Coping with a sleep fighter-please help!

[dancermommy1]

Ok, my 5 mo will fight sleep like a champ. If I'm rocking him he will scratch on anything he can reach to make noise to keep himself awake, kick, squirm, grab my face, twist, spit out his paci, etc... It's mentally & physically exhausting. This occurs most often at naptime. If I go lay him in his crib & he's not totally out he will throw his arms put to wake himself up or will purposely scratch the sheets, roll over, practice scooting, etc... Forget "drowsy but awake"--if he's drowsy but awake & I put him down his eyes fly open & he starts to play!

It can take a full hour to get him down for a nap, and then he often wakes after 20 minutes. I'm pulling my hair out.

I bought pantleys no cry nap solution & the no cry sleep solution & plan to try them, but she doesn't talk about how to settle a super active sleep fighter...

[Len27]

We had good luck with the good night sleep tight sleep lady's guide- the no-cry sleep solution didn't work for us. That being said, I didn't tackle this until closer to a year- at 5 mos I was exactly where you are- pulling my effing hair out! It is so insanely frustrating, isn't it?

[mrseum]

Just want to offer mama, DS was the same way. He'd be completely out, & if I'd move him to his crib he'd sit bolt upright & it'd take FOREVER to get him back down. I never did find a solution other than staying w/him 1-3 hrs ea. night; & we still cosleep for naps.

[newbiemama]

we're still there and DD is 20+ lbs and quite the fighter!! we've found she's most "aggressive" when she's teething and in pain. we did gel but finally gave into OTC meds and its calms her some of the time. routine sometimes help. also we've used California baby bubble bath specifically for overtired and cranky babies and it seemed to help once in a while. some things you just have to get through and eventually you'll be able to look back on it... and still want to ripe your hair out just thinking about it!!

[doodah]

It's not too late to swaddle. Thats what I would do. We swaddle as long as possible with our girls and the DC kids. Good luck with the books though. I have heard a lot of mamas have good success with those.

[pcjs]

My first thought is to swaddle but we did from the start. I'd probably do a sleep sack but it really only partially slows my son down. We don't mind him fussing in the crib - he needs that unwinding time before nap/bedtime. I just started getting ok now that he is older with some toys (not ok with books as he will eat them but I have some soft ones but he's not interested) and he plays for a little bit and then goes to sleep now 99% no problem. How about a few soft toys that you remove before he sleeps if you can sneak in there as he falls asleep given his age.

[dancermommy1]

We swaddled until 3 months, but he Hates it now, and also he rolls around & was getting stuck. We do the sleep sack at night, which does help. I give him a lovey at naps only , since I check on him frequently. He CAN put himself back to sleep--I've watched him do it. Just sometimes he won't! I think he fights most when he's overtired. Unfortunately I don't always hit his nap window perfectly because life happens & I have to pick up hubby at work, etc...

Today it took 45 min to get him down then he slept 45 and woke up rubbing his eyes...I tried to encourage him to sleep more but finally I gave up and got him up to play. When he got cranky later I just stuck him in the ergo until bedtime... Whatever works, I guess. We are going to give the pantley method a go. I just can't do CIO, or even crying with me standing nearby & patting him. If he cries in my arms, ok, but that usually only happens if he's crazy tired or he has an ear infection or other problem

[mrosehughes]

We went through a period with DS a few months ago where he fought going to sleep for naps; I sometimes felt like naptime was a wrestling match because DS is big and STRONG and would writhe, hit, pull my hair, etc. For us I'm pretty sure it was him being overtired, so I started trying to put him down a bit earlier and that seemed to work most of the time. Now he doesn't fight much at all at home but won't sleep at daycare so...