Can we talk naps again?

SuzyQq02 · August 2014

Sorry, I know this has been discussed ad nauseum, but we have our 6 month MD appt next week and wanted to get some mom-pinions before bringing this to the pedi.

From birth, DD has been a pretty good night sleeper (minus when my supply was awful and she was eating every 2 hours to get enough), but an aboluste crap napper. She still takes multiple short naps per day, and usually needs to be bounced, driven or strolled to actually get her to sleep. She's had a few "successful" crib naps, in that she's been able to fall asleep there, but they last about 30 min tops. (DC has gotten a handful of really awesome naps out of her, but even they can't figure out what's different on the days she naps well vs. doesn't.)

I think one of the things that screws her over for good napping is our commute. Both our DC situations (my mom and our center) are close to where I work, so we spend 45 minutes in the car each way on weekdays, and she invariably falls asleep. So the stage is set for cat naps based on our schedule. But I can tell she's not getting enough some days, and is a hot mess in the evenings because she's just wiped, but not ready for bed yet.

Anyway, that a super long-winded story to ask: how's your LO napping? Thoughts on what to do to help set up a good routine if you have a long ride to and from DC?

sdlaura · August 2014

Yeah that would be really tough to keep a nap schedule with your commute. DS would fall asleep in the car, too. My DS is a good napper because daycare put him on a schedule. He wakes between 6 and 7, naps 9-10 and 1-3ish, then goes to sleep for the night aroun 7:30. Maybe you could just aim for one mid-day nap in a crib and otherwise just let him sleep in the car?

ShePersisted · August 2014

Can you play music or give her something to play with to keep her occupied in the car? If I want to avoid sleep I sometimes give K a frozen treat like frozen banana in one of those mesh bags that he can keep gnawing on. It help divert a good 20-30 mins very easily. However, the kep is baby should not be too full prepare they won't enjoy it.

rachaelmary · August 2014

How do you know lo isn't ready for bed at night?

My lo is an awful napper...3-4 20-30 minute naps a day. She's ready for bed by 6...we usually start her routine at 530 with a bath, Jammie's, book, then nurse and she's in her crib asleep by 630.

I have no advice on how to get your lo to nap longer, since I'm in the same boat! But I have heard that babies that sttn don't need as long of naps as they get the bulk of their sleep at night.

SuzyQq02 · August 2014

rachaelmary said:

How do you know lo isn't ready for bed at night? My lo is an awful napper...3-4 20-30 minute naps a day. She's ready for bed by 6...we usually start her routine at 530 with a bath, Jammie's, book, then nurse and she's in her crib asleep by 630. I have no advice on how to get your lo to nap longer, since I'm in the same boat! But I have heard that babies that sttn don't need as long of naps as they get the bulk of their sleep at night.

I guess I don't, exactly, but if she gets fussy we'll go for a walk and the change of scenery tends to put her in a better mood, and while if she's ready for a nap she'll ALWAYS fall asleep in the stroller, she doesn't on evening walks, leading me to believe she's not ready for sleep just yet. And honestly, we couldn't get her in bed much before we do... we don't get home until between 6 and 630!

Codypup · August 2014

First off, I consider any nap longer than 20 minutes to be counted as a success. Does your LO fall asleep for that whole 45 minute drive? If so, I'd definitely consider that a good nap!

We have good and bad days with them, too - but lately, we've fallen into a pretty predictable pattern.

An ideal day looks like - 1 45-minute nap before we leave the house. (About an hour after she wakes up, she starts yawning, and I plop her in her swing. 9 times out of 10 she'll put herself to sleep for a good 45 minutes.) Then we aim for three 45-minute naps at DC, and one small doze on the short drive home.

We try and incorporate our commute into her nap time. Like...we aim to have her fall asleep on the way home. (Keep in mind our "commute" is literally 6 minutes door to door.) But if she falls asleep in the car, she usually stays asleep even when we bring the car seat into the house.

But in all honesty, the timing is all over the map. Daycare has hit or miss days as well -- we've never insisted they try and get her to sleep at any particular time, we just encourage them to follow her cues. We try and roll with it as best we can. If she's particularly fussy one evening, we try and get her ready for bed early.

SuzyQq02 · August 2014

She usually babbles and eats Sophie for the first 15-20 min, and then conks out on the highway, so we're getting between 20-30 min each way most days. You're right, that is actually a decent chunk of sleep! I just wish she'd do it somewhere other than the car... maybe I'll try the swing this weekend for her morning nap (the most predictable one, about 90 min after she wakes up) and see if I can get her to nap not driving! ;-)

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