Naps and sleep training

bigbootyjudi

Sergio sucks to put to bed, but once he's there he sleeps from 8pm to around 5am when I usually have to pull him into bed with me for a few more hours, for my own sanity. So, I don't really think we need to sleep train during the night because he does just fine...but naps...oh hell.

Naps are in my arms and it takes at least 30 minutes of rocking. When we swaddled, I was able to out him down in the swing after 20 minutes in my arms, but not since we stopped swaddling. I keep trying to put him down, just like we do at night, and his eyes pop wide open.

So, will we need to sleep train for naps? Is it possible to just sleep train for naps? because everything I read says once they sleep alright at night, naps will follow suit and that is definitely NOT what's going on around here.

Anyone have any experience with this? What did you do? What do you plan to do, if you're in the same spot?

My semester starts next week and I just have no clue how I'm going to manage homework when I'm sitting in a chair all day long, KWIM?

CLeigh03

I totally hear you. We had to sleep train my first just for naps...he was fine at night. We waited until 6 months as some babies can't establish day sleep patterns till then.

Looks like we will be doing the same with our second as I pretty much hold him most days. I get nothing done.

bigbootyjudi

CLeigh03:

I totally hear you. We had to sleep train my first just for naps...he was fine at night. We waited until 6 months as some babies can't establish day sleep patterns till then.

Looks like we will be doing the same with our second as I pretty much hold him most days. I get nothing done.

What'd you do to sleep train him? He'll be five months next week. I might still wait another month, but honestly, it depends on my school load. I have to be a productive human being for him in the end. I'm the only one home with him all week, so something is going to have to give. Between him always wanting to be held and held during naps, I don't do anything.

JayandEmm

Can you lay down with him for naps just until he's in a deep sleep? It's easier for me to slip away that way. If I try to put him down when he's sleeping, he will wake within minutes, so I usually just slide him down beside me and hug him until he's in a deep sleep and then I can slip away without him noticing.

CLeigh03

anbeck4:

CLeigh03:

I totally hear you. We had to sleep train my first just for naps...he was fine at night. We waited until 6 months as some babies can't establish day sleep patterns till then.

Looks like we will be doing the same with our second as I pretty much hold him most days. I get nothing done.

What'd you do to sleep train him? He'll be five months next week. I might still wait another month, but honestly, it depends on my school load. I have to be a productive human being for him in the end. I'm the only one home with him all week, so something is going to have to give. Between him always wanting to be held and held during naps, I don't do anything.

We did CIO. Ferber did not work for him, he just got more worked up. It helped but he was always a challenging mapper. Things improved around 12 months when he finally went to one nap which he kept till he was five years old. He was always awesome at night though...it's just too easy to have a great night sleeper AND day sleeper!

Megispreg

We were having the same problem. You may have already tried this, but I'll share what's been working for us.

A few weeks ago I started trying to make nap time more like night time sleep. I put her in the same sleep suit every time. Turned down the lights, turned on white noise, then put her in the crib just like bed time. I might do a little patting or rocking, but none of these 30 minute battles like before. This method has drastically improved her naps. I wish she could fall asleep anywhere like she did as a newborn, but it's just not the case anymore.

The other thing I did was start trying to keep nap times more consistent. I've been waking her up at the same time every day and then putting her down for naps at roughly the same time. It's funny, because I'm laid back, but my kid seems to really respond to structure and routine.

I hope that helps. I know how frustrating it can be!

LoveLo2010

This was exactly us a few weeks ago. 30 or more mins of soothing from me while she was pissed and then still wouldn't sleep. One day I just swaddled her and put her in her crib. I guess we did a modified Ferber. We found that she will fuss for about six minutes and then go to sleep. If she cries hard then she usually won't go to sleep on her own and needs a little more rocking or soothing to help get her drowsy. Every day and every nap is still a little different but we've never let her cry more than 12 mins total. It seems like we were stimulating her more by the rocking, soothing, holding ect. I've heard that when your trying to teach them to sleep on their own, drowsy but awake is best and you should do no more than ten minutes of soothing and that you really have to pay attention to their sleepy cues to catch the right time. Over tired or under tired and no sleep training will be successful.

KAB414

Thanks for asking this. DS us the same he doesn't like to nap unless he is being carried or in his carseat on a ride. I was wondering what sleep methods would help. I probably won't work on it until he gets over his cold though

kokokat

I second the suggestion of making nap sleep the same as night sleep.  That is, we have the same "sleep cues."  He gets swaddled, gets his Nuk, white noise, and same book gets recited to him.  Only difference between bedtime routine and nap routine is that he gets a bath and nurses before bed.  If he's not overstiumlated or undertired, he knows just what's coming, and closes his eyes right away to try to get to sleep.  If he's overtired, it's another story, and takes longer, but he's been sooo much better now that he's learned the steps in his routnines.