Vent...So Frustrated With Non-Napping Babies!!!

[Miss Lindsey]

I have a 6 month old and a 5 month old this week that I'm so frustrated with...not them of course, but the situation has me pulling my hair out!

The 6 month old will nap, very well...but is a light sleeper, so if he gets woke up...he's done...and WON'T go back to sleep...even with CIO for 45 minutes.

Then, the 5 month old doesn't nap for more than 30 minutes, but wants to nap 4 times a day while here...and MOM doesn't like that either. She is adamant about putting the baby on a schedule.

So, the 5 month old is needing to be put down awake...because she fights it like you wouldn't believe if I rock her. So, I have to wait until she finally cries herself to sleep (only takes about 15 minutes), and then I can put the other baby down. He cries the second I put him down, but again will only take about 15 minutes...but in that time...he wakes up the 5 month old...see the cycle...it's a nasty predicament.

I'm really really tired of it! I havent eaten lunch around here all week because there's just never a chance...unless I try to eat while I listen to them scream...and that just gives me indigestion! LOL!

I was reading how you all suggest that they be put down awake from day one, and I wholeheartedly agree...but I'm having to do some retraining now. And then I'm just at a loss as to what to do when they wake up after 20 minutes. Just let them scream...thus waking up the other sleeping babies?

Venting...but really, if you have any suggestions...I'm up for it. I just need them to take naps! I need the break!

[My Lil' Monkeys]

If they both cry around 15 mins each, have you tried laying them down at the same time?

Also, I run a fan on low with my infants... I have a little girl that hears anything and wakes up instantly...so this week I ran a fan near the pnp. It seemed to help as she slept 3 hrs!! Which was awesome because she only normally napped 20 mins everytime.

I know I've heard of other providers using a white noise machine or soft music.

[momofsix]

Definitely put them down awake, even if you have to reaterain them it shouldn't take long.
One thing I do is have some noise going in the room with the babies, i've done a quiet time cd and I've done a fan. When there is noise, it seems to help them sleep better, and also they won't startle awake everytime they hear a noise. It's worked for me!
Or do you have the space to have them sleep in seperate rooms?
Hopefully they'll let you have lunch one of these days...nap time is way too important to not have a good one!

[Live and Learn]

As the mother of twins I can tell you this can work.::::
I would put them in separate bedrooms, family rooms whatever at opposite ends of the house but on the exact same schedule.

[cillybean83]

i keep a pnp in my living room for these kinds of things! mine are a bit older (13 months and 16 months) but they will not sleep if they're in the same room, dcg screams at the top of her lungs when she's put in the pnp but then she'll sleep a long time and my son will lay right down and knock out but he doesn't sleep as long so he wakes up making a ton of noise and wakes up dcg before she gets enough rest and it's a total scream fest!

so now, my son goes down in his crib, dcg goes down in the pnp in the living room, whoever wakes up first gets to play in the playroom, and no one gets disturbed!

[momatheart]

I would do what others have suggested and put them down at the same time. Turn on a fan.

If the crying is getting to you start vaccuming so you can't hear it, .:: That noise may put them to sleep.

[Miss Lindsey]

Right now they're in seperate rooms, doors closed, but it still wakes them up. I guess I just need reassurance that they need to be put down awake and they need to learn to nap.

Again, what if one wakes up after just 20-30 minutes? Go get them, or just make them CIO until they go back to sleep?

Thanks for the support...I hate listening to them scream...but I can't keep going without a break either!

[cillybean83]

leave them. They will be fine, you know there is nothing wrong with them other than the fact that they are over tired and fighting sleep. They've got clean diapers and full bellies, they are FINE. Let them cry, it won't hurt them, they won't be psychologically damaged or anything...they won't need years of therapy for abandonment issues!

If nap time is 1-3, they go in at 1 and come out at 3. Period.

[Abigail]

I would put on sleepy time music, make sure it's darker, but have a nightlight if it's very dark and always follow a routine. If you eat and go straight to bed, stick with it and don't add any "crawl/play time' at all or it will confuse them. They can't tell time, but they can understand sequence of eating then sleeping. Put them down to sleep and walk away. If they wake up after 20 minutes let them CIO for another 15 minutes and perhaps check their diaper. Back in the PNP for another 15 minutes and hope they fall asleep. Make sure they don't have distractions because sometimes being in a seperate room where they can't see you is best because they will fall asleep faster since they're not visually trying to get your attention.