How Do I Get My 7 Month Old to Nap in Her Own Crib?

Well, I learned the hard way that you have a problem if you say 'how do I get my child to.....'. You are the parent and you need to teach the child you are in charge and yet love them. Be firm and yet gentle and put her in the crib, say it's nap time, then leave. We just went through this with my daughter's and son in law's twins and they slept here on some weekends due to parents jobs. It was screaming and at home they would be gotten up, etc. We, parents included, decided it was time to stay in the bed so we shut the door and left and after about 2 nights no more crying. I can put them down for a nap, or for bed at night, kiss them and say nap or bedtime, I love you, and go out and no crying. They also do that at their home now fine. You have to let them know that's what is happening by not going back and getting them. I did that with my first child and it was a nightmare when I had my second child 12 months and 5 days later. Don't be afraid to do what needs done whether your child likes it or not. They are a child and not able to know what is best for them. The sneaking out thing is what I did and I ended up being there for hours and still he'd wake. That will not work.

i was in the exact same boat with my son. and what i learned to do was nurse him while sitting on the couch, then rock him to sleep. once he dozed i let him shift into second gear then out him in his crib. he usually woke up crying so i left him there a few minutes , then came and got him rocked him back to sleep again then let him to go to second again then put him back. eventually he figured out that this is where he would he sleeping. its hard and it take s awhile but it;s well worth it. because my son was in the bed with me since birth( i know i wasn;t supposed to but i couldn't help it) good luck. p.s. second gear is when they kind of shift into a deeper sleep the one wear they don't hear the phone ringing or the tv, you know the one that they don't wake up real easy from.

I did what the book Healthy Sleep Habits suggested which was that basically once you put them in their crib for their nap, they stay for an hour whether they cry or sleep. It seemed awful, but after about 3 days, she began napping perfectly fine in her crib. I would nurse her, she would fall asleep and I'd put her in her crib. If she woke and started crying, I'd just say "night night" and leave her for the hour. If she slept for a good while and woke a little before the hour, I'd get her up. But only if she actually got some decent rest. If they're stubborn and actually continue to cry the whole time, you get them out at an hour and try again for the afternoon nap.

Now, when I nurse her, she'll often wake as I go to put her down, but will actually lean in and reach for her crib and will go right back to sleep once I put her in. I can even put her down awake now. Consistency is key. Their little bodies just have to learn and settle into a pattern. I also use the nap times suggested in the book... 9am and 1pm with a morning wake time between 6am and 7am, but no later. Then, we're down for the night between 6 and 7pm depending on how long her afternoon nap was. Works fantastic. I was amazed by how quickly she settled into this rhythm once I stuck with it. I actually feel human again! Good luck.

thats funny I have the same problem with my 6 month old at night as you do during the day...Brayden wouldent take naps unless I was holding him or lying down with him until I one day just started putting him in his crib ever single time he fell asleep. I started laying him on his side instead of his back and about 2 weeks ago he started taking amaizing naps sleeping for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon...now I just need to figure out how to get him to sleep through the night :)