I hada six month old like that when I started caring for her. Everyone was exhausted. I started swaddling her and it made a huge difference. She still didn't nap in her crib for another two months, but she napped peacefully in my arms for a couple hours at a time which was a big improvement.

I am in the same boat. My 6 month old charge has quiet time and I will do our nap routine but if he chooses not to nap then he spends that time in his play yard playing quietly. He will fuss for me to pick him up any time I am in the room so I go into the kitchen and have my lunch. He only does this on Mondays or any time he is off his schedule like after family is in town. I used to try playing and going outside but it does not work for him, he just gets overtired and cranky. Left to his own imagination he falls asleep eventually.

This is frustrating, but noramal. Three naps a day with three hours total of sleep split up anyway he chooses is ok, and enough sleep. Yeah it's goofy, but he's probally not ready for two long naps.

Ignore the insanity of 1:50.

4 mths is a pretty typical time for a change in pattern. He should be moving towards two long naps a day, one in the morning and one mid-afternoon, each of 2 or more hours.

Try managing his activity and feeding schedule to work towards that goal. So feed/play/nap - use outdoor time to reinforce day/night physiological cues. Use lots of stimulating play time after meals to help ready him for napping, use a consistent napping routine and location to develop sleep cues and patterns etc...

Hopefully the parents will be on board with this process also.

I'm not a nanny, but I had twins - so building and maintaining a consistent schedule was essential in our house and these are some of the things we did.

Good luck.

I don't understand why parents expect nannies to ONLY do chores while their child is napping. I do things around the house while my charge is awake (for example, I unload and reload the dishwasher while he eats his breakfast and he "helps" me do his laundry). Yes, all children are precious and deserve our love and attention, but they also need to learn patience and that the world does not revolve around them. I think it's good for them to see the people who care for them doing the chores that keep the house running.

Anonymous wrote:My charge went through a few month long period where he did the same thing. I started just putting him down twice a day for an hour each time whether he slept or not so I could eat, relax and get things done that are hard to do when he's awake (taking out trash, cleaning outside toys etc). Sometimes he slept and sometimes he played or fussed but I just need those breaks since I work almost 11hours straight. It's essential to get a break so I'd advise the same for you! Good luck.

That is kinda mean to put a baby down in his bed fussing just so you can get a break, but I partially blame the parents for giving you other duties to perform as well.

Parents need to wake up + realize that every chore they assign their nanny is a precious moment they are taking away from their child. Attention should be a number one priority for their child, but sadly parents just want to stretch their dollar.

They want their laundry, dishes, trash, etc. taken care of but what they do not realize is that all the time the nanny takes doing that is time she could have spent blowing bubbles w/your child and reading silly stories.

In my current job, my focus in only on the child.

No laundry, dishes, nothing.

Sure, common sense dictates I wash whatever dishes I use and pick up any toys played with during my shift.

But her parents do not expect me to do her laundry or take out their garbage while she naps.

They want me to eat my lunch and relax because when she wakes up, they want me to be refreshed and rejuvenated for the second part of our day.

Happy Nanny = Happy Child.

Happy Child = Happy Parents.

My charge went through a few month long period where he did the same thing. I started just putting him down twice a day for an hour each time whether he slept or not so I could eat, relax and get things done that are hard to do when he's awake (taking out trash, cleaning outside toys etc). Sometimes he slept and sometimes he played or fussed but I just need those breaks since I work almost 11hours straight. It's essential to get a break so I'd advise the same for you! Good luck.

My kid was like that till about age one, then took longer naps. Some kids just dose, not nap.

Is he eating enough during the day?

Anonymous wrote:Please help my sanity! 4 month old went from 3-5 hour nap each day and now I'm lucky to get him to sleep for 20 minutes. He's been taking 2-3 30 min or less naps while he's in my care and does not want to be put down ever anymore.! I don't get any kind of break during the day and I'm starting to get whiped out!!! I need my down time and need to get this baby to sleep for a bit.

It sounds like he is changing his routine. You need to listen to what he needs and adapt and the nap schedule will come back.

Please help my sanity! 4 month old went from 3-5 hour nap each day and now I'm lucky to get him to sleep for 20 minutes. He's been taking 2-3 30 min or less naps while he's in my care and does not want to be put down ever anymore.! I don't get any kind of break during the day and I'm starting to get whiped out!!! I need my down time and need to get this baby to sleep for a bit.