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Cre8ive_Geek 
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 Topic: Chronic cat napper and hard to put down…
Posted: 14 August 2012 at 5:44pm |
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My boy is 15 weeks old… Love him more than anything, but unfortunately he is a chronic cat napper. This wouldn't be a problem if he was happy through out the day, but he is very grumpy and easily frustrated. In my eyes he does not seem content.
I suppose I only have myself to blame, at the beginning I was never good at reading his tired signs, and misinterpreted them as hungry, so to get him to sleep now, I can only nurse him. Mind you it was always precious bonding time!
My partner can get him to sleep by rocking and patting… But if I try that he screams and refuses to go to sleep, so I end up comfort feeding him.
It's very frustrating when we do get him down, and then he wakes at the 45 minute mark, every time…
Any suggestions on both getting him to sleep without it being a battle, and how to get him to sleep longer than 45mins?
I do not want to leave him to cry…
Thanks :)
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Kellz
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Joined: 01 January 1900
Location: Gisborne
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Posted: 14 August 2012 at 6:46pm |
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He is very young, there is nothing wrong with feeding to sleep. Breastmilk releases hormones that make both mum and baby sleepy so its very difficult to not let baby fall asleep on the boob cos thats what nature intended them to do!
You can try and get him to join two 45 min sleep cycles together but sshhing, patting quietly, just before the 45 min mark until he goes back to sleep,...or try putting him in a sling or wrap on you and using the warmth/motion/comfort of your body to settle him back to sleep.
45min sleep cycles are very very common at this young age. It doesnt last for ever.
I night weaned my son at 11 months old, but still continued to bf him to sleep and to bf him in the day til he was over 2 years.
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Hopes
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Posted: 14 August 2012 at 7:07pm |
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There are ways you can work on gently weaning him off feeding to sleep - I did that with both ours (they were just slightly younger) by rocking them in the bassinette - then I slowly weaned off the rocking. I wouldn't try holding him yourself as he'll smell the milk and get all mad keen on it.
BUT, that might not help solve the catnapping anyway. My two were/are both perfect little settlers - textbook even - and they both catnapped. I tried everything with my son, but he had to grow out of it himself. At about 11 months or so he just started sleeping longer, and he's a brilliant sleeper now. My daughter is still in the catnapping stage, but I'm trying to just go with the flow this time.
The one thing I learnt the first time round - try not to stress too much. You think they're creating bad sleep habits forever, and they'll be broken, and it's all your fault. In reality, it lasts a short time, they grow into a new pattern of sleeping, and how they settled when they were younger becomes pretty irrelevant. Nine short months and he'll be one and it'll probably all be a memory.
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Kellz
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Posted: 14 August 2012 at 7:28pm |
 Hopes wrote:
The one thing I learnt the first time round - try not to stress too much. You think they're creating bad sleep habits forever, and they'll be broken, and it's all your fault. In reality, it lasts a short time, they grow into a new pattern of sleeping, and how they settled when they were younger becomes pretty irrelevant. Nine short months and he'll be one and it'll probably all be a memory. |
Couldnt agree more 
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Lucky apple
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Posted: 16 August 2012 at 7:12pm |
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My daughter was a 45 minute sleeper at that stage too. Never longer. As a 2 year old she now sleeps 2.5-3 hours in the middle of the day and 11-12 hours overnight. Don't stress too much!!
(I know it's hard not too...I clicked on this topic because I have a 7 week old who catnaps!! 20 minute blocks!!....I need to heed my own advice I think!)
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Cre8ive_Geek
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Posted: 18 August 2012 at 9:47pm |
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Thanks all for the replies! Yeap, I think I'm slowly learning that it's actually easier not to stress, and just go with the flow.
It's very easy for me to work myself up, but I should be careful because these days are flying fast and I need to enjoy my son while he's at this age.
I did read the book: "The no-cry nap solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. There are tips in there for catnappers, just as you say Kellz, to get in before the 45 minute cycle is up and pat and shhhh. Sometimes this works, but not often.
It's quite a good book though, would recommend it, have you read it Sally?
It also helps knowing it's a very common problem this cat napping!
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Lucky apple
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Posted: 19 August 2012 at 2:22pm |
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Yep, I own it...though haven't read it this time!! I should dig it out again....!
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Chronic cat napper and hard to put down…
