Being held for naps to naps in crib

lkm2006

I'm embarassed to say my 6 1/2 month old is still being held for naps and I need advice for how to get him in the crib. 

He was in the habit of taking several short cat naps through out the day but now be is very consistent and takes two short (45 minutes average) and one long 3 hour map in the afternoon. I can not continue sitting around for 3 hours each afternoon, I'm not getting anything done! Everyday I try and lay him down several times. Sometes he wakes up right away and sometimes he will sleep 20 minutes, wake up and then go back to sleep being held.

Like I said, I am embarrassed that he still isn't napping in a crib so any helpful advice would be appreciated! Anyone been there done that? 

lkm2006

I meant to say he goes down and sleeps fine in the crib at night so I know he doesn't mind the crib itself. 

covertxxamour

M has only been napping in her crib for two months. Before that, she was being held, or being put in her swing. Although, she STTN in her crib. One day I just decided I'd try to put her in her crib. I put her in there, let her CIO, and I got 45 minutes out of her. It kept increasing day by day, and now I get about 2 hours from her. She still cries a little when she's being put there. I'd say it's just best to just do it, and stick to it. But that's just me.

Tigerlilym15

My lo either slept in the swing or being held until about a month ago. When he started getting to big for the swing I knew something had to change. I love holding my baby but I want to be able to get some things done while he is sleeping.

 Do you have a night time routine? I started transitioning him to the crib by doing the night time routine before naps. Our routine is read a book, sing a song, turn the sound machine on, crib. When I first started doing this he would cry and I would go get him after 15 minutes. At this point I acted like the nap was over. He would play again until he seemed really sleepy and I would do the routine over again. It was really tough for about a week, but eventually he got it. When he did start actually sleeping in the crib his naps were only 20-30 minutes. They have slowly gotten longer.

It was very hard to transition to the crib and took a lot of patience. I had to deal with a fussy nap deprived child for several days until he started sleeping in the crib. Now that its done it was completely worth it. My advice would be to start on a day when you know you will have the time and energy to devote to it and just do it! Good luck.

maiastar

Hello! I just started doing this with my LO this week.  She used to take her naps on me and sleep atleast an hour to 2 hours.  Now, I have been consistently putting her in her crib for her morning nap following her bedtime routine.  However, she will only sleep for 30 minutes then wakes up crying and will not go back to sleep.  So, yes, she is an angry bear during the day because she is tired.  I'm hoping she extends her naps in the crib.  She still sleeps in her RnP at night. I am hoping to get her used to the crib for naps before transitioning to bedtime.  Any suggestions Tigerlily or words of encouragement? I'm hoping my LO extends her nap time...she sounds like she is doing the same thing yours did.

nbbride06

Sleep Easy Solution - follow it.  I was in your boat.  It was a godsend!

lkm2006

Thank you all so much! Looks like I need to keep being consistent with putting him down. Just wish me luck surviving some grumpy days!

lana22

covertxxamour:

M has only been napping in her crib for two months. Before that, she was being held, or being put in her swing. Although, she STTN in her crib. One day I just decided I'd try to put her in her crib. I put her in there, let her CIO, and I got 45 minutes out of her. It kept increasing day by day, and now I get about 2 hours from her. She still cries a little when she's being put there. I'd say it's just best to just do it, and stick to it. But that's just me.

this is essentially us (my LO is five months old). before the crib it was the swing and my husband still sometimes puts him there to nap. he is taking mostly 45 min naps in the crib, but they've extended a couple times. i am ok letting my LO fuss and occasionally cry when i know he's tired, and he's learned to fall asleep pretty quickly in his crib.

im1tiredmomof2

Please dont be embarassed, we all have our own ways. I too have been wondering when I should start the crib naps. We just did start putting him in his crib for night time sleeping. He has always used his FP motion glider. Now, he only naps in the swing or his jumper! If I move him, he wakens immediately and will not go back to sleep. Even while napping in swing/jumpy, he wont sleep for long. After getting my 10yo son off to school each morning, lo and I both nap in my bed. Thats where and when he naps the best! Other naps are short and he is often fussy.

livalil319

This is my DD as well. We have been using the crib exclusively for naps for a month now. Prior to that she would start the nap in the crib and then I would hold her when she woke up at the 30 minute mark like she always did. Honestly, it took a couple of weeks before she started to lengthen those naps and they are still not consistent. What helped the most was doing her full bedtime routine before the nap, bath included. It's tedious but it gets us MUCH longer naps. And there was a lot of crying. If she wakes up at 30 minutes I leave her in there for 30 more. She is in there for at least an hour. Have to set the expectation now so that she will be used to being in there when she's older even if she isn't asleep the whole time. It sucks, and it will take a while for the naps to be good. We have a cranky monster a lot because of this, but it's worth it in the long run. And nights are very good here too.

andthatmakes4

Good for you OP for trying to stick it through.  My DD is 6.5 months and only takes good naps in her bouncer.  A few months ago I could lay her in her crib for a nap without so much of a fuss.  But she has started this crying me or DH leave the room so back in the bouncer she usually goes.  We tried leaving her in there for about a week last week and it was horrible.  She and I both were fussy because of it.  I'm glad you posted this so that I could get some ideas also.

Tigerlilym15

maiastar:

Hello! I just started doing this with my LO this week.  She used to take her naps on me and sleep atleast an hour to 2 hours.  Now, I have been consistently putting her in her crib for her morning nap following her bedtime routine.  However, she will only sleep for 30 minutes then wakes up crying and will not go back to sleep.  So, yes, she is an angry bear during the day because she is tired.  I'm hoping she extends her naps in the crib.  She still sleeps in her RnP at night. I am hoping to get her used to the crib for naps before transitioning to bedtime.  Any suggestions Tigerlily or words of encouragement? I'm hoping my LO extends her nap time...she sounds like she is doing the same thing yours did.

My advice is to just stick with it! Once she gets used to it I think she will start sleeping longer on her own. That's exactly what my LO did. I just had to stick to the routine. It was tough the first few weeks but now he does great. One other suggestion would be to make sure that the room conditions are comfortable for sleep. For example I realized that on warm days my LO would sleep longer if I turned the AC on upstairs rather than just the fan in his room. Good luck!