daytime naps - revisited

MrsJOSEnADRI · December 2010

So, I gave up on trying to get her to nap in her PNP or crib. I think she associates her room and her crib with nighttime sleep, so she has a fit if I put her in there during the day. My mom will just have to figure out a way to get her to nap.

However, I find it so funny that I read on the Babies 0-3 months board how a lot of their babies will only nap on them. I WISH! That would be so easy. I could just watch TV and she could nap on me and I could hold her like we did the first month. Instead, I have to put her in her swing, give her her paci, and literally run away so she doesn't see me anymore. I also have to make sure the dogs don't bark (and boy have they become yappy dogs lately) because even a sneeze will wake her!

I think Justine mentioned that the swing napping was just a phase for J. Did your babies have similar napping habits? When did they start to develop more specific daytime naps? I try to get her to nap about an hour and a half or so after each feeding (when I see that first yawn). Some days, she'll nap right away in her swing, but then I feel bad that she's spent like half the day in that thing. I would love for her to just nap on me so I can hold her. I can't even be too close to the swing because any little sound will wake her up. I'm hoping that maybe this will change when I go back to work and we can do something different for naptimes on the weekends.

MellyMelB · December 2010

Once they hit 8 weeks my girls were both bigtime crib nappers. Isabelle will nap in the stroller and carseat if we are out but her best naps are in her crib. Sophie would nap NO WHERE else unless it was a PNP. I prefer this because I don't want to deal with a situation where I have people over and everyone has to be quiet because the baby is napping. As it is, I have the sound machine in her room so that we don't have to whisper.

I would try the Homedics Sound Machine and see if that helps Elise. You don't want to tiptoe around your house and this may just drive your mom crazy.

I would not give up. The older she gets...the harder it will be. Try moving the swing into her room at least.

Alisha4517 · December 2010

What does she do when you put her down for a nap? I know sometimes Caleb fusses a little when I put him down. It usually doesn't last that long then he falls asleep. Like Melanie, I too use a sound machine, and my dog can bark and he's not phased while sleeping( I have a beagle too!)

I read that if your baby is very fussy when put down for a nap, to try and put them down 15 sooner. Good Luck

Albah · December 2010

I completely agree with trying to put Elise in the crib or PNP for naps with a sound machine. I really really do not recommend you try to hold her throughout an entire nap. I know you can't "spoil a baby"...but you know what, you definitely can spoil a baby. lol Especially, when they are not so little anymore. Ethan luckily naps in his crib or PNP the best. He sometimes falls asleep in his car seat and stroller but definitely these don't lead to good naps. He actually doesn't like the swing that much. He lasts long enough for us to eat dinner in it, and that's it...he never falls asleep in it. So I would definitely try to get Elise used to crib or PNP, that way it will make it much easier for your mom as well! Worse comes to worse, the swing is not a bad alternative if she likes it but you don't want her to get used to it either. Good luck and hope the sound machine does the trick!

MrsJOSEnADRI · December 2010

Thanks, ladies! Starting tomorrow I'm going to try to get her to nap in her crib. That would be the ideal situation because I can get things done around the house without tiptoeing around her or without the dogs waking her. I also have a video monitor which I haven't been using b/c I can her hear from our bedroom at night, but I can set it up in the kitchen to monitor her during her daytime naps. As per your suggestions, I got a mobile with a sound machine that I can attach to her crib and it can be easily removed since I don't want her to have one at night. I noticed that in the swing she stares at the little toys and she's out by the time the music ends. So, at least, I can replicate this in the crib and then maybe rub her back until she falls asleep??? I guess I was giving up to easily and just putting her in the swing, but I'd really like to transition her out of the swing b/c soon she'll be too heavy for it anyway.

Also, I read somewhere that babies first organize nighttime sleep and then by 12 to 16 weeks organize their daytime sleep. So, I was wondering how to help her do this. Do you have set naptimes? Do you follow their cues for naptime? How long should they sleep for? At the moment, her longest naps are in the morning. I try to follow EASY so she naps after each feeding. But after about 3 p.m., it's really hard to get her to nap. Even the swing doesn't always work in the afternoons. Also, she has another feeding around 5 p.m. but DH gets home at about 6:00. So she definitely gets overstimulated because she should probably be napping, but that's the only time he has to spend with her. So, how do your naps coincide with the feedings? Is there always a nap after each feeding?

Albah · December 2010

MrsJOSEnADRI:

Thanks, ladies! Starting tomorrow I'm going to try to get her to nap in her crib. That would be the ideal situation because I can get things done around the house without tiptoeing around her or without the dogs waking her. I also have a video monitor which I haven't been using b/c I can her hear from our bedroom at night, but I can set it up in the kitchen to monitor her during her daytime naps. As per your suggestions, I got a mobile with a sound machine that I can attach to her crib and it can be easily removed since I don't want her to have one at night. I noticed that in the swing she stares at the little toys and she's out by the time the music ends. So, at least, I can replicate this in the crib and then maybe rub her back until she falls asleep??? I guess I was giving up to easily and just putting her in the swing, but I'd really like to transition her out of the swing b/c soon she'll be too heavy for it anyway.

Also, I read somewhere that babies first organize nighttime sleep and then by 12 to 16 weeks organize their daytime sleep. So, I was wondering how to help her do this. Do you have set naptimes? Do you follow their cues for naptime? How long should they sleep for? At the moment, her longest naps are in the morning. I try to follow EASY so she naps after each feeding. But after about 3 p.m., it's really hard to get her to nap. Even the swing doesn't always work in the afternoons. Also, she has another feeding around 5 p.m. but DH gets home at about 6:00. So she definitely gets overstimulated because she should probably be napping, but that's the only time he has to spend with her. So, how do your naps coincide with the feedings? Is there always a nap after each feeding?

Baby E actually doesn't have any set naptimes, I follow his cue completely...it's very easy to tell when he's tired so I just put him down when I notice it. I never made a nap schedule, but now that he's almost 5 months he has put himself into a schedule somewhat...times are give or take and not exact each day...

Wakes up around 7:15 AM Feeds 8 AM Nap 9-10ish Feeds11:00 Nap 12:30-2:00 Feeds 2:00pm Nap 4-5pm Feeds 5pm Nap 7-8 pm Feeds 8pm (he sometimes does not wake up for this feed and sleeps from 7pm till like midnight; if he wakes up for this feed, then he usually does not get up till like 4 or 5 AM for a night feed).

I don't wake him up from naps, I just let him do what he wants and he's actually developed his own little routine.

MrsJOSEnADRI · December 2010

Wow! That sounds just like Elise except her a.m. naps are longer and her p.m. naps are shorter or nonexistent, especially, bw 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

cocojack10 · December 2010

My boys love sleeping in their crib... they actually sleep best at night in there. Alex does like his swing and will pass out in there if it is nap time. But both love "los brazos" and I love them sleeping on me.

They also have amazing naps on my bed! I cuddle w/ them until they fall asleep, and can leave them there until next feeding. I usually wedge them between 2 pillows real tight to simulate you cuddling and sorta a swaddle obviously they dont roll yet not is pillow anywhere near their faces.

And swaddling them works very well. I either use the Aden Anis blankets or the Summer Swaddle Me things and they pass out quickly

MariM · December 2010

I second white noise. I still put it on for naps & night time so that we can go about our lives regularly while Nadia sleeps. Nadia exclusively naps in her bed. As an infant- she'd nap anywhere- but I wanted her to associate her crib with sleep, so that's where I'd put her.

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