16 week old hates naps
Hi all, I could really use some perspective.
My baby is 16 weeks old and naps have become a daily struggle. Every time I try to put her down in the crib, she cries and it takes anywhere from 20–40 minutes to get her to fall asleep… and sometimes I have to step in and “save” the nap.
I’ve tried adjusting wake windows and following her cues closely, but it doesn’t seem to change anything.
Our nap routine is pretty consistent:
- go into room
- sleep sack
- close curtains
- white noise
She starts getting upset almost immediately when I put the sleep sack on. It’s like she knows what’s coming and protests it hard. I’ve tried singing, shushing, patting, even letting her fuss a bit, but nothing really helps her settle calmly.
She is generally a very happy baby during the day, and most nights she can fall asleep independently without much trouble. It’s just naps that feel really hard right now.
Has anyone gone through something similar around this age?
Is this just a phase, or is there something I might be missing?