help needed!!- nap routine for 4 month old!

strawberry1

Please help with advice or if anyone has personal experience of this-

My 4 month old sleeps wonderfully at night (9-6am).
Baby has a great nap first thing in the morning, anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours (after an hour or so being up).

however, baby will not sleep in the buggy, on a walk or in the car at all- no matter how tired. Nap times, despite my best efforts are varying greatly each afternoon. If I miss a nap time- even by 10 minutes- and baby is not in her cot, she WILL NOT SLEEP!! no matter how tired/ cranky/ exhausted, etc, the longest she has gone was 8 hours awake during the day as I missed getting her home for her nap by 30 minutes.
She will only sleep in her cot in her room.
I am completely tied to the house, and also cannot take her anywhere really if it means missing her naps.
has anyone else any experience of this or any advice? thank you in advance!

theLuggage

Does she have a soother? Might be worth a try to soothe herself if she's late for a nap.

How about white noise - you can download apps and white noise and it can work well playing under her cot. The louder the better (without being deafening!) , they really seem to enjoy it.

You can try letting her cry for a minute, go in settle her and repeat! Vary the time according to how comfortable u feel.

I know a few people seem to recommend the CALM method (is it? or EASY??) which is Gina Forde's book (i think?). Or they could be two different methods. It's more for sleep but I'm sure the same ideas might work for naps.

Don't let her nap for long in the morning. Cut it back to an hour if she is only up an hour. I honestly can't remember how much sleep is recommended but if the morning nap is cut back, then she may settle better in the afternoon. Also if she sleeps great for morning nap, how about bringing her out in buggy or car etc during that time to get her used to napping during those things. If she doesn't nap then again she might settle more in the afternoon.

How Strange

My daughter was very particular with napping too. I had it down to a fine art and as soon as she made that first whingy noise I put her to bed. Do you have a blackout cover for your buggy. Both of mine needed this to sleep otherwise there was too much going on and it was too bright and they got over tired.

All I can suggest is keep trying to get her to sleep in different places. Maybe put a muslin cloth in her cot so it gets the smell of her bed and then tuck it beside her if you want her to sleep in the car or buggy. I used to do that on my son and it generally worked. Don't leave her to cry and I really wouldn't recommend interfering with how long she naps. At that age let them sleep as much as they want to.

Honestly you've got it pretty good if she's fallen into such a clear sleeping routine during day and night although I do understand what you mean about being restricted to being at home for nap times. However the chances are it'll be like that from 10 months on anyway as they tend to want to sleep in their beds/cots as they get closer to 1 year.

pwurple

Have you tried anyone else's buggy or carseat? Mine will nap in the maxicosi but not the britax. Sleeps in the out n about, but not the uppababy.

My lady would nap well in a sling at that age too.

strawberry1

thank you all, for the great suggestions/ advice, I'll give a few suggestions a go, I shouldn't complain at all I know as she is very good really, just hard when you have cabin fever sometimes! thanks again