Not so great napper :(

ktworm

I am looking for suggestions for a not so great napper.  My daughter who is 3 month is a great, knock on wood, sleeper at night.  She will go down around 9:00 and won't wake to eat again until 3 or 4 and then go back down until about 7 or 8.  During the day is whole different story.  She will on occasion take nice naps but more often than not I will ultimitely end up holding her so she takes a nap.  I have tried so many things I don't even know what to do now: putting her down drowsy, swaddling, music, rocking, patting her butt, crying for a while and then soothing her, the swing, her crib, bouncy chair.  I love holding her when she sleeps but at daycare she can't be held all of the time to sleep.  If anyone has any advice I will take it.

kah01009

I hear ya, Momma! DD has always been a tricky napper. Even taking getting her down out of the picture, it's often hard to keep her asleep for longer than 30 minutes! My only advice is consistency. DH and I don't believe in CIO, so we've tried it all while trying not to start any habits we don't want to continue (like nursing her to sleep, etc.). What seemed like a breakthrough for us was giving her a much longer wind down period than we were doing. Now, when I see the first yawn or eye rub, etc., I walk her quietly into her room, swaddle her, give her the binky, and I hold her and read her a book or two. Then, I turn on the sound machine, and hold her quietly or sing to her for another 5 minutes or so. I put her down drowsy, even sometimes squirmy at this point, and she'll put herself to sleep (and calmly!). Naps have been more like an hour or even 1.5 hours lately. Everything's a phase, including the good stretches, so I would just pick a wind down routine and stick with it. If you need to pick her up again to calm her, or walk her, or anything else you need to do, do it, but try to stick to your routine as much as possible. I think it helps them. GL!

juliane2004

See my siggy links about sleep help.

MJHershey

LO is not a great napper either but sometimes the swing helps... I was worried about daycare as well but they wear him out so well there that he is starting to take better naps.

It is really about catching them before they get overtired even if they don't appear tired at all.  The PP above me has great tips.