Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

I posted about this a week or two ago and got some good responses but the situation keeps getting worse. Bedtime has become better.. I established a better bedtime routine for DS that from start to finish takes about 45-60 minutes which is normal for someone so little I think.

But naps.
Oh, naps.

I know he's too young for any kind of rigid schedule so I follow his cues.. when he starts getting fussy and he's been up around an hour and a half I know he's not hungry or needs a new activity I know it's time for sleep.

It then takes me 60-80 minutes of nursing, patting on back on my shoulder and putting into the RnP to get him down to sleep. He'll fall asleep on the boob as soon as he's on it, transfer fine to my shoulder but either pops his eyes open when he hits the RnP or sleep for 2 minutes and wake up wailing.

Nighttime is much different, once he's out, he's out.

I've tried starting earlier, starting later, pacifiersm napping in the swing, using the crib mobile (just stimulates him), letting him cry/fuss it out for a few minutes, undoing the swaddle, etc. etc.

What am I doing wrong? What else can I try?? This is so taxing and is taking away my time from my DD who is almost 3 and is watching WAAAYYY too much tv while I do all of this.

HELP! I need new ideas and insight!

Re: Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

Do you own a swing or can you borrow one? It always puts my babe to sleep. Even if he is fussy at first I can leave him on his own and he'll sleep. He only sleeps there or with me after eating.

Re: Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

I swaddled my DD for naps at that age. Swaddle, swing and white noise worked for us...

If you don't swaddle/don't have a swing, maybe try some white noise? The louder the better.

Awwwww, poor little guy trying to get some shut eye.

Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

Swaddle and Swing were my savior at that age.

Re: Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

Tried the swing, he just gets kind of excited in it.. swaddled, check, white noise, check, his room sounds like he's in a jet engine!

Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

I swaddle her arms only. Then I give her a pacifier and put on her munchkin sound and light projector. She fights it too!

Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

You said he falls asleep as soon as he starts nursing. So do you feed him after naps and just do it to put him to sleep before? With DD, if she fell asleep on the boob, I could almost never put her down successfully. I'd just hold her for however long. However, if I just sing a quick song and put her in the crib, she can put herself to sleep easily. Something about just starting on the boob she won't go in the crib.

Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

Same as pp if dd falls asleep on boob she wakes up when I put her down. Mine associates her swing with nap time so I put her in it awake, put the music and swing motion on and walk away. Sometimes ill dim the lights if she's fussy and turn off the tv if it seems to be stimulating her.

Re: Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

Around this age is when I started the eat play sleep routine. I find if he falls asleep on the boob its hard to transfer him. My DS also won't fall asleep on his own for naps, night time is great, so I hold him in my lap and shake my legs...seems to do the trick.

Re: Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

Posted by melbalalala

Tried the swing, he just gets kind of excited in it.. swaddled, check, white noise, check, his room sounds like he's in a jet engine!

Re: Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

Posted by melbalalala

Tried the swing, he just gets kind of excited in it.. swaddled, check, white noise, check, his room sounds like he's in a jet engine!

Re: Reaching out again.. takes over an hour to get my 3-month old down for naps

My 7 month old just started giving me trouble going down for naps. Screaming when I try to rock her or put her in crib. I've started reading some books with her just before nap time, always ending with Madeline. Then I lay her on my bed on her side and curl up around her and rub her back. She is out in minutes and I can transfer her to the crib. I was hesitant to start a behavior I will ultimately have to break, but this works so well, and now when she gets up in her crib,a light back rub calms her back down so soon I will try directly putting her in her crib with a back rub!

Eta: I put an aiden anais blanket on her on the bed, but don't move it to the crib.

Message edited 7/24/2013 9:15:30 PM.