Community› The Bump Message Boards› Parenting after 35
Parenting after 35
New Discussion

Nap Time Tips

jgray6651jgray6651
in Parenting after 35

Any tips for getting your baby to sleep at naptime?  My baby girl is 3 weeks old and she sleeps great at night.  For naps, though, she wants to be held the entire time.  When I lay her down, she'll sleep for about 15-20 minutes and then wake up.  When I hold her during the naps, she sleeps for about 2 hours or more (today was 3 1/2 hours!).

 Is she just too young to lay down for a nap?  Do I need to keep holding her and then try to lay her down when she's about 6-8 weeks?

Any recommendations/suggestions/tips are greatly appreciated!

 Thanks!

Report Reply to Post

Re: Nap Time Tips

  • daisydanadaisydana member

    Are you swaddling her? Is she warm enough?

    We were the opposite. Sydney didn't sleep all night until about six weeks. Before that, she snoozed on and off all day in between feedings. Holding her is so important, but so is getting YOUR rest and getting, well, anything else done. If she doesn't like the swaddle, maybe you could roll up blankets on either side of her so she feels like she is up against something. That helped my DD not feel lost in the crib or basinette. 

    Oh! Also... do you have a swing? Sydney loved sleeping in the swing during the day. 

    PhotobucketPhotobucket Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • KerryHSKerryHS

    Swaddle. Swaddle. Swaddle.  Worked great for us for the first couple months.  Then LO turned into a bad (really bad) napper.  Lots of 20 minute naps - no rest for mama.  He did really well at night, but was a napping diaster.  Somewhere around 7 months he started getting better at napping.  I still don't have that ideal of two long naps and one short one, but he is definitely better at napping.  Still awesome at night.  Good luck.

    Report Reply
  • PeskyPesky member
    Ditto on the swaddling.  May take some transition time.  I used to have to cart DD around in the ergo and then lay her into the swing with the infant insert.  Did the same with DS but he preferred his carseat which I elevated a bit so his head wasn't on his chest.  They both outgrew that.  But she may need the close feeling still during the day.  So try swaddling and try a bit more cozy of an environment.  


    image
    DD -- 5YO
    DS -- 3YO

    Report Reply
  • Piranha54Piranha54
    Double ditto swaddling and the swing.  DD took one nap a day in the swing until she was about 7 months old.  Also, I know when DD was that young, I was not real good at always noticing her tired signs, but if we stuck to a schedule most days, she was ready for the nap. Have you tried EASY?
    Report Reply
  • NewMrs07NewMrs07 member
    Swaddling, the swing and the bouncy seat, those were the things that worked for us :)
    Me: 44 DH: 42. DS born healthy at 40 weeks 8/24/09. TTC since then with no luck or ART. Surprise BFP 8/6/14... MMC @ 8 weeks 4 days... Miss you everyday sweet baby angel.
    Report Reply
  • gimmietimmiesgimmietimmies member

    imagePesky:
    Ditto on the swaddling.  May take some transition time.  I used to have to cart DD around in the ergo and then lay her into the swing with the infant insert.  Did the same with DS but he preferred his carseat which I elevated a bit so his head wasn't on his chest.  They both outgrew that.  But she may need the close feeling still during the day.  So try swaddling and try a bit more cozy of an environment.  

    Ditto to the Ergo...so much more comfortable than just holding or carrying lo! Don't ask how many carriers I've had...I had great success with the Ergo. Try swaddling (mine were haters of the swaddle), the swing, the bouncy seat (the ones that vibrate are fantastic).

    I found with three of my girls that they just wanted to sleep on me for daytime naps, so I went with it. That seemed to ease up about 12 weeks old, and I started trying them in their crib. It takes a little bit, but you will find the combo that works for your lo. 3 weeks is still pretty early. And they don't stay that little for long, enjoy it!

    Report Reply
  • rae_dylanzmomrae_dylanzmom member
    Ditto the pp ideas. Pay attention to tired signals... I didn't get a hang of this for awhile and LO was over-tired a lot. The suggestion I would add is to throw one of your t-shirts (or something that smells like you) into wherever you want her to sleep.  Enjoy! I still like it when DS naps in my arms.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • SugarChick10SugarChick10

    Swaddling & the swing worked great for us too, though she did take quite a few naps in my arms, which I loved (and still do when they happen). Right before she hit the 3-month mark, my LO decided she didn't like the swaddle anymore, so a lot of her really good naps were in the swing & the bouncer. 

    My LO started daycare last week & we're finding out she's just not much of a napper. She'll take anywhere from 2-3 naps while there, ranging anywhere from 20-40 mins. I kind of think that might change soon & maybe she'll take longer naps just because everyone else is doing it--probably one of the few times I'll want her to do that, lol. 

    It seemed like once she started STTN, she just wasn't much of a napper & that was before she started daycare. It is rough because it's hard to get those things done that you put off until naptime, but I don't know if I can really complain. She goes to sleep between 7:30 & 8 PM she STTN until about 6 AM the next morning.

    Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"