Napping - Dover, DE

All three of my girls were the same way, so I used the swing for naptime. When they got somewhere around 9 months old, I slowly transitioned them to napping in a crib.

A couple tips:
1. At this age put her down at the very first sleep cue - one yawn and thats it don't wait she'll get her second wind.
2. She should nap after being awake about 2 hours each time - this should end up being about 3X a day.
3. Start to create a routine for her - gentle rub, a little bit of rocking, a short book or poem, a song, etc (we used our crib soother with nature sounds to signal time to sleep).
4. Can you still swaddle her???
5. Don't get her into any habits you wouldn't want to continue - if wearing her for every nap or rocking her to sleep is something you don't want to do for the next 10 months - don't start now. That being said there are always bad days and if you need the swing or to rock her then do what is best for you.
6. Baby Wise and Healthy Sleep Habits Happy baby offer wonderful tips on sleep training and understanding HOW babies sleep and what their needs are. Babies typically start to get into a sleep routine between 2 and 3 months so now is when you want to start sleep training.

A. Guethler
www.snuggleandread.com

Most babies I've known, including my own, slept in the morning between 1000 and 1200 and then again between 3 and 5ish. Around a year and a half they give up their morning naps and the afternoon one starts happening just after lunchtime.

Two naps a day should be about right. I've read about people doing three, but then they can't get them to sleep for naps or worse, at night, because they're actually asking a baby to sleep too much. But do what suits her and you. I'd try two naps first, and if she seems lively between them, I'd stick with just two. Two long naps are better than three short ones.

The thing is, if it's "regimented", they know what to expect and when. Some kids will still protest, but if you're firm about it, they'll be okay. Babies need a lot of sleep - and you need some time to yourself!

I don't know if it's a little early to teach her to self sooth, but when she wakes up before she's "supposed to", try letting her alone, first for two minutes after you know she's up, and make it longer every time until she gets the message that you're not going to jump every time she whimpers. Ladies, is it too early for the teaching of self soothing? They all do need to learn it eventually. Three months sounds about right to me, but I had/have a good kid who still likes to sleep.

-S.

When my daughter was only 3 months old we had that exact same issue. I wanted to get her on a nap schedule and my husband wanted to let it happen naturally. Somewhere along the line she eventually got into the groove all on her own. By the time she's six months or so, she should be a pro at naps. Hang in there!

Do you have a baby swing? Maybe during the day for naptime you could pop her into her swing. Sounds like she just wants to be on mom during her nap. Maybe the movement of the swing will be relaxing for her and keep her asleep for her nap.
K.

Check out www.askdrsears.com

Good luck, S.

my daughter did this too - I think she either missed me when she woke up and I wasn't there or she got cold (warmer when she was sleeping on you)

a definite napping schedule worked for us - 2 hours from when she woke up she was ready for a nap (same with afternoon nap - 2 hrs from when she woke up from morning nap) - we would then stretch her to about 7 for bed time

My neighbor gave me the best advice when I was in the same situation - she said enjoy it, it goes so fast! I nursed my daughter to sleep on the sofa, and then slid away, tucking a flat pillow under her arm, and pushing the coffee table against the sofa where I had laid her. I did this until she was about 6 months old. Then at 6 months, I decided to go hardcore - put her in bed, go outside with a book and let her cry it out.

It only took 5 minutes! after that she was fine with her bed for her naps and became a champion napper! I now have my second, and at 4 1/2 months, I swore from the begining I would try the happy sleep habbits healthy child techniques, but I couldn't bear to let the little thing cry it out. Right now, I still nurse him to sleep, throw him in the swing, let him sleep on the way to carpool - all the "bad" ways!

The interesting moral to my story is, my daughter has always slept through the night (except for teething issues), took 2- 2 hour naps a day, and can go to sleep ANYWHERE. She will go to sleep at 8:30 if we say it is bedtime, and she she can also go to dinner at 9pm if we are on vacation.

I have girlfriends who were rigid on bedtimes for nap and nighttime, had a great routine in the bedroom, and were consistent on time, method etc. They now have 4 and 5 year olds who do NOT always sleep through the night, have meltdowns if they are not in bed at the allocated time (7pm which really ruins sleepovers and dinner parties) and has to be in their room (not just on a sofa at a friends house, etc.)

Do what you have to do, it will pass, and every child is different. Some REALLY seem to thrive on a schedule and need it, others just go with the flow. If you have a baby that works well on a schedule, and the plans below work - go for it - I am jealous. If not, don't panic you are ruining your child. ENjoy the brief time with her, it is so fleeting, and you will never have the luxury of holding a second one while they sleep, life gets crazy. Just grab a great book and mark it down as time you have nothing else to do!

my daughter was the same way and still is. She only associated sleeping in the crib for nighttime, therefore to get her to nap, she did well on the couch. I would just make sure she didn't roll of by using the sleep positioner. Once she learned to roll we moved naps to the pack-play. She if she will sleep better in other areas of the house or if she will sleep in the pack-play. Good luck.

Our baby girl was the same way. I think you have to ride it out until she is at least 4 months old, and then you can try what we did at 5 months, which was a book called the Sleep Easy Solution. Our pediatrician had told us to just let the baby cry until she could teach herself to sleep, but it was SO hard to do. The Sleep Easy solution had 11 pages of good reviews on Amazon, so we tried it, and it worked amazingly. It DID involve letting the baby cry to some extent, but it wasn't like a cold-turkey approach. She was taking long, happy naps within a week. The book starts at 4 months old. Good luck!

Yes J., a schedule is very important...try the Happy Contented Baby Book. It completely lays out schedules for naps and bedtimes (by age) and gave me and my husband and I our lives back. The author of this book is a bit regimented, but the guidlines are invaluable. Good luck! K.