how do you get your baby to nap during the day?

oooCarrieB

LO is pretty good about sleeping at night. We do a bedtime routine and she's usually asleep by 8pm, then she'll be up to eat at 10:30, sometimes 1, then 3 and 6. She always goes right back down after eating during the night. She's usually awake for the day around 8 am.

But its so hard to get her to nap. She'll fall asleep while she's eating or in the baby bjorn or on a walk, but then she'll wake up as soon as I put her in the crib. Then she'll get so fussy and I can tell that she's over-stimulated and tired. She's sleeping in the baby bjorn right now and I don't want to even try putting her in the crib.

SFBayMrs

I don't lay DS down in his crib/bouncy/bassinet until at least 10 peaceful minutes have gone by, so I know he's out. Obviously as he gets older I'll have to train him to fall asleep without being held, but he's so little now I think it's ok.

theaustins05

M will sleep on my chest and the second I put her in the bouncy seat she's wide awake and screaming her head off. So I wait till she's been out good for about 10 min. Then pop her in it and when she starts to fuss I put her paci in, and jiggle her seat (suck and swing/shake of the happiest baby on the block 5 S's)

mellydawn84

SFBayMrs:

I don't lay DS down in his crib/bouncy/bassinet until at least 10 peaceful minutes have gone by, so I know he's out. Obviously as he gets older I'll have to train him to fall asleep without being held, but he's so little now I think it's ok.

I do this too, but only about 5 minutes of peaceful sleep before moving him. It works about 90% of the time, obviously there are other times where he just stirs a bit too much on the way from boob to bassinet (which we keep in the living room with us during the day).

This isn't always the case either, there are plenty of times where I'll put him in the bassinet Not sleeping and he manages to either fuss himself to sleep or get there on his own. We are big paci fans here - if I Know he's had enough to eat, he's just sucking with his eyes closed and he's not getting any milk, I will paci him and that usually puts/keeps him out as well.

nickelbabi

Your LO sounds just like mine! I am very thankful he sleeps well at night but it is so hard to get anything done during the day. He is a very slow nurser and it's like he just closes his eyes and rests why he nurses and won't take naps even though he is cranky. I usually only get one 1-hr nap a day. The rest are 5-15 minutes (if he is really even asleep and not just closing his eyes).

I usually swaddle him and nurse him or do the HBOTB techniques until he starts to fall asleep before moving him to his bouncer. If he starts to stir, I sit and rock the bouncer. I read it takes 15 minutes for a baby to get in a deep sleep, so when he falls asleep nursing, I try to wait that long before moving him. Usually by the time I think he's finally asleep he wakes up. However, today, he took a 2-hr mid-morning nap which he hasn't done in weeks. I didn't do anything differently, so I hope it is due to him getting older and getting into a normal nap schedule.

AmyO.

theaustins05:

M will sleep on my chest and the second I put her in the bouncy seat she's wide awake and screaming her head off. So I wait till she's been out good for about 10 min. Then pop her in it and when she starts to fuss I put her paci in, and jiggle her seat (suck and swing/shake of the happiest baby on the block 5 S's)

This is what I do too except we use his swing.  We just ordered a little travel swing that swings him front to back which he loves.  He hated the swing that swung him side to side.  

NothingLikeBarbie

I don't really try all that hard, he just kind of falls asleep whenever he wants. I breastfeed him and pat his back, and if he is tired he will fall asleep. Some days it's harder than others.

mzsparklepdx

Mine is doing the same thing, except it doesn't really matter how long I wait to put her down, she still wakes up immediately. She's also eating so frequently that its all but impossible for me to pump unless I have help. It's really frustrating but I figure she's in a growth spurt and it will pass.  (I hope)

MidwestTexan

I swore up and down that I wouldn't swaddle DD like I did DS because he became so dependent on it....BUT it's a miracle, really! I wrap DD up tight and she naps 2 or 3 of her 4 naps a day in the crib versus me holding her.

fancynewbeesly

Sometimes she falls asleep on me and gets transferred to her bed (bassinet, crib, pack 'n play easily) Other times I'll put her down she is awake but showing signs of being tired (yawning, stretching, etc) I then give her the paci at that time, and lightly press on her stomach, and that usually has her asleep in a few minutes. She loves when I hold her stomach, because there is a little pressure (since she doesn't like being swaddled, but this gives her security as well) Plus she still feels my touch. 

tokenhoser

honestly, I just leave him in the carrier most naps. It doesn't matter if it's been 10 minutes or 30, as a rule if I take him out he wakes up. He's also a champion car seat napper if we happen to be running errands, and the stroller will sometimes work if I take him for a spin around the block. He's just starting to like the swing. The bouncer works sometimes if the vibrate is on...

As you can see, he's a great sleeper... but not in his crib. I keep trying to sneak him into it, he keeps waking up within a couple minutes of being placed there. Most of the time I decide I'd rather have the peaceful baby than the crib baby.