how much does your baby sleep during the day??

[hadassah]

Benjamin only catnaps during the day and only if I am holding him........needless to say I am so incredibly drained. He just eats and sleeps for like 10 min at a time. Once every few days he will sleep on his own during the day for close to a hour sometimes longer. He is a happy baby when he is awake though, he just doesn't sleep! At night he sleeps great waking only about 2-3 timmes to feed.

With my three other kids to chase, I feel like a walking zombie

[flavorfull1]

Ooo yeah that would be really hard! Malachi sleeps for a good 2 hour stretch in the morning and in the afternoon. Sometimes it is even longer or he takes a mid-day nap as well depending on the night before. Now he is getting up 2-3 times at night and he doesn't even really fully wake up to feed. I have found that when I am out and about with my nephew that he really doesn't sleep as well and then he gets over tired. Sleep is a big deal, hugs and I hope you get some sleep soon!

[JustSimplicity]

I'm right there with you. Ze will ONLY take real naps if he's in the moby wrap. How does your LO do being worn? I've tried EVERYTHING to get him to nap in his bed but I'm going to just resign myself for now to letting him sleep in the wrap. Otherwise he'll only catnap and then be so overtired that getting him down for the night is impossible.

[Nicole730]

I hit the jackpot with this baby...she sleeps and sleeps and sleeps... My first baby did not though, so I totally know how you feel, well minus the chasing after 3 other kids part. Have you tried putting him down on his belly or doing the really tight swaddle? I never did either with DS, but I have with DD. She does fight the swaddle for a few minutes, but then settles into a good nap.

[jabeen]

My babe only sleeps during the day if I work HARD to put him to sleep--ie walking, rocking, singing. He sometimes falls asleep in the Moby, and occasionally after nursing. I'd say in total he maybe naps about 3 hours total during the day. Nighttime, same as yours. I took him to an osteopathic dr for craniosacral therapy the other day to deal with some breastfeeding issues--she said it might help with the sleep as well. It does seem a little easier to get him to fall asleep since then. In his case though, he does get fussy and cranky from the lack of sleep, so I know he needs to sleep more! Oh and he only sleeps while we're holding him pretty much as well (during the night, he sleeps next to or on top of me). So I am with you here!!

[hadassah]

he loves being in a sling more than my moby wrap which I wish he liked more because then I would have both hands semi free.....oh well, I t's just a real struggle to anything done besides hold and nurse him. I finally took the first shower in days while he screamed and cried....tears even-which makes me want to cry tears . It does help knowing I'm not alone though.

[basje]

My LO

She sleeps for a few hours during the day, depending on what we're doing. She sleeps best in the moby when I am walking around doing errands. Two weeks ago I got a swing. At first she wouldn't stay in it for more that ten or fifteen minutes then I tried swiveling it in a different direction so she was being rocked side to side and she'll sleep for a few hours at a time as long as it's on. I give her a diaper change, massage with lavender oil and a nice long nurse before settling her in.

[Ninetales]

She has been catnapping this week, where she used to sleep long stretches between feeds. She's starting to regulate her feeds now, and the long day sleeps went out the window right around then.

She falls asleep very easily in the moby but hasn't been staying asleep. And there's not a lot I can do while wearing her since I can't bend over.

She is in the middle of a long nap right now so hopefully she's getting back on track. Because she's not happy when she doesn't get sleep. She's been crabby all week.

[basje]

Originally Posted by Ninetales

She falls asleep very easily in the moby but hasn't been staying asleep. And there's not a lot I can do while wearing her since I can't bend over.

Do you have her in the cradle hold? You should be able to bend over. Maybe you're not wrapping tight enough? I wash the floors on my hand and knees with my LO in the Moby and she doesn't move an inch.

[hadassah]

off to check out to do the "cradle hold" with a moby

[Ficus]

I feel like I shouldn't even comment here because Felix is almost 14 weeks and STILL doesn't nap unless being held. "You cannot spoil a baby." Okay, I get it, but when does that end? I mean, we started childcare full time and perhaps that will help initiate more of a schedule, but right now, we are pretty much struggling with sleep--day and night. I am convinced that I am genetically programmed to birth troubled sleepers.

The biggest issue is that the moment he sets down, his eyes pop open and he is awake. So, we tried side sleeping for some time. Stopped working. Now, the only way he sleeps soundly is either on us or on his tummy. I know, I know...I just wish so badly he could sleep on his back.

Our biggest problem is still GI. I think he still struggles with digestion. We started probiotics a week ago and are hoping that helps, but it's not that he cries at night, he just twists and turns and is restless about every hour or so. If we don't tend to him, he winds up and cries.

