Non-Napping Infant

[Missani]

I have a child here who is really frustrating. I love her dearly, but she always has new tricks up her sleeves...constantly! She is almost 10 months old and has been here since she was 3 months. Currently, she has decided not to nap. I haven't been able to get her to nap in the morning at all this week, although I've tried very hard. In the afternoon, she is tired and goes right down. For about 15 minutes. Then she's done...for the day. She is here 9.5 to 10 hours per day, and that is not enough sleep. Not only will she not sleep, but she is loud and talking/shrieking so no one else can sleep either. She has completely disrupted nap time all week and now I am here with 6 cranky kids for 10 hours/day because she won't sleep.

My daycare is in the lower level of my home, and putting her elsewhere is not an option. She is under a year old so I cannot nap her in any type of pack and play, and I simply do not have room to put a crib in my upstairs anywhere. I am not willing to move everyone else either. She either naps or no one naps. That's how it is.

Today she slept 10 minutes. Everyone else got 15-30. I can't do it anymore! It doesn't help that I spent her 10 whole napping minutes finishing cleaning because she also pukes on command (verified by her doctor) and didn't like the last bite of food I gave her so vomitted her whole lunch all over the room. Yep, in the creases of the highchair, in her bib, on her clothes, in her hair, on the floor, on the wall, etc. I told you she always had a trick up her sleeve.

I really value nap time and cannot go without on a permanent basis. I've talked to mom about it and she claims that baby still needs 4 naps/day on the weekends and that she takes 4 25-45 minute naps throughout the day. I've told them my schedule and printed sample schedules for 9-10 month olds, but mom looks at me like I'm crazy and says she does what works for them and baby still needs 4 naps. Whatever, 4 naps, I'd be happy with one...but it has to last at least an hour. What do I do? Five other kids need naps, and so does this one.

[AnythingsPossible]

I have a little guy who is like this in the aspect that he doesn't nap well. For his morning nap, I lay him down the same time as my other little and if he sleeps ok, if not, he lays there for awhile. He is also 10 months old. For his afternoon nap, once he wakes from his very short slumber, I put him in his car seat and cart him around with whatever i need to do. If I'm doing dishes, he sits on the floor by me in his seat, if I have paperwork to do, he sits by the table with me. I do not interact with him while the other kids are napping. He doesn't cry once he is up, but I don't know what your little would do. I have been doing this with him for 3 weeks, and the past 2 days of this week, he has been falling asleep on his own and staying asleep for longer spans of time.
Don't know if it would work for you, but it's what I've been doing. If you don't have her car seat, you could place her in the stroller or something and take her around with you. Non sleeping infants are very hard! I've been very frustrated with this little guy and decided I wasn't going to fight him to sleep, but I'm not going to entertain him during rest time either.

That is tough. How long have you had this child? At that age the child should be on 2 naps. Will mom allow you to have the child on your schedule at your place and then she can have the childon whatever they do at home? Could the childbe put on one midday nap so he sleeps when others sleep? Good luck! Thats tough.