Intro and nap question

2junebabies

Hello mamas! I posted a question here a long time ago when I was pregnant, but have only lurked since then. DD is a little over 9 months old and attachment parenting has come pretty naturally to us. We breastfeed, cosleep, babywear, and I am currently reading about gentle discipline and loving it. DH is fully supportive. 

My question is about her naps. I'm trying to get her to nap more independently because her favorite place is on me and it is hard for me to get things done. She still nurses to sleep most of the time and when I try to put her in her crib she wakes up automatically. I have tried letting her play in it to get used to it and waiting until she's in deep sleep, but I think the feeling of being lowered down gets to her. I can get her to nap alone in our bed (it's pushed up against the wall and then I barricade the other side), but this doesn't feel safe to me. Should I consider sidecarring the crib or should I put her crib mattress on the floor? Any suggestions are welcome. I will try not to post and run, but we don't have internet in our home currently, so I may not get back to this until later in the weekend. Thank you! 

Izzies

I have the same issue with my LO. I'm rarely successful in getting her to nap anywhere other than me or the swing. I have found it very helpfull though to lower her bum first, almost like I was going to sit her in a recliner.
Hope it helps!

Emerald27

Honestly, getting her to nap in your bed may be the best bet. Then when she starts to stir, it's possible to climb in with her and nurse her back to sleep for an even longer nap!

Do you have a monitor you could keep with you so that you can hear/see when she starts to stir?

Could you get a bedrail to put up on the side that's not against the wall?

Does she get up and crawl/roll, or sit up and call for you? Even to this day, DS (2.5) won't move when he wakes up. He sits up and calls/cries for me.

Linnea503

My DS1 was the same way. Eventually we figured out he would sleep in his swing, but around 12 months we moved him to a mattress on the floor in his room and it solved so many issues. I could nurse and cuddle him to sleep and sneak away. We just completely childproofed the room and put a baby gate at the door.

ncbelle

At that age, my kids mostly napped in my bed - we had a bedrail up.  As soon as they could crawl, we taught them to crawl out of the bed (had a bench at the end) but not once did they wake up that I didn't hear them first.  They usually just sat there until I came and got them (kinda groggy like) as they often woke up kinda grumpy.

2junebabies

Thank you for all of the feedback! I will definitely look into getting a bedrail. That would make life much easier. I do have a monitor and she will call for me when she wakes up, but a bedrail would give me peace of mind. I also like the idea of the mattress on her floor. I think we will try that when she is a year old. 

Thanks again. I look forward to being on this board more and getting to know you mamas.