Sleeping during the day the natural way..oh that rhymes!

[Pixie]

OK, I am all AP/NP so this has been great, I love it and I am lucky my partner supports me etc.

BUT and it's a big BUT

Eliza is a serious cat napper during the day, she has only twice in her short 8 weeks resettled herself to sleep, and I think this was because she didn't wake up fully N drifted back off.
She gets over tired I know shes over tired as she fusses at the nipple flings her arms and legs around and grumbles, not crying, just grumbling. So we go through the whole "fall asleep at the nipple thing" or rocking her in my arms etc, but after the safe 20 minute window I pop her down in her cradle and 10 minutes later she's awake, no she doesn't want to play/eat she wants to sleep but then she can't OMG:banghead::banghead:

Honestly what can I do to get her to possibley have a longer sleep in the daytime? do we have to try this feed/play/sleep routine placing her in the cradle until she falls asleep? I am dead against CC so not doing that. but any tips people ?

I find she sleeps well some days not others am I kidding myself that I could get into a sleep pattern in the day? She sleeps through most nights, or wakes twice for a snack feed.

[misskittyfantastico]

Amelia is a serious cat napper too. Her "routine" which she seems to have fallen into is 3-4 20-40min naps a day. She goes down at approx 7 ish and then wakes at 2ish and 5ish and then is up at 7am for the day.
There is no rhyme or reason (that I can see!) as to why sometimes she'll self settle in her cot, sometimes I can rock her for 5 mins and then transfer to cot with no worries, sometimes I bounce her off to sleep in her bouncer and she sleeps there and sometimes she just wants to be held.....so really, I'm no help at all am I?

I did find bouncing her to sleep and leaving her in the bouncer for the sleep helpful when was a tiny baby. But otherwise...no, no help!

Sorry M&P!

[faery]

use that hug a bub!!!!
i also have a daytime insomniac, boobie sleeper, who will not sleep out of my arms during the day.
i pop him in the hug a bub and he can sleep for hours. i try for a three hour nap everyday, although if we have a long car trip or something it won't work. as long as you don't mind carrying your little cutie, it should help.
i also tried that eat, play sleep, but jarrah had different ideas!!

[kymmy]

Remember your baby is still very young.
How important is routine to you?
There may be many reasons why she wont settle
and they could vary day to day.

If its any consolation my son (who is 7 months0
sometimes settles to sleep as soon as I put him in the cot
sometimes there is no way he will settle.

I hate hearing him cry too
I believe in natural parenting too
I also don't like routine so I just do what comes naturally
Which usually just means lots of cuddles when he's upset.

I know its hard if you know she is tired but wont settle
But you yourself need to keep relaxed.

Does any of this make sense?:ecomcity:

[nemosmum]

O was the same and it drove me insane:eek:

I found if I slept with him he would sleep for longer and resettle quickly with me next to him. I know this is not always possible but it worked for us...............well until he started crawling at 6 months and no longer wanted to co sleep:rolleyes:

[the_queen]

Sometimes I will put Curtis into my bed, in the middle, I think somehow he can smell me or DH or something (although the smell of my husband would certainly not put ME to sleep :laughing: ) (anyway...) and he tends to have longer naps. He goes to sleep at the boob too. I'm not worrying about that because I am a) grateful that our breastfeeding relationship is going so well; and b) amazed at how quickly time is flying, and I just want to hold that widdle tiny bundle as long as possible. He's 5 weeks tomorrow already!:crying: When he's asleep I'll carry him around with his head on my shoulder, or I'll sit here in front of the computer with him on my chest. He will sleep either in my bed or in his basinette only once or maybe twice a day; other than that he sleeps on me. I've just won a hugabub on eBay :smiliedance: so hopefully he will like that (he hates the ring slings) and I will be able to spread my housework over the whole day, instead of a mad rush during the hour he is asleep in the afternoon LOL.

After all that rambling, I think my advice is: try the hugabub; or lay down with her on your bed and then when she's fast asleep there you can get up, see if she sleeps better in there. I think the only reason you couldn't do this is if you have a waterbed.

[Pixie]

Misskitty...I am looking forward to the jolly jumper lol

Faery, yep the hugabub is great she fall's asleep almost straight away, but my back, which has always been bad really needs a break + cooking with her strapped to me is unsafe lol

Kymmy it's not routine I want just to actually get her drift off to sleep on her own sometimes, routine is pointless lol

Nemo yes sometimes I have to lay with her too


TheQ Yep trying those things like you, which usually work lol yep Eliza sleeps on me too :D

Thank you girls :D

[faery]

i felt the same way at first with the sling. sore back, and just wanted some baby free time!!! but i just wore it everyday (and go to chiro) and it is easier now. is it on properly?? cause i find mine uncomfortable if it is on a bit twisted or something.
i prpobably shouldn't even admit this:shame: but i cook with jarrah in the sling! or i'll prep everything and stu cooks when he gets home. naughty mummy.

also, their strange little patterns change, so maybe in a couple of weeks she might be happier napping. mine hated his bouncy chair for weeks, then suddenly loves it and is in it alot!