!!) LOL.

I think my daughter started to improve after ten months. By one year, she miraculously began to nap ... and I MEAN NAPnapNAPnapNAP. A total napping champ. It was like the sun came out and the choir began to sing. I was a new woman. After I stopped breastfeeding and her napping became predictable (and blessedly long), I felt like I could climb Everest before lunch. And my dd has been an easy girl ever since, in every way.

I think my son's napping improved at one year as well, though he was an easier baby in general. Both of their nightime sleep patterns improved as soon as they got a little bigger and could go longer between feedings. Though my daughter was a dosie to *get* to sleep -- sometimes she'd cry until 1 or 2am during the worst of the colick -- the night-time sleep was always the biggest block of rest. For everyone. Daytime, fugetaboudit.

That first year with my dd, from the labor and delivery on, was a real frazzle, but it toughened me up. I realize that now. #2 was a breeze because I'd been through so many worst case issues with #1 (the green beret boot camp of motherhood). DS just turned two, and this kid will nap in the car, nap as you put him into the reclined stroller and nap all the way through an hour-long errand and sometimes fall back asleep in the car seat on the way home. I just want to kiss his little sleeping face all over sometimes. LOL. Bless his little napping heart.

So good luck! Even today, my biggest struggles with motherhood are not being able to follow a task to completion and staying cool after the 15th interruption. I have one of those introverted personalities were I get my energy from working/thinking/reading alone, and I find that interacting with people in general can be kind of draining (depending on who it is!). I love my kids to death, but there are days when I'd give my eye-teeth to be able to sink into the "zone" while accomplishing something. That and the fact that I miss my former work are the main things that lead me to occasionally question my choice to stay home. Like, maybe I don't have the temperment for it ... but I think if you hang in there ... it always gets easier ... until the next challenge comes along! LOL.

Cheers.

D.

PS

Have you tried a swing? Some babies love them (My daughter was one of the few that didn't!) and sleep well in them. Have you tried a front carrier (if you have a strong back) or a back carrier (be careful not to crash her into things while rushing around! Their heads are up so high in the back carriers)? At least you'd be mobile and hands-free whether she naps or not. Those floor gyms and exersaucers can buy 15 minutes here and there, too. Do you have a jumper? One of those seats that hang from a door jam where the baby can jump up and down? Those are lifesavers at your daughter's age because they love to entertain themselves that way ... and your hands are free ... and maybe she'd wear herself out a little with the excercise and get tired enough to nap. ??




Edited 9/29/2004 11:33 am ET ET by donachiara

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-29-2004
In reply to: arscot
Wed, 09-29-2004 - 12:07pm
Also, if your baby is teathing laying him/her flat can cause ear pain, so if you think that is the case you can wedge the end of your crib so it is at a slant and that should releive the pain. Also tylenol thirty min before nap time if she/he is teathing will help. I feel for you, my daugter was the same way, and to make it worse she wouldn't go to bed for the "night" until 6am. I felt like a hermet because by that time I needed sleep, so thats basically what we did during the daylight hours. My daughter go better and started taking one 2-3 hour nap a day around nine months. HTH

Cari

Cari, Wife to Keegan

Mommy to Raelyn 4, Jeffrey 1 and

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2004
In reply to: arscot
Wed, 09-29-2004 - 12:33pm

The other ladies have given some great advice, I just wanted to add that when my DS was small I would spray his room with a lavender scent from a organic herbs shop...it really did work at helping him to be calm and sleep a little longer.


Good luck, this is such a rough time.

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