My 5 month old is a really good sleeper, but sometimes she wakes up from her morning nap too early and she wants to go back to sleep, but it's such a struggle and it's frustrating for her and me, any tips?
Thank you all for your responses. The baby is doing great as I think what I came to terms with, as some of you said, was that I had to stop fighting her to go back to sleep as she's getting older and changing and some of her naps will be long and great and others won't, so with that, my attitude adjustment has helped my happy baby sleep well and forced me to follow her signals more(sometimes hard when I'm running with my 4 year old), but thanks for your advice and support, chat soon...
You are frustrated. . . . you're child is only frustrated because she's probably not tired anymore and doesn't want to go back to sleep.
This won't last forever. She may be slowly giving up the morning nap (5 months is about right). She'll take a longer afternoon nap!!!
Hey M.,
I read all of the request everyday. I want to respond with some advise, however I am a little puzzled at your "A little about me". Is that a typo for the age of your children". How do you have a 41/2 and 5 month old?
Holla
For my kids I always tryed putting them to bed 15 mins later and see if she sleeps longer if not try some calming music in her room. putting my kids to bed a little later has helped me greatly. or you can always try to take them to the park in the morning. even if it is just for half an hour they will use so much energy in that little half an hour that they should take longer naps. and i know that ur little one is only 5 months old but if you hold on to her and slide her it will still get some energy out so she will sleep longer.
N. T.
Perhaps try a "transition" object? For example, my son LOVES his stuffed cow toy, that he cuddles with as he sleeps. It really helps and it's a comforting thing for him. Sometimes also, when they are going through developmental leaps or changes, this can disrupt their sleep patterns and they may wake up more. Babies and children go through so many growth spurts and developmental milestones.. it can spark a change in old routines and patterns.
Good luck,
~Susan
www.cafepress.com/littlegoogoo
I agree with the last suggestion- it may be time to modify your schedule. Mine dropped her third nap at that age, too. Try two naps, and once she is adjusted she may sleep a little longer those two times, or she may sleep longer at night (at that age mine was going to bed at 7, which my MIL thought was awful, but it was best for Izzy). I also think she's too old to start swaddling- if you had already been doing it, it might be okay, but she will fight you like crazy, and if she did get used to it it would be a harder habit to break, plus babies that age don't need to be swaddled for the same reasons younger infants do.
I don't know if it would help, but look at her eatting schedule, too. And remember, right before babies grow they almost always sleep less and in general act funny (for lack of a better word- mine will give me an almost sleepless night and not eat hardly at all right before she grows, but it's almost always just a one or two night thing and then she's over it).
I agree with the gal below that mentioned the swaddle blanket. I also have a 5 month old daughter that started doing the same things.....
I started wrapping her up tight and she slept better.
I also read that babies sleeping habits change at this time and they require less sleep...sometimes taking lil
1 hr naps may be all she needs at that moment...but if she still acts tired and fussy try wrapping her up tight and see if that helps!
Have you tried using swaddle blanket.
I found that helped.
I used the ultimate swaddle blanket.
The Baby Whisperer book really helped us in that arena with our son. When he wakes up early from naps, we use a pacifier if he'll take it. If he's crying and still tired, I'll usually pick him up, comfort him, then set him back down and talk to him gently or pat him and try to help him fall back asleep. Usually this works. If he's wide awake, I just let him get up early from his nap.
i actually don't like the swaddle suggestion for a babe that is 5 months..is she rolling over yet? if she can roll over i wouldn't use a swaddle....she might roll over and not be able to roll back. if she's napping for over 30 minutes i think that maybe that's fine..my son dropped his 3rd nap at 6 months..maybe she's starting to not need 3 naps a day...but she shouldn't lose the morning nap..have you tried pushing her nap back a little? 5 months is a big reflux time..is she spitting up more than usual? that could be waking her and bothering her. if she's sleeping in a crib you might want to put a pillow under the mattress to elevate it on one side or have her nap in a swing or her stroller. i used to push my son back and forth in his stroller at that age..he slept better in an upright position.
let her go back to sleep
There was a time where I noticed that Rachel would sleep longer if I laid down with her. I know we have a ton of things to do, but sleep is good for mamas, too, and the phase didn't last long.
I suggest that you check out Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby by Weissbluth. It has great information and tips on these types of things.
GL
