? about sleeping

[bunny nose]

Just wanted to know if I am that wrong for trying to keep my baby awake during the day so he sleeps more at night? I am having a power struggle with MIL about this and it is driving me crazy.

I don't deliberatley keep him awake all day, but I don't make him sleep. When he is tired and falls out, he sleeps. The only time I try to make him sleep is when I know he is fighting it. Then I will rock him until he calms down and takes a nap.

My MIL on the other hand tries to make him sleep as much as possible. All she does is rock him to sleep. DS is only 4 months and loves to play and be talked to. She'll play for a few minutes, then off to the crib she brings him. Or she'll pick him and start rocking him. It infuriates me to no end. She makes me feel like I have no clue what I am doing. And to a certain point that may be true, since this is my first child. But I have a happy, healthy, growing baby who has been sleeping through the night since he was a week shy of 2 months old. Am I doing that much wrong?

I could care less what she does when she has him over night, but when he is coming back here, I would like her to try to keep to my routine. Am I so wrong for feeling that way?


Thanks for any opinions!
Karen

[magdesilver]

At 4 months, he should be taking at least 3 naps a day, if not more. Usually at that age the 2 hour rule works well- 2 hours is the max they can generally be awake, by 2 hours after the last time they've woken, they should be back asleep. It really shouldn't mess up his nightime sleep to sleep during the day at his age.

[sunflower10/04]

My son actually sleeps better at night when he has napped well during the day. He is 5 months and usually naps twice a day....one really long nap 2-3 hours, and then one a bit shorter. If he doesn't get his naps in, he gets cranky and overtired and then doesn't fall asleep (or stay asleep) at all.

By 3 months I wasn't making him sleep, just letting him fall asleep whenever, but by 4 months I noticed how not napping was making him way overtired. He wouldn't fall asleep on his own anymore, so now we have more of a nap schedule and it works much better.

Good luck!

[bunny nose]

so now we have more of a nap schedule and it works much better.


I'm trying to work on this also. BUt she keeps messing up what I am trying to do. I've been getting to be able to nap in the morning a good 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Then he naps in the afternoon for a good hour or so. That seems to work for us. He also takes some cat naps here and there, especially if we have some errands to do. But all she does is make him sleep.

Its funny, we ahd his baptism the other day. Our financial guy was there. I haven't seen him since I was still pg. He said he sees the baby at my MIL's whenever he's there. He said, " He is always sleeping though." I told him- yeah I know.

Karen

[emschwar]

For the most part, I don't think babies will sleep unless they're tired. If he's falling asleep, he may well need the sleep.

The 2 hour rule is key, but keep in mind that it may be well under 2 hours when your child needs to go back to sleep. When Noah was that age, he could only be awake for an hour or so before he started getting tired and needing a nap. He wasn't able to handle 2 hours of wakefullness until he was about 10 or 11 months old, I think.

[Ole Miss Bride]

If your MIL is rocking him, and he goes to sleep, odds are that he needs the sleep. It's not like she can physically force him to sleep unless he is, in fact, sleepy, ya know? I wouldn't worry about it.

And ITA with everyone else about the 2-hour rule. More sleep during the day shouldn't affect his night sleep. Like other posters have said, my son tends to sleep better at night when he naps well during the day. No naps = overtired baby = crappy night sleep. For us, anyway.

-Betsy

[Dally]

ITA with the PPs about sleeping, but... I hope you don't mind me saying so, but I think you (and/or your DH) needs to gently put your foot down with MIL. It sounds like she is overstepping her boundaries a little bit. It's great for her to give you advice, but she should also respect your decisions as a mother. If you are trying to get a nap schedule going (and four months is a great age to start that), then she should not hinder you. My 2 cents, anyway. :o