8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

I feel like a 1st time mom all over again because I cannot remember any of this.

My 8 week old is just a terrible napper. She does these 20-30 min cat naps and as soon as I put her down she wakes up.
I have tried putting her in her room where its dark with a noise machine where its cool. Ive tried letting her stay in my room (where she sleeps at night) but its too bright in there so I thought that was waking her up.

I have tried swaddling her but she hates having her arms swaddled and winds up grunting and fighting the swaddle therefore she wakes up.

I have tried leaving her arms out she wakes up from her reflexes most times. She typically flails then wakes up and cant put herself back to sleep. This isnt everytime, but its a lot of times.

Its like she doesn't let herself fall deep asleep. When I 1st brought her home up to like 3-4 weeks I could put her down sleepy at times and she would put herself to sleep. Now its like she has no ability to self soothe anymore.

Only time she naps is if I put her in the baby carrier or on my chest. AND sometimes even on my chest she wakes up after 20 min. And at times to be honest the baby carrier is annoying. I just need a lil break a lil me time. Im alone 12 hours of the day with her and my older daughter is only a half day of school so shes home and it just gets annoying that I cant just put her down.

She gets herself so overtired that by 3-4 pm shes exhausted and will finally sleep, on me only. Otherwise the cat naps continue and by 7pm shes a cranky overtired fussy crying mess. And even by 3-4pm shes already , getting fussy and unsettled.

Even in the car seat there are times she wont sleep more than 30 min.

If the only way to get things done is to wear her, ok Im not thrilled about it, BUT my concern is its creating a bad habit. And I dont want that at all.

She needs to be able to nap on her own and I dont know what to do.

Any advice would help.

8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

I feel like my kids did the same and it was almost like a sleep growth spurt. I had twins so I wasn’t always able to wear them, but I did if I needed to get things done. To be honest I would go for a car ride if I really needed it. My kids are awesome sleepers from 10 weeks on (minus the sleep regression at 6-8 months) but other than that they will nap in their crib 3 hours in the afternoon and sleep 12 hours over night. I will let them nap on me in the afternoon if we are just lounging because I never mind the cuddles but I don’t think you will recesseily create bad habits this early on. I read moms on call and it was a lifesaver. I always had my kids on a pretty tight schedule having the 2 so it was a must to stick to routine and we adapted as they grew

8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

My DD was the same way. She only napped in 30 min spurts and would go to bed really early for the night because she was exhausted. She would only nap if I held her or in the car. She is my only child so I did what I had to do. Eventually she stopped napping by 18 months and I was so done with trying to get her to nap. Wear her if it makes things easier for you.

Message edited 6/4/2018 7:37:58 AM.

8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

Darker room, noise machine, rock n play, swing. At that age I would try anything and everything but I Kno the feeling of when they only want to sleep on you and you have 100 things to do!

8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

I think 8 weeks is very early to self soothe and you can't create bad habits that young. Some babies don't sleep for more than 20 minutes at a clip. My DD never slept for more than 20 minutes. She slept 20 minutes at a time 3 times a day. She was always awake and usually crying.

Does she cry when you put her down? I used to put DD in the swing on full blast to get things done. She would be awake but seemed to like the feeling of being practically catapulted out of the swing.

Re: 8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

Have you tried a swing? At that age, they don’t know how to soothe, and the movement may help. Also, have you seen any patterns with the restlessness ans gi discomfort? Dd1 never napped for more than 20 min, and she pooped up to 20x a day and was in so much pain and was ultimately dx with a milk protein allergy. She was a new baby once on Rx formula. Dd2 was much happier on a soothe formula, even though no allergies.

Re: 8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

I second a good swing like the snuggabunny. That thing is a lifesaver! My first was an awesome napper by that age and I could put her down awake no problem. My second needed to be swaddled until she turned one or she'd startle awake after 5 minutes every time.

8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

I put her in the swing... 30 min
Then she has days she takes 2 3 hour naps or 2 2hour naps.
Shes just sooo inconsistent it drves me crazy
1 day swaddling works then that night it doesnt.
1 day car seat works next day it doesnt
1 day going for a walk works then it doesnt
1 day baby carrier works then it doesnt

Its just such a mind f**k
Some nights she makes up the sleep and does longer stretches and other nights shes up every 3 hours and then is harder to get bsck to sleep during her last wake sround 4-5am.

Im exhausted can someone help me find a time machine so i can fast forwars to when shes sleeping consistently cause in soooo over this newborn phase

Re: 8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

Re: 8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by MiracleBabies

I put her in the swing... 30 min
Then she has days she takes 2 3 hour naps or 2 2hour naps.
Shes just sooo inconsistent it drves me crazy
1 day swaddling works then that night it doesnt.
1 day car seat works next day it doesnt
1 day going for a walk works then it doesnt
1 day baby carrier works then it doesnt

Its just such a mind f**k
Some nights she makes up the sleep and does longer stretches and other nights shes up every 3 hours and then is harder to get bsck to sleep during her last wake sround 4-5am.

Im exhausted can someone help me find a time machine so i can fast forwars to when shes sleeping consistently cause in soooo over this newborn phase

LOL
This was my daughter to a T!
No rhyme or reason. No schedule. Just survival.
Some babies are just like that. No reason. They are just difficult.
Hence why I was ONE AND DONE!

Re: 8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps

This is all normal at 8 weeks old. It will likely take at least 4 more months until she begins to consolidate sleep, meaning she'll take longer naps. Just keep putting her down for frequent naps. At 2 months old, wake time should be very short between naps anyway. It's basically enough time to eat, cuddle a little and go back to sleep.

Have you tried taking her for walks? The fresh air usually helps. Keep living your life. Run errands, she may sleep in the car.

DS slept better in his swing for naps. DD hated the swing, but did well in the RnP. Keep trying different things and see what works...but once you figure out what works, be prepared for her to change again. Babies change all the time. Hang in there. It gets better!

Re: 8 week old only takes 20-30 min naps