MY 2 MONTH OLD WILL NOT NAP UNLESS SOMEONE IS HOLDING HIM. HE SLEEPS WELL AT NIGHT IN HIS BASSINET. HE USUALLY GOES TO BED AROUND 8 AND DOESN'T WAKE UP UNITL 3 FOR A BOTTLE. HE IS HAPPY IN THE MORNINGS BUT BY 1 PM HE IS STARTING TO GET FUSSY. I CAN HOLD HIM OR ROCK HIM AND HE GOES RIGHT TO SLEEP BUT AS SOON I LAY HIM DOWN HE WAKES UP 10 MIN LATER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, HE GETS SO CRANKY HE CRIES AND NOTHING CAN SOOTHE HIM. I GO BACK TO WORK IN 2 WEEKS, MY HUSBAND WILL WATCH HIM DURING THE DAY. I DON'T KNOW IF HE CAN HANDLE HIM BEING SO FUSSY. PLEASE HELP, I NEED TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
2006-12-11 12:34:47 · 13 answers · asked by poohbear_8759 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
What has happened is that you've spoiled him to fall asleep in your arms. When he wakes up he's in a new place. Of course he's scared!
When he's fussy, just put him in the crib. Don't rock him to sleep, don't calm him down, just put him in the crib. Wait 15 minutes and if he's still crying, go in and touch his back. Say "you're suck a good boy!" He needs to fall asleep on his own.
You'll soon learn that fussy = I'm ready for bed. Now.
Does he have a special blanket or toy? Try to put a blanket on him.
2006-12-11 12:37:25 · answer #1 · answered by FaZizzle 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
He should be taking naps. I think a morning nap is very important if he isn't doing that. All of our children had solid morning and afternoon naps. There are a number of suggestions I can offer....
Schedule is very important. Nap times and bedtime should be as regular as possible. Get your son used to going into the bassinet awake rather than asleep. He needs to learn that that place is for sleep and to go to sleep in it. Nursing a child to sleep or rocking them to sleep, while not inherently bad of course, is generally a bad idea in the long run. You are teaching your child to depend on those things to fall asleep and will require it for falling asleep or if they wake up. Tough as it is, you are teaching him to demand the very thing that you want to avoid.
Your son may need more sleep generally. I realized this paradox at about our third child. For example: child waking up early?, go to bed EARLIER; having trouble sleeping?, get MORE sleep; waking up from nap early? start nap EARLIER; and so on. I think many children do not get enough sleep and have a unpleasant personality most of the day as a result.
You're gonna need nerves of steel. I have them now. Our second child did that for me. We let him cry. Not forever of course - at least 10-15 minutes though. It took a while but he learned. It was just fussing and wanting attention. It became a problem and we eventually stood up to the behavior. Incidentally, today he is our best sleeper and by far the happiest-go-lucky kid. Strange how it all works.
Good luck. Parenting is not for cowards!
2006-12-11 12:52:54 · answer #2 · answered by Steadiman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My son did the same thing, but over time... we laid him down before he was completely out and bundled a blanket around him, like he was being swaddled. Sometimes he would open his eyes or make a noice, so I just rubbed his side,head or his back and he would go right back to sleep. Also by getting him into the routine of falling asleep by himself, he will learn how to soothe himself. Which will make your lives much better.
2006-12-11 12:50:14 · answer #3 · answered by davidnicolewilson 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best advice I ever got about raising my daughter when she was a baby was to LET HER CRY!! This doesn't last long, and it will teach your baby to soothe and comfort himself, and not to rely on you or food or anyone else to help him sleep. Holding him is not helping him develop this very important technique. I know it's hard, but it is not cruel and it will make your son a lifelong good sleeper. My daughter is now 8, goes to bed at 8 p.m. and sleeps straight through every night, and has ever since she was a baby. It works, trust me!!
2006-12-11 12:38:10 · answer #4 · answered by Rebecca 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Are you breastfeeding? If so he may just be hungry again.
If you are bottle feeding though, it may be just a matter of your feeding schedule. Assuming you feed him, change him and burp him right before his nap - the best relaxant is this:
swaddle him. And I mean like a papoose. Once he's changed and ready to have lunch, lay him kitty corner on his blanket, take the right corner and and wrap it over his left arm and tuck it tightly under his right arm behind his back (with his left arm straight down) then take the left corner and wrap it around his right arm and tuck it under his back on the other side, again with his arm straight. He will settle down after a bit and drink his bottle and fall right to sleep. Trust me.
Many people beleive their babies don't want to be swaddled because they are "active" - the truth is, most babies are active because they can't fully control their arms and legs and consquently they wave them around and it becomes a frustrating distraction to them. Trust me, they like to be swaddled - it relaxes them.... think about when they were in the womb - not much room there and very safe and warm.
Blessings
2006-12-11 12:42:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your husband will have his own way of doing things, and his own routine. Nothing you do will really influence that.
I almost always nurse my baby to sleep and yet my husband can get him to sleep if I am not around, and no my baby doesn't take bottles.
In fact some nights when I can't get baby to sleep I leave him with my hubby for 5 min and he is out like a light.
Babies respond differently to different parents.
2006-12-11 12:44:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the swing idea is great. you are not spoiling the baby. you cannot spoil a baby until after 4 months of age; he just needs you. have you tried a swaddle blanket. maybe he is just a bit more insecure at that time of day and needs extra attention. just keep trying it will get easier.
2006-12-11 14:11:04 · answer #7 · answered by pinky 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, you need to lay him down and let him cry. He will cry himself to sleep. After a few days of this, he will get the hang of things. Don't give in and hold him one day and not the next though. Stay consistent. Good luck!
2006-12-11 12:37:27 · answer #8 · answered by Mish B 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
My best answer is to let him cry until he gets use to laying down by himself. I mean you pick him up and soothe him but then lay him right back down.
2006-12-11 12:38:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
My son was just like that until we bought a swing. He stayed in that swing with it on cause it was a battery operated that swings until you shut it off. He had very long naps with it. Hope this helps
2006-12-11 12:37:55 · answer #10 · answered by sdexcalibur 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