How to get 10 week old to nap in crib?

[wavescrash]

LO is 10 weeks old today and sleeps pretty well at night. She sleeps in our room in this reclined rocker (she has reflux issues) and will sleep up to 6 hours straight that way.

Naps during the day are an entirely different story. Out of nowhere, it seems that the only way she'll nap is sleeping on OH or myself. I generally don't mind because I'm just happy she's sleeping and not screaming because she's overtired or something. However, I really do need to be able to get some stuff done during the day, eat an actual breakfast or lunch and not just snack on food (yesterday I only ate once around noon.) Her pediatrician also said that she wants us to break her of that habit over the next month and get her to start napping in her crib. I plan to try and transition her into the crib overnight as well in the next couple of months but figured easing her in with naps during the day is a good place to start.

I'm just not sure how to go about it with a 10 week old. We can get her to fall asleep and set her down in her swing, rocker/sleeper or crib but she wakes up within 20-40 minutes whereas she'll nap on me for 2 hours straight. I just rocked her in our rocking chair until she was calm/sleepy and put her in the swing and she fell asleep for 10 minutes, woke up and has since fallen asleep again but like I said... she will likely only nap a half hour or so total and then wake up fussy because she's still tired.


So any tips on transitioning her to napping in her crib and getting her to have a full nap instead of a little catnap would be VERY appreciated. Thanks ladies!

 

[stardust599]

I tried everything with my eldest, nothing worked. She always woke at the end of a 40-45min sleep cycle and was still grumpy with tiredness. I used to creep in before she'd wake and pat her back to sleep for another sleep cycle or if she woke and I knew she was still tired I'd rock her back to sleep and put her down. She outgrew it herself and started taking long naps at 10months. xx

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Why is it any of your paediatrician's business?

 

[Mid.night]

Persistence worked for me. Before around 9 weeks he only napped on me. If i put him anywhere else he would wake. When I decided to start putting him in his cot he would wake, I would rock him back to sleep and put him back down, he would wake, I would rock. It would go on like this for a good few days but eventually he stopped waking so often, then started to nap longer. He is now 13 weeks and has all his naps in his crib with no problems

Sometimes it can be the change in temperature that can wake them as they are in a lighter sleep, have you tired putting a hot water bottle in the crib, obviously taking it out before LO goes in just so the sheets are slightly warmed through? I found this helped LO sleep better whilst he was getting use to napping in the crib now we don't need it

 

[addy1]

Could you move her rocker into her room to get her used to the room first? Then transition her to her crib? You could also try darkening the room or maybe a sound machine.... The hot water bottle is really great idea!

 

[Mother Hen]

The only thing that worked for us was by getting him used to his comfort blanket. I looped it through his arm when he slept on me. After a few days, I was able to loop it through his arm in his moses basket. Now, he knows that comfort blanket=naptime. After a few days, the blanket will pick up smells from you, so that is comforting to baby too. He likes to wrap part of it around his neck. He pets it and strokes it and rubs it on his face too. It's really sweet.

Also,our baby only gets his dummy when he sleeps, so that is also a cue.

We have a few comfort blankets.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/30476-Walr..._3?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1341609229&sr=1-3-fkmr1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Teddykompa...sr_1_92?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1341609493&sr=1-92

We also got a cute/cheap one from Primark for £3.

Just remember, what works for one baby may not work for others. Keep trying different things.

Here is Alex with one of his comfort blankets.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/7516870956_2475293f8a_z.jpg
Alex by The Long Experience, on Flickr

 

[capegirl7]

I am in the exact same position, but my LO is 13 weeks. She will scream and have a fit in her crib, but sleeps through the night in the bassinet. She will only nap on me during the day.

 

[jenniferttc1]

I'm not sure. Almost 5 months old and still trying!!

 

[Casey3]

Haha 6 months here and still trying! he sleeps fine at night but we've gotten into the routine of napping in bed with me, nursing to sleep and the odd time I can move him fine but he'll only nap for 30-45 minutes so by the time he finishes nursing his nap is almost over