How to get baby to nap alone again?
Sorry in advance for the long post...Bit of context, our baby girl is 7months and was in the NICU for 5 weeks. She has always been a terrible napper/sleeper. Bedtime routine used to be bath, boob, bottle (we were triple feeding with ebm to help gain weight), rock & put down. She would fuss a little and we might have to rock her again but then she would sleep for a few hours. We started off by putting her down for 1 nap a day and worked up, but she never managed every nap going down.
She now exclusively nurses, and getting her down for bed is much easier as she just breastfeeds side-lying in bed and once she's done I place her in her cot and she sleeps much better at night.
The issue is, at about 4/5months, she started refusing to be held when breastfeeding most of the time when we were at home. She gets very distracted and will fuss and cry and wriggle away even if she is hungry, and unless we are out of the house she will only breastfeed and nap when lying next to be on my bed. She will wake up instantly if I try to put her into her cot or if I try to get up and leave so for 3 or 4 naps a day I am feeding her and then just stuck in bed. Sometimes, its heaven because I have a great excuse for extra rest but it would be amazing to be able to get some free time back, get some housework done and socialise (if we have guests over, I feel rude and a bit silly just staying upstairs as no-one seems to understand). I have tried to avoid doing it because I didnt want it to become a habit, but she will flat out refuse to nurse any other way, and im worried about worsening the aversion if I keep trying. She will occasionally feed lying on a pillow on the sofa if I lie down too, but again she gets very distracted. Would rather not go back to rocking as it used to take me and my partner forever to get her to sleep and multiple attempts, and I dont mind continuing to feed her on my bed at night as it seems to be working well but I'd love to be able to get her to nap alone for even 1 or 2 naps a day. She will nap in the car and in her pram if she is tired enough, but will wake up as soon as we stop so it doesnt reslly give me any free time back and also means she is taking less milk and then sleeps worse at night.
Anyone else been in the same boat? Or have any advice? I'm desperate at this point 🥺
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I could of written this. We are going through the exact same! So no advice sorry.
The 4 month fussies with feeding are very common and can last a while! The distracted phase does end though. At between 3-5 months they go through the 4 month sleep regression which is also why her sleep has changed. At 7 months 4 naps is a lot though, how much day time sleep and how much overnight sleep are you aiming for? A reduction may be needed and could really help x
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How to get baby to nap alone again?
Sorry in advance for the long post...Bit of context, our baby girl is 7months and was in the NICU for 5 weeks. She has always been a terrible napper/sleeper. Bedtime routine used to be bath, boob, bottle (we were triple feeding with ebm to help gain weight), rock & put down. She would fuss a little and we might have to rock her again but then she would sleep for a few hours. We started off by putting her down for 1 nap a day and worked up, but she never managed every nap going down.
She now exclusively nurses, and getting her down for bed is much easier as she just breastfeeds side-lying in bed and once she's done I place her in her cot and she sleeps much better at night.
The issue is, at about 4/5months, she started refusing to be held when breastfeeding most of the time when we were at home. She gets very distracted and will fuss and cry and wriggle away even if she is hungry, and unless we are out of the house she will only breastfeed and nap when lying next to be on my bed. She will wake up instantly if I try to put her into her cot or if I try to get up and leave so for 3 or 4 naps a day I am feeding her and then just stuck in bed. Sometimes, its heaven because I have a great excuse for extra rest but it would be amazing to be able to get some free time back, get some housework done and socialise (if we have guests over, I feel rude and a bit silly just staying upstairs as no-one seems to understand). I have tried to avoid doing it because I didnt want it to become a habit, but she will flat out refuse to nurse any other way, and im worried about worsening the aversion if I keep trying. She will occasionally feed lying on a pillow on the sofa if I lie down too, but again she gets very distracted. Would rather not go back to rocking as it used to take me and my partner forever to get her to sleep and multiple attempts, and I dont mind continuing to feed her on my bed at night as it seems to be working well but I'd love to be able to get her to nap alone for even 1 or 2 naps a day. She will nap in the car and in her pram if she is tired enough, but will wake up as soon as we stop so it doesnt reslly give me any free time back and also means she is taking less milk and then sleeps worse at night.
Anyone else been in the same boat? Or have any advice? I'm desperate at this point 🥺
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Advice
Girls, my little girl is 14 months old now and is struggling in her cot as we co slept from December right threw till about 2 weeks ago, I’ve found that when I put my pillow I don’t use in which by the way is quite thin and a lot firmer than the rest she seems to sleep a lot better but I’m terrified of her sleeping with one I’ve bought her a toddler one and again she wakes up constantly should I leave her without one and get up or is she ok with my pillow? I’m worried she’s still to young
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