Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Parenting our children -> Infants
Won't sleep without being held
1  2  3  Next



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 4:07 am
My 6 month old will not sleep without being held for naps. He'll be up for 2.5 hours, be so tired, fall right asleep, then when I put him down he'll sleep for less than 10 minutes before waking up. Then he usually doesn't fall back to sleep even if I rock him. I dont know what to do at this point, I can't keep having to hold him for naps, since I get stuck with him and can't get stuff that I need to do done. Anyone have any tips? Do I just keep putting him down and if he wakes up so be it? Could this be a 6 month sleep regression?
Also, he sleeps at night, but only after we rock him to sleep for a long time, and we're planning on sleep training him to help him self soothe better when he's a bit older, in like 6 weeks.
I want him to sleep so he can be rested and healthy. I just dont know what to do to help him
Back to top

SG18




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 4:48 am
Have you tried putting him down on his stomach for naps?
Back to top

amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 5:32 am
SG18 wrote:
Have you tried putting him down on his stomach for naps?

Yes, but he doesn't like being on his tummy unfortunately
Back to top

Rappel




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 5:43 am
Try this:
1. Wrap him in a blanket firmly, like a hug.
2. Hold him to sleep.
3. Place him in a crib on top of something that smells like you - shirt, scarf, etc.


----
If he's also suffering from reflux, then that may be waking him up when he lies flat. In that case, fold a towel and put it under the crib mattress to elevate it on one end. His head should be higher than his belly.
Back to top

Rappel




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 5:44 am
amother OP wrote:
Yes, but he doesn't like being on his tummy unfortunately


Is his tummy hard/gassy?
Back to top

amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 6:01 am
Rappel wrote:
Try this:
1. Wrap him in a blanket firmly, like a hug.
2. Hold him to sleep.
3. Place him in a crib on top of something that smells like you - shirt, scarf, etc.


----
If he's also suffering from reflux, then that may be waking him up when he lies flat. In that case, fold a towel and put it under the crib mattress to elevate it on one end. His head should be higher than his belly.

can we wrap him in a blanket even if we had to stop swaddling him (since he can roll over both directions)? our pediatrician told us its dangerous to restrain his arms in case he gets on him tummy and can't turn back over.
and we do hold him to sleep, but he could be totally asleep and once I put him down he wakes up Sad
BH he doesnt have reflux
Back to top

amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 6:01 am
Rappel wrote:
Is his tummy hard/gassy?

BH no. He has gas but no more than the average baby I think
Back to top

amother
Garnet


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 11:52 am
I had kids like this. That child is now 20 but I still remember the aching of my arm from him being asleep in my arm. The only thing I could do was drive them to sleep and keep driving. As soon as I stopped he would wake up. I tried the swung for one of my kids it worked but for other 2 kids they startled easily and woke up after 15 minutes. I have no advice as this is what I dealt with. Just to tell you to hang in there eventually they sleep. I spent first decade of my kids life trying to get them to sleep, and the next decade trying to get them to wake up 🤣🤪😂
Back to top

amother
Cognac


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 12:49 pm
Might be time to start sleep training now, that's what we had to do for ny first who would only nap while being held. Alternatively, wear the baby in a wrap or carrier and hope he sleeps like that hut at least your hands will be free.

Also, you might need to put him to sleep after shorter periods of being awake and/or earlier than you have been. Being overtired makes it hard for babies to fall asleep and/or stay asleep.

Lastly, wherever he naps, sleep with the sheet first so it smells like you, and heat it with a hot water bottle before you put him down there so it sitll feels warm and cozy (remove the hot water bottle before puttong the baby down, for safety).
Back to top

amother
Black


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 1:23 pm
amother OP wrote:
My 6 month old will not sleep without being held for naps. He'll be up for 2.5 hours, be so tired, fall right asleep, then when I put him down he'll sleep for less than 10 minutes before waking up. Then he usually doesn't fall back to sleep even if I rock him. I dont know what to do at this point, I can't keep having to hold him for naps, since I get stuck with him and can't get stuff that I need to do done. Anyone have any tips? Do I just keep putting him down and if he wakes up so be it? Could this be a 6 month sleep regression?
Also, he sleeps at night, but only after we rock him to sleep for a long time, and we're planning on sleep training him to help him self soothe better when he's a bit older, in like 6 weeks.
I want him to sleep so he can be rested and healthy. I just dont know what to do to help him

