Help! Worth introducing swaddle @ naps to get her to nap in crib?

lovemymaddy · July 2010

Hi there girls! I'm struggling with this one...I'm feel like I need to get DD out of the habit of sleeping in her swing, on me, etc. before I go back to school in about 5-6 weeks. I want to try to get her to take naps in her crib/PNP because she'll be in a PNP when she takes naps at the sitter. However, whenever I put her down in her crib during the day (she is swaddled at night) her little arms flail around and she wakes herself up or she gets comfy and then is up 10 mins later. It just doesn't seem to work. Sooo....What do you think I should do? Is it worth introducing a swaddle at nap time to get her into the habit of napping in her crib/PNP? Or should I just continue to let her nap wherever and then see what happens when she's at the sitter? WDYT? What have you done?

Thanks!

doubledutymama · July 2010

It's worth a try. My DD won't sleep unless she is swaddled, and if she does fall asleep not swaddled it will be a short 30 min nap, where as if shes swaddled it's a good 1.5- 2 hour nap. I think it's important at this age to get them familiar with napping in their crib and not just around the house. I would honestly try the swaddle for nap and see how that goes, even if you can get her to take 1 nap a day in her crib, that's a start!

Summer20 · July 2010

I was going to say I wouldn't... only because at her age she may outgrow the swaddle soon and then you'd be back to square one. DD has been rolling over like crazy and I definitely wouldn't feel comfortable with her being swaddled anymore. (It looks like my DD is about a month older than yours)

This probably won't help, but DD sleeps waaay better in her swing then in the crib or PnP. (The swing doesn't even have to be on so I think it's being cuddled that helps.) We're struggling with when to break the swing habit, but I think we're going to have to do Ferber for naps - nothing else has worked.

GL and try not to worry too much about daycare. DD naps better at daycare than at home, so maybe yours will too!

greengirl0909 · July 2010

I would do it. I'm in your same position, off for the summer. I've been in "survival" mode since baby came and pretty much have let him dictate his schedule and when/where he wanted to sleep. Last week I had to attend a conference so I knew I was going to need him to sleep for whoever watched him so I tried swaddling at nap time. It hasn't worked every day, but it was worked most days. I feel like it was definitely the way to go. Every day he gets a little more active and I'm hoping by the time he's rolling he's more tired during the day so we can stop the swaddle. We shall see.

Tiff_Andy · July 2010

We started swaddling at naptime. Not because she wouldn't sleep in her crib, but because she would only sleep for 15-20 minutes at a time. Swaddled she will sleep for 1 hour in the morning, 3 hours in the afternoon, and then a couple of 1 hour naps before bedtime at 8:00.

We swaddle her doing the "escape proof" method, she is now learning to get her arms out. Which is okay with me, because she is sort of breaking the swaddling habbit herself.

gillysk · July 2010

DD naps MUCH better swaddled. That being said, I am having a hard time getting rid of the swaddle for naps. She will sleep unswaddled at night now (since 5 months) but usually still needs it to settle down for naps. However, I'd rather her sleet 1-2 hour naps swaddled than not sleep at all, or sleep short, sporadic naps. If swaddling works for your baby, I'd say do it.

l_elizabeth · July 2010

We swaddle for naps, we have to to get him to sleep in his crib. He still will only take 30-40 min naps, but it's a start. I'd start now though, so it isnt hell when the sitter takes over and stresses you out with all you have going on.

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