I've created a monster (re: naps)

ssinca

Fortunately, DS sleeps ok in his crib at night, it's naps that are driving me bonkers. He will pretty much only sleep in my arms. I put him down, he wakes up. I shush him, pat him, and as a last resort will pick him back up (I know! It's bad!!), he falls asleep. I tried putting him in his crib each time on tues and he did.not.sleep. the entire day, I went batty. Help me. Please. 

ssinca

Um, my post makes no sense. I'm blaming it on the fact that my right arm is numb from said sleeping baby. 

Spanishbeauty

have you recently changed him to the crib from something else?  Do you still swaddle?  How light/dark do you keep the room? 

I'm convinced that DD sleeps better when the room is dark.  

ec3under4

Ditto a very dark room, we use black out curtains underneath a regular dark curtain. Have you also tried a sound machine? 

ssinca

Spanishbeauty:

have you recently changed him to the crib from something else?  Do you still swaddle?  How light/dark do you keep the room? 

I'm convinced that DD sleeps better when the room is dark.  

we're done swaddling, he rolls all over the place now. And he's been sleeping in his crib for two-ish months so it's not that. I keep the shutters closed but may need to try blackout curtains - i didnt want to go that route since we go to my parents/ILs and I want him to be able to nap there. Maybe I'll just have to bring the curtains with us:/

Spanishbeauty

Yeah... that gets tricky.  

What about a projector?  We have one for DD that we turn on for every nap and bedtime.  But we didn't start that until she was about 13 months so that might not work for him.  Or music?  DD loves classical music.  There is a great CD called Mozart for Babies, Nighty Night. 

ssinca

Spanishbeauty:

Yeah... that gets tricky.  

What about a projector?  We have one for DD that we turn on for every nap and bedtime.  But we didn't start that until she was about 13 months so that might not work for him.  Or music?  DD loves classical music.  There is a great CD called Mozart for Babies, Nighty Night. 

I have that turtle projector but havent used it yet, I'll try tomorrow. And I put the rockabye CD on for both naps and at night. See? I'm screwed, huh?

Spanishbeauty

do you do cry it out?  Or maybe intervals?  Stinks.  I'm out of ideas...

brideonjuly8

have you tried napping in the swing?  Little napped in the swing until the swing could not longer swing him.    And by then, he was old anough he went down pretty easy with just rocking and a pacifier.

ssinca

Spanishbeauty:

do you do cry it out?  Or maybe intervals?  Stinks.  I'm out of ideas...

thanks for the ideas, I do appreciate them! I was thinking of trying CIO again...I tried on tues, hence the reason he didn't nap all day. I get frustrated, he gets frustrated, and then I give up. I need to give it another go this w/e when MH is around. He has more patience than me:)

ssinca

brideonjuly8:

have you tried napping in the swing?  Little napped in the swing until the swing could not longer swing him.    And by then, he was old anough he went down pretty easy with just rocking and a pacifier.

I've thought about that but I want him to sleep in his bed. He'll fall asleep in the stroller or car seat occasionally but I don't want to be that mom who has to drive her kid around for him to sleep, KWIM? Sleep issues suuuuuuck. 

mlf625

Ugh.  I hated that 4-6 month stretch for that reason - both of my kids' sleep habits went to shiit.  My advice would be to keep trying the crib but not stress too much about it until 6 months.  At that point, CIO (since it sounds like you're on board with that). 

Ditto the sound machine, too.  We take that puppy with us everywhere we go.  EVERYWHERE.  Even in the car, with batteries, when we have to be traveling at nap time.   

amyinaustin

you've gotten a lot of good advice - the only thing I can think of adding is maybe pushing his nap time back a little.  If you're used to putting him down at 10Am or so, maybe push it 30 minutes to an hour later and see if that helps? If he's a little more tired, he might be less likely to wake up when you transfer him.

Also, not sure if this would help - but have you heard about putting a heating blanket/hot water bottle on his mattress and then moving it right before you put him down?  THat way the crib is nice and warm for him and there is no shock of the cold sheets.  I know people usually use this w/ younger babies, but it might be worth a shot?

brideonjuly8

ssinca:

brideonjuly8:

have you tried napping in the swing?  Little napped in the swing until the swing could not longer swing him.    And by then, he was old anough he went down pretty easy with just rocking and a pacifier.

I've thought about that but I want him to sleep in his bed. He'll fall asleep in the stroller or car seat occasionally but I don't want to be that mom who has to drive her kid around for him to sleep, KWIM? Sleep issues suuuuuuck. 

Are you trying to put him down often enough?  At that age DS needed a nap about every 2ish hours, and he would nap for about an hour.  Once he got to about 8-10 months it stretched to 2 naps, 1.5 hours each.  

DS napped in the swing at least once a day and I didn't feel like I was ever chained to it.  If we were out of the house he slept in the car, and if we were anywhere else, the stroller or someone was holding him.  He was a craptastic napper before the swing and I think the swing really helped just get him in a good routine for napping.  Once he was too big for the swing I would just rock him with a pacifier and put him down as gently as I could LOL.  Some days it took 2 or 3 times.  I read on here someone suggested putting a heating pad down on the crib for a few minutes while you rock him so it's nice and warm where you lay him down (don't leave it in there, take it out right before you lay him down, obvi).    

mlf625

Also, is he on his back or tummy?  My kids slept SO much better on their tummies for naps.  I know it's a no-no .... but so is losing your mind.

ssinca

I've done the heating pad at night, I keep meaning to try for naps too. And I need to remember to put one of my tees in his crib, I've tried that before and it didn't work. But maybe this week it will work:). I'll try the sound machine again too. 

cia

How long are you waiting before putting him down from your arms?  I found that DD will transfer better if I wait for her to really be in a deep sleep (i.e. 15 min) rather than if I transfer her within the first 5 minutes of falling asleep.

 Also, have you tried wearing him for a nap?  Since he's pretty much sleeping only in your arms, you could put him in the ergo or the bjorn or similar and at least have your hands free for naptime!  I do that sometimes when I just don't have the patience to rock or sit around with a sleeping babe on my lap.

And I second the swing.  I get a good 45 minute nap out of the swing at least once a day, and DD sleeps in her bed at night without confusion.  It would at least give you your arms back for a day or two while you figure out ways to get him to go down in his bed. 

Spanishbeauty

mlf625:

Also, is he on his back or tummy?  My kids slept SO much better on their tummies for naps.  I know it's a no-no .... but so is losing your mind.

Oh yeah! Forgot about that. Once we took DD out of the swaddle (about 5-6 months) we started putting her down on her tummy. We noticed that was the way she would eventually be when she woke up so we just started laying her down on her tummy. She was strong enough to roll herself over at some point, but i think it helped to put her down that way right away so she was the most comfortable. Now she'll roll herself over when we lay her on her back

ssinca

Yep sleeping on his belly now (MUCH better, at least at night) and I've waited an hour (or longer) before putting him down so he should be in deep sleep. I usually put him down every 1.5 hrs, less if he starts to yawn. He usually fights me a bit in my arms but will eventually sleep - it's the transition that doesn't go well. It's raining here today so I'm hoping the darker room will help.  Thanks again for all of the advice, I appreciate it!