HELP! Stuck in naptime h*ll!

Ok, I'm sure this is a problem of my own making.... when they were about 2 months old (and started sleeping better at night - their naps got all wonkey -- they wouldn't sleep more then 30 min at a time (when they had been sleeping between 1 hour and 3 hours - really irregular)

I found that the swings worked well for naps for us (they would still wake after 30 min, but would just look around (or just fuss a bit) for a minute or two - and then drift off. Slowly, the time to get back to sleep after waking in the swings got longer....until the swings weren't working anymore (they would scream to get out after being up for about 10 min)

So, we've tried the crib for naps -- I've tried:

1) puting them down no more then 1.5 hours after last wake time
2) putting them down when they seem sleepy
3) trying to extend the time they are awake to 2 hours

4) Soothing after they wake up
5) staying in the room and trying to "catch" them before they wake up and sooth them back to sleep
6) letting them cry after they wake up
7) putting them down with paci
8) NOT putting them down with paci's (i was thinking they might be getting fully awake looking for their paci)

Honestly, I wouldn't stress about the 30 min naps if they were happy afterwords -- but they are happy for about 20-40 minutes (longer in the AM) after they get up =-- and then they turn into screaming overtired super cranky babies. (by the end of the day they don't even really calm down when I hold them) - and it gets harder and harder to get them down to go to sleep (because they are SO overtired)

They are not hard to get down in the AM (always go down awake just like at night) but by afternoon - there is always a good 10-15 min of crying because they are so tired - and it breaks my heart. At this point, the only way they sleep longer then 30 minutes is to hold them -- but with two - that just isn't feasable.

I'm at my wits end. All I do all day is try and put babies down for naps and pray for them to sleep longer then 30 minutes. At this point they get SO little time not trying to go to sleep - or eating -- it can't be good for them.

I will admit - I have NOT been consistant about the above ways to get them to go back to sleep. Have any of them worked for you -- any sugestions?? My poor little guys are SO SO tired...(and I am too)

Luckly, this as not effected their nightime sleep (yet) - so they are getting a good 10-11 hours at night....

I would love ANY sugestions!!!

TIA!

 

I know it's incredibly frustrating, but despite my best efforts my kids did four 45-minute naps a day until they were about 6 months old. I was chained to the nursery because it was pretty much always nap time. With time and consistency, things improved. For me, there was no magic solution.

 

I agree with the PP. It is soooo frustrating but you just have to pick one and be consistent. I think you are doing all the right stuff and eventually they will get it. What about adding a white noise machine in the room to play something soothing??

 

(sigh) I was afraid of that.... I just wish they wern't so miserable all the time -- they clearly need more sleep - but just arn't getting it. at this point we're on 6 - 30 minute naps -- if i can get them down for the last two (sometimes they are so hysterical I can't get them to sleep no matter what I do)

I really really hope it gets better by 6 months - I'm going back to work, and i cringe at the though of how they'll be treated by someone else when they are so cranky/overtired....

 

Lots of hugs. We had the opposite problem, they would fight like heck to go to sleep, but then stay asleep for an hour or two after the struggle. We did modified CIO to get them to sleep and it has worked well. I agree with the others, just be consistent in your approach and hopefully it will resolve itself in time. We do a 2 minute "transition" of being held, then lay down, shush for a minute and walk away, we used to have 15-20 minutes of crying, now there is 1-3.

We also keep the blinds down and the white noise machine on, I used to put a blanket on them, but now that they are mobile I"m afraid to as they may work it up over their heads.

 

:hug99: You're doing everything right, I think it's just a matter of time. It's normal for daytime sleep not to get organized until 12-16 weeks corrected age - and even then it might just start improving. Things should turn a corner before too long, though! Hang in there. You're doing your best.

 

QUOTE(CHJH @ Jan 2 2008, 09:33 AM) [snapback]554202[/snapback]
I know it's incredibly frustrating, but despite my best efforts my kids did four 45-minute naps a day until they were about 6 months old. I was chained to the nursery because it was pretty much always nap time. With time and consistency, things improved. For me, there was no magic solution.

I agree here! Our naps were a mess until around 6 months!

 

Thanks for the advice -- it is good to know that it has happened to others, and it DOES get better....makes it easier to keep going :mellow:

On a happy note - I acutally got the boys to go back to sleep after their thiry minute nap which started at 11:30 today -- they literly started to fall alseep on their gym (eyes doing that half open thing) - (which is NOT usual -- usually tired = very fussy, not sleepy) -- i rushed them into their cribs, turned on their sleepytime music - the fell right to sleep for 30 min -- woke up on the dot - but were activly yawning/rubbing their eyes instead of the imediate screaming that usually happens --- so I swaddled them (i hadn't before since I didn't want them to wake up) - and tened paci's on and off for about 30 min (they initally fell alseep after about 10 minutes - but woke up again for about 3-4, and fell asleep again) - I don't know how long it will last (it's been about another 20 min so far) maybe i wasn't putting them down sleepy enough before?? anyways, its a small vicotry - but it feels great!