I need help with getting my baby to nap

I have a 2 month old baby who won't nap more than 20/40 mins at a time. Wakes up irritable and cranky... how do i break this cycle so she can nap longer and be happy ...she sleeps through the night fine.. wakes up happy in morning and well rested. But once the naps start, she's miserable.. she wakes up n won't fall back asleep.. she can't seem to self soothe ... help
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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. I need help with getting my baby to nap

Does she like being swaddled? Have you tried leaving a shirt with your smell on it in her sleeping space?

Once my girls were sleeping thru the night there were no more naps during the day. I just stopped trying and let them be awake.

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I’d you are not already try swaddling her. It gives them a sense of security. And like suggested above and article of your worn clothing may help

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Gas drops and a big swaddle

Noise machine sometimes the fan helps relaxing bath with chamomile

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that sounds normal. Different babies sleep differently. For a 2 month old to sleep through the night is lucky but that means less sleep during the day. They don’t self-sooth they just give up on expecting you to come if you leave them to cry at that age, please don’t expect infants to self-sooth

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Infants can’t “self-soothe”. They can “cry it out”. But parents who used the “cry it out” method were studied and found that it causes alot of unnecessary stress and depending on the length of time, it can cause brain damage. Also, after awhile, an infant can actually choke on their own breath and saliva if forced to “cry it out”. We’re the only animals on earth who refuse to tend our young after birth. Personally, I think it’s lazy. An infant relies on you. And it’s up to you to determine why your infant is fussing. Babies don’t cry for just no reason.

Aside from all that, my 3 year old has to have lullabies. YouTube has alot of Dark Screen lullabies. We put the tablet on our shelf and she falls asleep instantly. Maybe try some lullabies so your baby isn’t going from the hustle and bustle of daily life to a completely silent room at bed.

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She needs mommy. She needs to be loved. She doesn’t know how to self soothe. She’s ONLY 2 months old. I had to rock my son till he was 2 yrs old. :heart: He’s 6 now and doesn’t ever slow down. Spend this precious time loving on her and assuring her you are there.

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Lady you’re winning already. She’s sleeping through the night.

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That’s normal, especially if they’re breast-fed. The more they wake up to eat during the day, the longer they’ll sleep at night. Baby wearing during the day when awake kept mine happy and I could get stuff done.

Going to sound weird but Sleep in a tshirt n the next nap lay the tshirt where she sleeps … also at 2months they some time still need mommy chest time :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:good luck

Will maybe yry and give her a warm bath and put a light outfit on and light blanket turn some baby musis on and rock her then when you lay her fown make dhur nothing loud is on and vurtains are pulled and door shut enough to keep light and noise out.

be very grateful your baby at this age sleeps thru the night, AS for naps, that also can be common. Are you breast-feeding or bottle feeding? Maybe the baby is hungry & is not getting enough at each feed. And I hate to say at 2 months, baby’s really aren’t into self-soothing yet, nor should it be forced

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She sleeps all night and you
Want her to sleep all day why did you even have a baby if you always want her to be sleeping you should have just bought a doll or something

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Lol You cant “break the cycle” its a baby. Thats what babies do. They cry, eat and sleep

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My daughter was the same exact way. She never wanted a nap. Even nursing she’d be wide awake. If I tried to make her nap it only caused problems. She is seven now and still has not had a nap even after big events. When she sleeps it’s for the night. Buuuuuut she also did sleep for like 10-12 hrs sometimes.

Sounds like normal behavior for a 2 month old. My daughter did the same.

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My daughter slept through the night from day one so naps were very inconsistent if she napped at all. I just let her stay up as long as she was sleeping all night.

Maybe teething? Sounds like if I were you I would wear her out by letting her run around play hard and nap hard.

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A baby that young isn’t going to self soothe and shouldn’t be made to. She just wants her mommy!

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Shes sleeping through the night and waking refreshed. Maybe she doesn’t need to nap and she certainly won’t self soothe at 2 months old
Instead of trying to force a nap…put her in the buggy and walk . You may find she settles better and you can grab a coffee somewhere.

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Sounds normal. Let her develop her own nap schedule. Every baby is different.

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My son is 5 months since he was 2 months he stopped napping. He does 10 min power naps but no full naps

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I found that routine helps a lot! My little one was the same way until I made a schedule for us and his 20 min naps turned into 2-3 hour ones. He wouldn’t sleep through the night he was up every 30-45 mins and was soo cranky! Now we get 2-3 hour naps in between feedings and he gets 8hrs at night roughly. But if you stick to a routine and keep with it, we had results within 2 weeks. I am also first time mom and this is advice that was given to me. Hope it helps momma, you’re doing great!!! :heart:

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You don’t know much about “self soothing” do you? Babies don’t even begin to have that ability until 6 months old. What you’re describing is perfectly normal for a 2 month old. They need mama at all times.

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My daughter really only napped on my chest until 6 months old and then she wanted to nap in her crib. Try baby wearing, taking walks, laying down with her on your chest, car rides, etc.

I dont recommend she be sleeping through the night at that age. She needs food throughout the night to be able to grow and be healthy. Even dream feeding her would a thought. As for naps through the day just go with your babe. Naps are anywhere between 30mins and 3 hours. She may need be a cat napper. Smaller sleeps more often. You have to play to the beat of her drum. Self soothing is worth a go as well. I battled with my baby for about a week and now I can put him to bed no worries at all he will sometimes grizzle. Sometimes not but always goes to sleep in a couple of mins. I find self soothinh tires them out. As awful as the cry is. You know they are ok.

