How do you get a baby to sleep during the day?

Question

my baby girl is nearly 6 months old and believe it or not she has never really slept during the day at all even when she was newborn. She sleeps when in the car or taken out for a walk but the minute car stops or walk ends she starts to cry and wont fall back to sleep again. Is there anyway that I can get her to sleep for an hour or two during the day so I can rest or get some housework done. I follow Gina Ford as much as i can and she is fine with her feeding routine etc but refuses to rest in the day..... I would be so grateful if anyone out there can give me some good advice, Ive tried leaving her to cry in her cot but she only gets herself into a state and puts her into a bad mood the rest of the day. Thanks

Answer 1

a shot of whiskey and a valium will sort that problem right out!

Answer 2

Unless she's cranky there's really no reason for her to nap during the day. My oldest child slept through the night (6 hrs) and took two three hour naps during the day from the time he was three days old until he was nearly four.

My younger child slept five hours in the middle of the day and that was pretty much it. She just didn't require much sleep, and unfortunately still doesn't.

It's fine that you seek tips from other people in how to care for your child, but don't forget to look to the child herself for information. Kids are actually pretty good at figuring out their own schedules. If she's not tired, has been fed and cleaned, leave her in her playpen while you do short chores. Play with her in between jobs. Obviously she's used to being the center of your attention and that's a good thing, but she's old enough now to learn to entertain herself for five or ten minutes at a time.

If she's not a very big baby, you might want to consider a pack carrier to use while you do chores like vaccuumming, dishes and the like. Talk to her, even when you're not holding her so that she knows that you're still there.

Good Luck.

Answer 3

My little girl was exactly the same and believe me when I tried to leave her in her cot to cry, she ended up in a right state. I came up with this solution. After your daughter has her lunch, start your own new routine. Give her lunch then play for 20 mins and then take her upstairs making sure her bedroom curtains are closed, read to her or talk soothingly to her whilst you hold her and then gently place her in her cot. Try this for a week and even if it means she is only going to lie awake in the cot, then at least you will get sometime to rest or do your own thing. I also used to put on a cd with some restful music on...any sort not necessarily baby music, maybe something easy listening that you like. My daughter took to this routine after about a week and half, she slept some days and on the others she just lay there and listened to the music, she is 8 now and still loves to be in her bedroom lying on her bed listening to her own music now....she calls it her 'time out'. Hope this helps...and I always found it was about getting the routine working.

Answer 4

have you tried letting her cry in her cot every time you put her down for 2 weeks? maybe you haven't done it for long enough? I would be really strict with her until you have settled this situation. Make a set time that she is to go down for a sleep, exactly the same time every day, put her in her cot and close curtains etc. She should settle if you stick to it, and then once this is sorted, you can be more flexible with her routine. At her age, she shold be sleeping about 1/2 to an hour in the morning and about 2 hours in the afternoon. with possibly a cat nap in the late afternoon in the buggy or cot. All babies are different though and she may just be a baby who doesn't need much sleep, but she should be having at least one good sleep a day, for your sanity as much as hers!

Answer 5

I'd try immediately after her feeds - a full stomach often sends me to sleep! But she may just be a baby that doesn't need as much sleep as others. I know it's hard when you're almost crying for lack of sleep but as long as she's sleeping well at night, there doesn't seem to be much you can do. Is there someone who could take her for you for an hour so you can rest? Maybe if you try lying down with her - it's how I get my daughter (nearly 2) to nap at the weekend (so I can have a sleep with her). Sorry if there's not much of help here but the best of luck.

Answer 6

Some babies just dont want or need to sleep in the day. I am lucky enough that my son has several naps in the day and sleeps almost all the way through the night now (at 4 1/2 mths). We bought our son a vibrating bouncy chair and if i want him to have a sleep in the day so i can get housework or something done then if i bounce the chair for 10 or so mins he drops off. You may find though that if your daughter does not need the sleep and ends up sleeping in the day she may not sleep as well at night and i know which i would prefer!

A cruel but kind option is what we did with our son when he would not go to sleep at night. He used to cry all the time as soon as he was put in his cit. We started top put him in his cot at a set bedtime and leave him, even if he cried. We'd go and check him every few minutes but not pick him up. After a few days he was going to sleep after 20mins and now he will go straight to be at exactly the same time every night woth no fuss whatsoever. It may be worth trying this with your daughter in the daytime so she has a set afternoon nap.

I know it seems a bit cruel and harsh but as long as they are not completely ignore. It is okay to go in and talk to them but not to pick them up as they learn making a fuss will get them attention. it was hard on us for a few days but it has certainly benefitted us and bedtimes are now a stress free zone. Good luck!

Answer 7

I would just learn to do stuff like your baby is awake because you can't force a baby to sleep. Does she sleep all night?? I take it she probably does. My 4 month old son only takes 2, 20min naps during the day but sleeps the whole night. I consider myself lucky because some mothers would give anything to have a full nights rest like I get every night with a new baby in the house.

Answer 8

oh thats a tricky one.. i have 2 children and my 1st born baby she didnt sleep during the day and hardly at night until she was 4 yrs old. My 2nd baby she sleep all night since she was born and as soon as i put her to bed she fell asleep.

So what i found out was... how active they were during pregnancy! my 1st one was very active and my 2nd one wasnt.

but there are tricks for you to find out what makes her tired or deciding to have a sleep during the day... . The 1st is to have a routine when its time for her to have a sleep. The tiny body will adapt to it in due course and a set of rules.

to take her out of bed at a certain time - feeding her at a certain time as well as playing with her .. and last but not least to put her to sleep. Leaving her crying is no good cause she get into that state for the only purpose to get attention but she should get ur attention anyway..but not full time. When you have to tidy up something or you do your housework involve her by just seeing you and talk to her but dont take her out of her cot or lift her up .
good luck

Answer 9

Unfortunatly because you havent got her into a routine from the start, she will be a pain in the **** to sort out now!

Babies need two naps a day, one in the morning for between 1-4 hours and again in the afternoon (1-4hrs). Dont put her to bed to late in the afternoon though, otherwise she'll struggle to sleep at proper bedtime.

I find my babe (4 mths) goes down best when he's just eaten. Try keeping it quite when she first gets up in morning, feed her with minimum chat etc and put her back into crib after. My baby normally sleeps for 3 more hours after a 10 hour night sleep!

Again, at lunch feed, try being quite and putting to bed after.

Answer 10

properly with my boys I had a conveyable bassinett that I used in the front room or kitchen the position ever i replaced into at at the same time as they were dozing in the course of the day until eventually they were 3 hundred and sixty 5 days old then they in basic terms slept on the settee yet before that i replaced into continually apprehensive about them rolling off the settee or suffocating if i positioned a pillow as a lot as block them. now and again notwithstanding they could in basic terms sleep of their swing which kept them asleep a touch longer for an prolonged nap.

Answer 11

We had the same trouble

What we do is, darken the front room put her in her pushchair with some milk. Then just move her back and forwards with your legs as you are watching telly (low volume obviousley!) and hopefully she should eventually nod off, the trick is to keep the pushchair moving at all times it may take 10-15mins but now she sleeps regular as clockwork from 9-10 and from 2-4!