I just keep reminding myself he won't be sleeping in our bed come 7th grade or passed out on my chest on the eve of high school graduation...

will he?

[Nicole730]

Originally Posted by Ficus

I feel like I shouldn't even comment here because Felix is almost 14 weeks and STILL doesn't nap unless being held. "You cannot spoil a baby." Okay, I get it, but when does that end? I mean, we started childcare full time and perhaps that will help initiate more of a schedule, but right now, we are pretty much struggling with sleep--day and night. I am convinced that I am genetically programmed to birth troubled sleepers.

The biggest issue is that the moment he sets down, his eyes pop open and he is awake. So, we tried side sleeping for some time. Stopped working. Now, the only way he sleeps soundly is either on us or on his tummy. I know, I know...I just wish so badly he could sleep on his back.

Our biggest problem is still GI. I think he still struggles with digestion. We started probiotics a week ago and are hoping that helps, but it's not that he cries at night, he just twists and turns and is restless about every hour or so. If we don't tend to him, he winds up and cries.

I just keep reminding myself he won't be sleeping in our bed come 7th grade or passed out on my chest on the eve of high school graduation...

will he?

Have you tried a swing? We transitioned DS from napping on me to napping a swing. Not necessarily the best move, but it kept me free for a bit!

[HappiLeigh]

Originally Posted by Ninetales

She falls asleep very easily in the moby but hasn't been staying asleep. And there's not a lot I can do while wearing her since I can't bend over.

I got one of those grabber/gopher thingies. It rocks! It's my new favorite babywearing tool.

[feministmom]

Miranda used to sleep a lot during the day, but then would be awake (and fussy) from 7 until 11 or 12. Lately I've been getting out and about more during the day, so she's been catnapping because she will only really sleep for long stretches at home in the bouncy seat. She sleeps well when in the mei tai, but I'm rarely out in one place long enough for a "real" nap. Since I've made the switch, she's been going down for the night around 7 or 8. She wakes up every 3.5-4 hours to nurse throughout the night. It's better this way....I'd rather have her awake more during the day and sleeping better at night.

DD1 was a horrible sleeper, so I sympathize with all the mamas who are going through that now! Hugs.

[AustinKate]

Alex also only sleeps while being held, in the Moby or the Ergo. He *has* to be upright, hates the cradle hold, so that's what we've been doing all day long. As long as he's in that position, he sleeps for one to two hours at a time a few times a day. To tell the truth, I have only tried putting him down for naps a few times, and with mixed results (he's 7 weeks now). I guess I've been reluctant to mess with a system that works until he's a little older.

He can get very fussy at night sometimes from around 6-11 or 12, but he's sleeping beautifully at night once he's zonked out.

[gini1313]

My LO (7 wks) has been like that, too, until the past few days. He slept in the kozy on and off all day. He will take a good nap in the AM (in the kozy) if I am moving (vacuuming, cleaning, etc), otherwise just catnaps. I have found, though, that he seems to be less cranky the past few days if he takes a nap in bed. It is hard with my other two kids here, though.

So, I have been laying down with him to nurse for about 30 minutes (with my three year old in and out of the room, so not so conducive to sleep). He dozes on and off during that time, but if I get up while he is sleepy and leave him laying there, he will doze off to sleep and sleep for an hour or two. If I stay in bed with him, he won't sleep as well (which is wierd because at night, he will only sleep in my arms, go figure).

I know this doesn't work for all kids, my other two never would have gone to sleep if I left them in bed while they were still awake, but it seems to be what he needs to fall asleep (BTW, he doesn't cry at all while falling asleep). Oh, I have to swaddle him for naps, too, or he won't go to sleep. So, we have been doing on hour or so in the kozy while I clean the house (added bonus is my house has been cleaner) and 1 to 2 hours in the afternoon in bed, most days. Then he dozes on and off around those two "official" naps...

[angiejo]

Thank goodness I am not the only one. My LO is 9 1/2 weeks old. He is currently laying restlessly napping in his bouncer while I bounce it with my foot. This is as far away as I get during naps. If I quit bouncing he wakes up. Usually he falls asleep bfing and I have to hold him through naps. At night he wakes twice from 11 pm - 6:45 am. He has been in bed with me up until last night I finally put him in his crib and figured I would deal with the climb. He hated his bassinet. He seems to like his crib though thank goodness. I am soo tired lately I am afraid I will rollover on him in our bed. He did great in his own bed last night so that is a plus. Now if only I could get him to nap during the day. I need a shower and my house needs to be cleaned. Currently I get to shower every couple of days because he is over tired at night most nights and does nothing but cry until bed time which is when I normally pass out.