When will normality(ish) return?

gt568

Our 7 week old daughter doesn't really take naps in the morning or afternoon, she'll only really sleep if we take her in the car....shouldn't she be having a kip in the morning or afternoon or when do babies start doing this?

LillyJ

My Mum said I never napped! I barely slept really. (and still don't).
The car was also the only thing that sent me to sleep.
I suppose all babies are different?

surreysaver

Nor did ours. They're supposed to sleep for 18 hours a day (or so we were told...), but ours slept for nearer 10 hours per day.

poohzee

Hiya

Some babies need to be trained to sleep! Is your baby grumpy at all during these times or just unsettled? When I had my first I read the Baby Whisperer and it really clicked with me. Anyway, if your baby yawns, you start to quiet things done - on the second yawn you put her down for a nap - it may take a lot of pick up put downs until she settles - but should get her into a routine. I have a 12 week old and he has 2, 40 minute naps every 4 hours! - But every baby is different - hth

Spendless

let me know when you find out, my 8 year old still doesn't sleep!;)

lisndai

Hi there,
I have a fourteen week old and for the first twelve weeks she was an absolute nightmare all she did was scream , but it has got remarkably better once she hit 12 weeks she seemed more content but she is still not a sleeper in the day , all she does is cat nap for the odd 5 minutes here and there . At least now though rather than screaming in between she smiles and gurgles which makes it all better . All babies are very different she is my fourth child and none of the others were like this she will fall into a pattern when she is ready .

Lisa

Bitsy_Beans

I found when my son was a newborn he slept when he wanted to, I didn't put him in any routine as such.
Does she seem tired during the day but refuses to sleep anywhere but the car? It was an expense but my son was never very good at self settling so we bought a battery operated swing chair. Sent him to sleep a treat (although if you go down this route get rechargeable batteries as ours got through them far too quickly and they cost a bomb!).
All babies are different and what she does now may well change in a months time anyway. As long as you don't think she's suffering for the lack of sleep I'd guess this is the way she is for now.

RustyFlange

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

I found when my son was a newborn he slept when he wanted to, I didn't put him in any routine as such.
Does she seem tired during the day but refuses to sleep anywhere but the car? It was an expense but my son was never very good at self settling so we bought a battery operated swing chair. Sent him to sleep a treat (although if you go down this route get rechargeable batteries as ours got through them far too quickly and they cost a bomb!).
All babies are different and what she does now may well change in a months time anyway. As long as you don't think she's suffering for the lack of sleep I'd guess this is the way she is for now.

My daughter had reflux so catnapped fairly regular throughout the day ... I had 5 days of hell when at 6 months old she caught chicken pox !!! she refused point blank to sleep and couldn't stop wiggling due to being so itchy and dore I guess .... on the 2nd night I dragged her baby swing downstairs and placed her in there, gave her her comfort blanket and she drifted off .... only catnapping again though due to high fever and pain but was worth every penny for them 5 days .... cost £65 but I sold it on ebay for £35 when she was too big for it

tsstss7

gt568 wrote: »

Our 7 week old daughter doesn't really take naps in the morning or afternoon, she'll only really sleep if we take her in the car....shouldn't she be having a kip in the morning or afternoon or when do babies start doing this?

Snap - except my baby (6mths now) doesn't sleep in car /push chair either - I get cat naps in the day and three lots of 3-4hrs at night ....no wonder I'm so tired...ds 1 was very different and had a lovely routine until about 2 ..ds2 is def, a shock to the system.

Mutantk

Does your baby sleep well at night for long? I would have happily gone without many day time naps in return for a good night!! It's like everyone else seems to be saying - each baby has their own routine and it's just trial and error which works for you - I find that just when you're at the end of your tether and can take no more - so then they change their routine again!! As my husband ALWAYS says - it's only a phase! Good luck though

Welshlassie

All babies will sleep how much they need, when they need it, but sometimes need help going off. My son will cry really hard before going to sleep unless he is in the car and even then cries a bit.

Taking her out in the car to get her to drop off is making a rod for your own back, because as she gets older she will expect this in order to help her fall asleep and driving when you're tired is one of the worst things you could do.

I really rate the Baby Whisperer as well. It has some great tips in for helping to get baby to sleep and a section on helping when yo have accidentially fallen into bad habits.

It took my son until he was 6 months old to sleep through the night, and we still only get 4-5 nights a week when he does (he's 9 months old now), with 2-3 half hour naps in the day from about 6 weeks old this is all he has ever done in the day.

It does get easier, you just have to perserve.