Nap time nightmares

[Lovetoteach86]

Okay, so I am desperate for some advice on how to A) Get my baby to nap in her crib, or somewhere without motion so B) she can take naps longer than 30 minutes.

First off, she doesn't have a set schedule because she doesn't always wake up at the same time every morning. It's a miracle if I can get her to sleep until 6am. She's five months old, and her sleep has been crazy ever since the last week of month 3. She used to nurse to sleep. Now, I nurse her, change her diaper, try to rock her, then end up putting her in her carseat and swinging her to sleep. She wakes up 20-30 minutes later, and we transfer her silently to my boob to nurse. Sometimes she continues to nap for a total of an hour, and a half, other times she doesn't go back to sleep. When she used to nurse to sleep, we'd try to put her down, but she wakes up immediately everytime.

At night she sleeps on her nursing pillow, it's the only way she will sleep. She usually sleeps from 7:30pm until 4am when she poops, from there it's either nurse straight back to sleep, or wear her out with every sleep method under the sun until she relaxes and let's me rock her back to sleep.

I try to pay attention to her sleepy signs, but sometimes she can't even stay awake for an hour before she rubs her face like crazy and gets cranky. I know she needs to sleep in her crib so she learns to fall back asleep on her own, but I have no idea how to get her to sleep without swinging her in her carseat.

 

[AnonymousCAT]

We recently transitioned DS from his swing to his crib last month. I think The key is putting them down awake and having them fall asleep on their own vs nursing to sleep. If she is a motion lover a swing might work to help her learn to fall asleep on her own. We paired the swing with white noise as DS always loved that to calm him down. Once he could fall asleep in the swing on his own we gradually turned the speed down over a few weeks until he could fall asleep without motion. We the. Out the swing in his own room next to his crib for awhile. Then put him in his crib awake. It wasn't no tears, but it was mild tears. It took about a week to make the transition. We started with bed time first then added naps. The white noise was our constant sleep association that we kept throughout the whole process. Another things that helped us was a great bedtime routine. For naps I took some elements of the bedtime routine so he knows it's wind down time and time for sleep is coming. At naps we nurse, diaper change, sleep sack, then sing lullaby.

 

[Lovetoteach86]

She used to fall asleep in the swing, but now that doesn't even work for her anymore. She'll sit in it forever, then start to really fuss before she can fall asleep. I have to move away from swinging her in the carseat though, it's physically draining, and not a good habit.

 

[AnonymousCAT]

It's ok to fuss a bit. She may need to before she falls asleep. From what you're saying she will still fall asleep in the swing after fussing. I would just let her fuss and not give in so she learns to fall asleep there with a solid bedtime/nap time routine. Once she gets on that this is where sleeping happens the time she spends fussing should decrease until she knows it's sleeping time. DS will fuss before sleeping, especially if over tired. So make sure she's tired but not over tired. I would commit to trying it for a week. She may surprise you. I was about to give up with DS and the crib thinking he wasn't ready, then that night he stayed in it the whole night. We would pick him up if he was inconsolable and calm him then try again. Then if he was getting worked up too much we tried the next night. DS would get more worked up when I was in the room so I would leave after I tidied up a bit.

 

[Lovetoteach86]

She fell asleep in her swing 3 out of six times we put her to sleep yesterday. This morning it took less than 30 minutes for her to fall asleep in her swing with thunderstorm noises on. She loves thunderstorms. I'm going to try 100% swing and no carseat today.

 

[Lovetoteach86]

I can't believe she transitioned to the swing finally. I just had to realize she cries a little no matter how you put her to sleep, so I might as well tough out a little crying and see if I can wear her into sleeping in the swing. No more carseat swinging 1000 times a day.

 

[AnonymousCAT]

That's awesome! Congratulations! It sounds like she is really getting it. Yes, DS fusses as well, especially for naps. Yesterday he was full out balling when I put him in his crib for his nap but after finishing our routine and leaving the room with him screaming he was asleep in 3 minutes... so he was just overtired. I know with him rocking and holding him while he's crying and tired just seems to continue to overstimulate him when what he wants and needs to do is fall asleep. Once she gets the swing down it will be time for the crib. Here is the website I used to help me make the transition if interested: https://www.troublesometots.com/weaning-baby-off-swing/

So happy for you!

 

[AnonymousCAT]

I just wanted to add that DS has started to take longer naps as well now that he knows that the crib is for napping and sleeping... it just started happening a few weeks ago. But he will only do a long nap it seems in the crib vs car seat/stroller/swing now. You are well on your way! I'm convinced consistent sleeping and falling asleep on their own is the key to longer naps.

 

[Lovetoteach86]

Thanks, I still haven't been able for her to take all her naps in the swing, but maybe she is over stimulated when I move to rocking her, and walking... I'm going to just keep trying, then hopefully the crib transition will make her sleep better. I just feel like she doesn't need/want me as much as she used to, but trying to adapt to her more independent style is hard when she still needs a little help. She used to ONLY fall asleep in my arms.

 

[AnonymousCAT]

I totally get it! DS was like that too.