2 1/2 Month Old Does NOT Nap.

Perhaps he wants to nap more, but is conditioned that you will go in and get him if he stirs. When my daughter was younger, I encountered a similar problem. I found that when I thought she was awake or waking up that she was in fact either just adjusting or getting ready to fall into a deeper sleep and I kept going in and getting her up because I thought she was awake. Perhaps you should wait 10 minutes or so before going in to see if he goes back to sleep. Believe me he wants to nap.

Poor little guy....
You might already be doing this, but tightly swaddling worked wonders for us. We used The Miracle Blanket and loved it! Otherwise, babies wake themselves up when their arms jerk (the startling reflex every baby has) and they find it hard to drift back to sleep.

Best of luck. He should be napping 2-3 times a day. My kiddos usually went down for their 1st nap (morning) after being up about 1 1/2 hours.

My son did the same thing (minus the sleeping well at night). He didn't really start napping in long chunks until he was 6 months old (sorry to say). The only way we got him to nap was by getting him to sleep through the night by letting him cry himself to sleep for a few nights (after age 6 months). Once we did that he started napping (we still rocked him to sleep for all his naps), but it wasn't till that point that he started napping. He just had a body clock that didn't allow him to sleep very long and he couldn't put himself back to sleep. I hesitate to say we tried "everything" to get him to sleep/nap longer before letting himself cry himself to sleep (again, not till 6 months)...but it felt like we did! So, I think this is normal, which isn't to say it is easy!

I went through this as well. My daughter would wake up for good about 8 AM, then be up until 8 PM. It seemed impossible to me that she would be ready for a nap so soon after waking up, so about 3 hours after she got up in the morning, I would try to put her down for a nap. She'd sleep about 20 minutes, if I was lucky, then be up. I read somewhere that very young babies should go down for a nap about an hour after they get up in the morning. Even though it didn't sound right that she would be tired then, I tried it and she slept for two hours! New babies are hard. As soon as you've figured a small piece out, they change things on you. Good luck, and try to put him down about an hour after he gets up in the morning!

Hi C.! Hang in there - newborns can be so frustrating! My daughter didn't take a real nap in her crib until she was 8 months old. She'd catnap in the stroller, the car, my arms - but then be awake for hours like your son. She cried nonstop for 3 months and wouldn't let me put her down for 6. I don't really have any great advice. I just wanted to tell you to keep your chin up. One time I was so exhausted from having a baby who wouldn't sleep that I put her in the stroller and walked until she conked out. Then I wheeled the stroller into the house and passed out on the couch beside her. He'll sleep someday - I promise :)

Poor little guy. I agree with some of the other moms - try swaddling and letting him lay in the crib even when he wakes up, only go in if he is crying. Is he getting enough to eat? My second daughter is about this same age and she often falls asleep while eating and then wakes up STARVING 20 minutes later. I am pumping and bottle-feeding so I know that if she did not drink the full amount before falling asleep she will be up shortly to eat some more. If your breastfeeding it can be hard to tell how much they are getting before they doze off so perhaps he just needs to eat more? Just a thought....be glad he is sleeping through the night!

At this age, not napping is harmful. Here's a few tips: Watch for the very *first* signs of being tired... rubbing eyes, yawning, slowing down, lack of focus. Start him in a sleepytime routine *fast* as soon as you spot these signs. At this age he should still be having three naps a day, and an early bedtime.

If you let it go too long, his little body will begin making stress chemicals that actually make it harder for him to sleep. He will get "wired" and stop acting sleepy. Screaming and other fussing is likely at this point. (I figured this out the hard way... when I first brought my little guy home, I thought that keeping him up would make his sleep *better*... alas, babies don't work that way).

Also, avoid TV and lights when you want him to sleep. Make sure he gets outdoors for part of the day, preferably in the morning, so his little body clock isn't messed up.

The key is to get him down for a nap before he shows sleepy signs such as yawning, rubbing eyes, etc. Usually, babies need their first nap a couple of hours after waking for the day, so go ahead and put him down then. After he wakes, put him down again in couple more hours, and then again for the third nap. Once you get him on a schedule, he will nap longer and more consistently.

My older two children didn't really nap until they were 2 years old. My third napped a little, and my youngest sleeps pretty well day and night. All kids are different, and 15 to 20 minutes may be "normal" for your little guy. You didn't say if you were trying to lay him down for his nap or not. I would suggest a baby sling. Many babies naturally fall asleep while being carried in one. If he does, great. If not, you'll still be able to interact with him while getting things done around the house. I hope this helps.

B.

both my daughters did this, but both also slept through the night fairly well. my oldest never napped more than 20 min maybe twice a day but slept through the night at one month. my youngest naps for about 20 minutes twice a day but didnt sleep through the night until 6-7 months. i have found that with her laying her in her crib with some soft classical music calms her, even if she doesnt sleep she is at least calm & rests. i never worried because they sleep so much at night in such a large chunk, but if you don't think he's sleeping enough then just try different things until you find what works for you, swaddling, baths, music, swings, even a nap together if possible...everyone will tell you different stuff, but it's all about trying everything until something works for you.