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Try napping with her? Maybe she just wants to be spilled lol. Good luck babies are not easy to understand. Only other things I have in mind would be take her outside walk might help or maybe a ride?

I stop taking naps when I was 9 months old some babies just stop taking naps all together

She’s wayyyy too young to be on a nap schedule. She’s still brand new.

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Maybe she is too hot or uncomfortable

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She can’t self soothe yet…like it’s literally impossible.
If she’s sleeping thru the night she’s not going to take long naps during the day.

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It’s all about sleep cycles. Follow wake windows for day naps and put her down 5-10min before she’s due. This way you know she’s tired and WILL learn to self soothe by default (yes no matter what age). You shouldn’t even need white noise, rocking etc. Just pop her down, a kiss. She is waking at 40min is because that is her sleep cycle at this age . Instead of assuming her nap is over, change your mindset to think that she just needs a little reassure to get back back sleep. At this age, i would pop in after 5 min (unless she is distressed) and give her another couple of belly rubs. Stay for like 10 seconds of rubs, Then leave again and see what happens. If you stay longer you will likely stimulate her too much and nap time will be over. My kids are incredible sleepers, yes from new born, always napping 1.5+ hours. Message me if you need support :two_hearts: (forget all the white noise, rocking for hours, etc)

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My littlest is 7 months n never has been much of a napper. 10/20 mins tops. Was 4 times a day. Now we’re down to one 2 hour nap a day

I think that’s completely normal, I was lucky if I got more than a 15-20 minute nap out of my daughter 2× a day. By the time she was 6 months naps were almost non existent. Occasionally on busy days that would poop her out. All kids are different. Also I don’t think self soothing so young is the best of an idea, maybe more snuggles putting her to sleep might help her sleep a longer time period?

So dont make baby take naps… If baby is sleeping all night and waking up refreshed maybe she doesn’t need a nap

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Your baby is literally a new born. She can’t self soothe yet. Feed her, rock her, walk her, keep her busy, tummy time, playing, etc. She sleeps through the night so she won’t take long naps…

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She’s 8 weeks old. She can’t “self soothe”. That’s what YOU are for.

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Routine, quiet room, and feed right before nap time and put her in the bassinet or crib (if not already) every little movement i would make if he was sleeping on me would wake him up

Take her a bath before her nap

Babies don’t self soothe thats what your for. Lay LO down before they are tired and stay to a routine. LO is already sleeping through the night which is massive so don’t force longer naps.

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No 2m old baby can self soothe. In fact you’re not capable of that until nearly elementary age.

Try baby wearing for naps. That’s what our ancestors would’ve done.

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Should be waking every 3 hours day and night to eat at that age .

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She’s… 2 months old. . A bit soon for a nap schedule, and self soothing isn’t possible for baby yet

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My daughter is 8 months old and is the worst sleeper ever. Doesn’t nap for more than 20 mins. On a good day when her siblings aren’t home. She can get an hour nap in. She also doesn’t sleep through the night. Like ever. I’m no help as I’m an exhausted mom of 4 lol :joy::sweat_smile:

At that age should be eating at night every few hours :flushed:

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Boy my boys 2yrs and 8months sleep through the night, have since they were newborns. They eat regularly through out the day. My 8month old eats on the same schedule every day, and every 4hours on the dot. For a 2month old try rice cereal in the bottle. My 8month ate way more than my now 2yr old, my 2yr old was a skinny long baby, but my 8montb old is ways hungry when he was a bit younger he would legit be hungry every 3-4 hours on the dot, even if we tried to wait for the full hours he would just scream till he got fed wether we held him or not. Now he’s 8months and at 19lbw he’s a chunky baby, totally opposite of my now 2yr old. I was raised old fashioned, never wake a sleeping baby. If a baby sleeps through the night, let it. They’ve done made their own sleep schedule. Stick to it!!! But through our the day yes keep up with the 3-4hr dressing or when the baby eats. Not all babies are the same and even the PEDS Drs will tell you. Unless they are failing their weight ratio for their age. Then follow your child, feed them when they are hungry. Let them sleep when they sleep.

Bath, calming music, swing/bouncer or rock her to sleep.

I had one who didn’t nap, but would have quiet time with her books. She learned to read before she learned how to pronounce, some of her language was interesting.

do you have it the same time every day ?

My son would go to bed at 7pm at night wake at 7am since he was born never took naps unless he was sick

“self soothing” is a myth. just strap baby to you and she will sleep better

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I’d try a white noise machine, snuggle and cuddle till asleep and then try putting in crib.

Take a nap with her. Enjoy this time and literally sleep when she does. Strap her to you when she’s awake if she’s not happy doing her own thing for a few minutes. You don’t get this time back. I know you’re probably thinking you want your own time or have things to do, but those will always be there. And your “you time” will come eventually. My son doesn’t nap good unless I take one with him. He will go all day until the evening to nap, then it’s too late because it’s close to bed time. :smirk:

She’s 2 months old, a new born, what you expect her to self sooth.
Mummy that is your job.