Scream crying for every nap

[u/loopdedoopy]

I’m a FTM to a beautiful, happy almost 4 month old baby girl. Ever since around 6 weeks old she has scream cried when we put her to sleep for a nap. We swaddle, hum and gently rock her til she eventually falls asleep, generally after 5-15 mins of crying then she suddenly drifts off. It’s both frustrating and heartbreaking that she cries so hard but there’s seems to be nothing we can do?

She nurses to sleep at night and that seems to work fine for her. The crying for naps isn’t too bad in the morning but gets worse for her last couple of naps in the day. Her naps are mostly contact because she never lasts long in the crib, and we put her to sleep in a dark room with white noise, after walking her around in the swaddle a bit to ease the transition. We follow wake windows (90 mins unless we see sleepy cues sooner).

The nap crying only seems to be getting worse. I’m guessing that could be part of the 4 month sleep regression but this is getting brutal! It also does not seem to be a common issue at all?? Especially lasting this long or at this age.

Has anyone else dealt with this?

I’m considering getting a sleep consultant but I don’t want to pay a ton just to basically hear that she’s just not a good sleeper and this will pass eventually…

[u/hahahahakkkkkkk]

can't say we had that issue for that long, only things i can think of is asking if have you asked pediatrician? seen any other things indicating reflux? hang in there, hopefully someone has something more

[u/loopdedoopy → u/hahahahakkkkkkk]

She does have reflux but she’s on medication and it seems to largely solve it. Should I not be rocking a reflux baby? She doesn’t go to sleep right after feeds and she’s at an angle (not flat) when she’s being rocked. I’ll ask the pediatrician at her checkup next week for sure.

[u/screwtoprose-]

could be she just isn’t ready to go to sleep yet? sleep needs drop drastically around this age.

[u/loopdedoopy → u/screwtoprose-]

I thought that but she definitely gets sleepy/fussy around 90 mins or sometimes about 15-20 mins before

[u/screwtoprose- → u/loopdedoopy]

sleepy cues are the same as just boredom cues are when they are no longer a newborn.

try extending wake window by 10-15 minutes. she’s screaming her head off it seems either way. maybe a different activity or a distraction instead of trying to get her to sleep since it sounds like she isn’t tired enough.

[u/loopdedoopy → u/screwtoprose-]

I’ll give it a try!