Day 2 of trying to get LO to nap in her cot during the day.

[BethK]

I wish I'd done this long ago. She's 10 months now and napping downstairs in her bouncer chair is no longer an option as shes 4lb too heavy for it!

So yesterday I decided it was time to try and get her to nap in her cot. I looked out for sleepy signs, put her in her cot and it took about 30 mins before she fell asleep, but only slept 40 mins.

So my question for those of you whose LO's nap in the cot is -

should I be undressing her and putting her in pyjamas and grobag?
She likes noise during the day so would it be too quiet for her?
Should I put the radio on in her room for her?

I put her in her cot 10 mins ago and she's fast asleep but she's fully dressed with a blanket over her, although she kicked it half off, it is 21 degrees in there so this will be ok won't it?

 

[kalou1972]

I alway sjust put Miller down in his clothes.

He doesnt self settle so its a case of when hes tired......i pick him uo and cuddle til he falls asleep then transfer him.

I have the door shut and curtains shut for Miller ass hed just wake with too much noise x

 

[kawaiigirl]

No I've always just put mine down in their clothes. I do put the sleeping bag on. I just keep to a routine and put her down straight after lunch every day. She always sleeps. Time varies anywhere from 45 mins to 3 hours. Just do it every day and LO will soon get used to it hopefully and probably start to sleep longer. Good look, persistence usually pays off xx

 

[Lena]

I always change Nate into a sleepsuit or 2 piece pajama set just because i think he'll be comfy that way, but its up to you. I rock him to sleep (takes about 5 mins or less if he's really tired) and then transfer him in his cot. He usually wakes when i move him but once he's in his cot he immediately rolls over and goes back to sleep.

The more she gets used to napping in her cot, the longer stints she will do. When ifirst started putting Nate in his cot for naps, he'd do about 20 mins tops, and then wake. I just went up and rocked him back to sleep and placed him in his cot again. Now he does 1.5 hours in the morning and usually 45min-1 hour in the afternoon. Just try and be consistent and do the same thing to get her to sleep for every naptime. If you rock her, do that everytime. If you shhhh and pat, do that everytime and eventually she will associate that with naptime. Nate napped on the couch next to me til he was 8 months old so i know how you feel.

Best of luck

 

[BethK]

Thanks girls. X

I have semi closed the blackout blind in there so it is dark but not as dark as night.

I will put her down in her clothes from now on then. That's good as she hates getting dressed!

If she doesn't sleep long today I might try her radio on in the background tomorrow maybe.

I'm really hoping this will work.

It's hard to read her sleepy signs usually as I used to put her in her bouncer when she was sleepy but then she would still be awake an hour later or maybe that was due to me being in the room and the tv being on. :/

I will have to persist, she's taken to it well so far for the morning naps. The pm one we're normally out so she naps in her buggy.

 

[BethK]

I just put her in the cot, turn the lightshow on and walk out :/

she won't sleep if I'm in the room as she wants picking up and she won't fall asleep on me. So it's hard to get her back to sleep when she wakes as shush pat and rocking won't work with her.

She's stiring now . It's been 40 mins, same as yesterday.

 

[riohound]

I've always put mine down in their clothes and in a grobag just like at night,with curtains closed and no noise upstairs but normal amount of noise/daily life going on downstairsx

 

[Lena]

I just put her in the cot, turn the lightshow on and walk out :/

she won't sleep if I'm in the room as she wants picking up and she won't fall asleep on me. So it's hard to get her back to sleep when she wakes as shush pat and rocking won't work with her.

She's stiring now . It's been 40 mins, same as yesterday.

Do you think she's still tired when she wakes after 40 mins? Some babies don't need long naps. Maybe just go up and put her lightshow on again and walk out like you did for the 1st 1/2 of her nap? Sometimes Nate stirs after 45 mins, but unless he cries i don't go up and 9/10 times he puts himself back to sleep.

 

[CeriB]

I close the curtains so it is semi dark and rock/shh her to nearly asleep. I leave her in whatever she is wearing. I put her in the cot sleepy and still shhh until she drifts off properly. She only naps for between 30 & 40 mins.

I try to keep the difference between day and night as much as possible while doing everything I can to get her to nap.

I would try a radio if she likes noise and put her in comfy clothes if you think what she is wearing is restrictive.

Good luck!

 

[riohound]

harry often stirs after 40-45 minutes,its quite common as they transition from one sleep cycle to another,if i leave him, most of the time he will go back to sleep within 10-15 mins or sometimes i just need to go up and pop his dummy inx

 

[littleblonde]

I dont change kacey but do put her grobag on her. I put her down awake, close curtains and put light show on. then walk out. if i hang around she crys. She used to do 45 minute but now she does at least 2 hrs

 

[BethK]

I just put her in the cot, turn the lightshow on and walk out :/

she won't sleep if I'm in the room as she wants picking up and she won't fall asleep on me. So it's hard to get her back to sleep when she wakes as shush pat and rocking won't work with her.

She's stiring now . It's been 40 mins, same as yesterday.

Do you think she's still tired when she wakes after 40 mins? Some babies don't need long naps. Maybe just go up and put her lightshow on again and walk out like you did for the 1st 1/2 of her nap? Sometimes Nate stirs after 45 mins, but unless he cries i don't go up and 9/10 times he puts himself back to sleep.

yes I think yesterday she was still tired but she was crying and wouldn't stop when I put the lightshow back on, she seemed ok after I got her up and downstairs.

Today she stirred at 40 mins but didn't cry so I didn't go in and she went back to sleep . Been nearly an hour now

 

[try2breathe]

Totally off topic, but Freya is such a gorgeous name! I think so every time I see one of your posts. Love it!

 

[BethK]

Totally off topic, but Freya is such a gorgeous name! I think so every time I see one of your posts. Love it!

Aww thank you so much. So kind of you to say so xx

Well she slept for 2 hours! I had to wake her in the end as she was 30 mins late for her bottle and I didn't want to push it all back so she would be late tonight.

Tomorrow my mum has her so won't get a good nap

Friday I have tumble tots at 9.30 so she will have to wait till 10.30 for her nap, or I might just miss it this week

 

[ILoveShoes]

I need to start doing this too...
My LO naps on me at the moment, but he's starting nursery in June so I need to get him used to napping on his own.
I'm worried about mis-reading his tired signals though, and him spending all day in his room on his own, trying to get to sleep or not wanting to go to sleep
xx

 

[PepsiChic]

i only put LO in his PJ's at bedtime,
he goes down in his clothes with a blanket on him which he tends to kick off and after 10 minute i go and put it back over him.

i dont know how long a 10 month old should be napping for, my LO naps twice a day, his first nap is 60-90 minutes long and his second nap is 30-60 minutes long - BUT he doesnt always have a second nap some days he just doesnt want to.

i use the PUPD method, works great for us.

also my LO wont sleep if the room is quiet not even at nighttime, because then sudden noises wake him up, so i leave the radio on low in the bathroom with a lullaby CD playing on repeat.

does your LO have a dummy or a comforter? if not then id suggest a small teddy or comforter blanket, if you do use a dummy, maybe switch to a comforter/teddy, its something they can grab themselves if they stir/wake during nap/bedtime.