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7 month old with separation anxiety having nap problems

Liz - posted on 04/11/2011 ( 1 mom has responded )

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My 7-month-old son has never been a great napper. He took 4-5 catnaps a day until he was almost 6 months old. Then he transitioned to 3 naps and they lengthened to over 1 hour.

But it didn't last! He got separation anxiety a couple of weeks ago and became a different baby. We co-sleep at night, but he's always slept alone for his naps and the early part of the night while I was still awake. He's never been a real clingy baby, but now he won't let me leave! He'll get distressed and hang on to my shirt. If I do manage to slip away, he wakes up after 15-20 minutes, usually crying. Sometimes he isn't crying, but he still wakes after a very short time, and I have to go get him.

I can tell he's overtired. It's affecting his night sleep. The only way he'll take a long nap is if I nap with him. He used to suck his thumb after I unlatched and could soothe himself in this way. Now he doesn't want his thumb, he just wants the boob. the. whole. time.

Have any of you ladies experienced this? Is it just a phase? Is there anything I can try to do (no CIO, please)?

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Shannon - posted on 04/11/2011

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28

I went thru something similar when my son was an infant and i was at the end of my rope! I was exhausted i felt like i was "dry" and always attached to him, it eventually got better it just took A LOT of patience on my end, if you can take th eextra time and nap when he does i say go for it, they are only small once and you won't always have the opportunity to have that closeness. if you absolutely have to get something done i would say to use a "weight" my son was a preemie and they had a bean bag type weight that was used to put on my sons side and back to make him feel as if someone was right there with a hand on him while he was sleeping. I wish you all the luck in the world, have a blessed day!

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