Short awake time, short naps, mom going crazy....

[LadyCatherine185]

DS2 is 3 months old.. he typically follows an "eat, wake, sleep" cycle throughout the day.. but he only stays awake for 15-30 minutes at a time before getting fussy, takes forever to get back to sleep (currently rock/bounce to sleep while he fights it every step of the way) and then sleeps for 15-30 minutes (with an occasional 60 minute nap) before waking up to nurse and starting all over. He also has to be held for each nap, and half the time rocked/bounced to stay asleep....... i am going nuts, and this is not doable all day everyday anymore.. my 2 year old is suffering from lack of attention, not to mention my house and sanity. please help!

wanted to add-- i have an ergo and wear him for a couple naps a day but my back can only handle so much as he already weighs 16.5 lbs!

[LadyCatherine185]

no one?

[P.J.]

15-30 minutes seems like a really short time to be awake before needing to sleep again. Are you sure that's what makes him fussy? Could it be a food intolerance? Or is he maybe just high needs and it's not that he needs to go right back to sleep but just needs a change of scenery, or is overstimulated, or needs to always be held?

It seems like quite a lot of babies do 30 minute naps only (mine included!)....but from what I can tell most will then take more naps per day but still have the typical duration between naps...which at 3 months I think is like 1-3 hours normally. 15-30 minutes seems like something else is going on, or else he's really really overtired. Sounds like you coudl maybe try some different pre-sleep routines. It may seem counter-intuitive, but have you tried just laying him down to sleep, or laying next to him and nursing him down without the motion? Some babies actually need less of a routine but just need their space.

Also, The No Cry Nap Solution has ideas for getting your baby to sleep not always on you, and getting them to sleep longer. But those things require quite some patience, time and consistency to actually work. GL!

[LadyCatherine185]

DS1 was a 30 min napper (and super high needs, only slept an hour at a time at night until 18 mos old, etc...) but he'd stay awake longer between naps.. yes i have tried getting him to sleep without motion, he just screams. when he starts fussing i try all kinds of things first- diaper change, change of scenery, etc etc but he really is tired. takes him another 20 or so minutes to get to sleep again so he's usually awake for an hour or so.... i think he is probably overtired from the short naps, he is a light sleeper and is often woken up by his brother.. but i can't put him down in the other room bc he wakes up after 5 mins or less if put down... he will sleep longer in the ergo, but i can't do that for every nap!eta:

he does have reflux and dairy issues, for which he's on zantac, i give him probiotics, and i've cut dairy. and he will not nurse to sleep, with or without motion.. in fact he will only nurse if he is already asleep and is waking up. i have a fast letdown, and he doesn't really like to nurse. in fact only in the last couple weeks does he nurse withoutr popping off and screaming several times. he does take a binky though