Baby carrier. So normal that they want to be held for naps. Loved contact naps
Back to top

amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 1:29 pm
Thanks for all the replies! Id love to do baby carrying, but he's so heavy so its hard for me to carry him for all of his naps. And beH we will start sleep training, just first we want to make sure he can get sufficient sleep during the day before trying to "wean" him off needing to be rocked to sleep.
So today we just tried to put him down for every nap. The first nap he slept literally 8 minutes, the second around 25, the third around 30. Obviously that isn't enough sleep for the day for a 6 month old. So is it better to have him have a few sleepless days and learn to nap in his crib or just hold him? I'm trying to think long term about his sleep habits but he was so grumpy today it was hard to keep my resolve Sad
Back to top

amother
Cognac


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 1:37 pm
amother OP wrote:
Thanks for all the replies! Id love to do baby carrying, but he's so heavy so its hard for me to carry him for all of his naps. And beH we will start sleep training, just first we want to make sure he can get sufficient sleep during the day before trying to "wean" him off needing to be rocked to sleep.
So today we just tried to put him down for every nap. The first nap he slept literally 8 minutes, the second around 25, the third around 30. Obviously that isn't enough sleep for the day for a 6 month old. So is it better to have him have a few sleepless days and learn to nap in his crib or just hold him? I'm trying to think long term about his sleep habits but he was so grumpy today it was hard to keep my resolve Sad


Sounds like progress! Keep just putting him down, don't lose hope.

If you teach him to self soothe at night, it will also help him self soothe during the day. And once he sleeps better at night, that will help him sleep better during the day. So it might be better to help his night time sleep first - if you wait for his daytime sleep to improve before sleep training, you may be waiting longer than you'd like.
Back to top

amother
Tangerine


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 1:55 pm
Hating being on stomach can be a sign of a tongue tie.
Back to top

amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 2:00 pm
amother Tangerine wrote:
Hating being on stomach can be a sign of a tongue tie.

Hes been checked for that a few times when he was a newborn, BH he doesn't have that.
Back to top

amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 2:01 pm
amother Cognac wrote:
Sounds like progress! Keep just putting him down, don't lose hope.

If you teach him to self soothe at night, it will also help him self soothe during the day. And once he sleeps better at night, that will help him sleep better during the day. So it might be better to help his night time sleep first - if you wait for his daytime sleep to improve before sleep training, you may be waiting longer than you'd like.

Thanks for the advice! Im trying to read up and educate myself on the best way to sleep train, with minimal crying but still good results, and there's so much information my head is spinning lol. So ill keep learning and in the meanwhile keep putting him in his crib for naps!
Back to top

amother
Magenta


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 2:02 pm
Keep trying different positions. One of mine only slept on the boppy pillow.
Back to top

amother
Tangerine


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 2:03 pm
amother OP wrote:
Hes been checked for that a few times when he was a newborn, BH he doesn't have that.
Who checked him?
Back to top

amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 2:03 pm
amother Magenta wrote:
Keep trying different positions. One of mine only slept on the boppy pillow.

Any links for good ones? I'll try anything at this point
Back to top

amother
OP


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 2:03 pm
amother Tangerine wrote:
Who checked him?

2 pediatricians and one pediatric nurse. Also a lactation consultant Smile I feel pretty confident he's okay BH
Back to top

amother
Magenta


 

Post Sun, May 28 2023, 2:06 pm
amother OP wrote:
Any links for good ones? I'll try anything at this point


I just got the boppy original on Amazon. Make sure you get the pillow and the cover
Back to top
Page 1 of 3 1  2  3  Next Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Parenting our children -> Infants

Related Topics Replies Last Post
My baby cries himself to sleep
by amother
11 Yesterday at 3:13 pm View last post
How did you sleep train?
by amother
91 Yesterday at 2:38 pm View last post
Baby sleep cycle 18 Wed, Mar 13 2024, 9:06 am View last post
My 14 yr old son won’t go to yeshiva, boy bothering him
by amother
15 Tue, Mar 05 2024, 2:57 pm View last post
Sleep training - babysleepmaven 31 Sat, Mar 02 2024, 11:30 pm View last post