NAPS, where are you???

[MrsAmk]

Sorry no time to look through the threads to find a similar post....my 18 week old (14 weeks adjusted), does NOT nap......EVER!!! Only time he will sleep during the day is if we are riding in the car, and that gets pretty old fast. I have been trying to intentionally get him to nap in his crib (he sleeps in our room in the rock n play still), but he will NOT give in. As soon as we start the trek upstairs to his nursery, he knows and starts wailing! Sometimes he will eventually settle down and let me nurse him to sleep, but as soon as I stand up and try to put him in the crib, it's like D Day! He just will not nap. I am so burnt out! Also at night he has been also wailing like a crazy baby for an hour before he gets so exhuasted he conks out nursing. Please tell me this is a (SHORT) phase?! I am pissed at myself for not introducing the crib earlier, because he will soon be too big for the rock n play, and then there is no alternative! Mama is soooo tired

 

[misspriss]

Do you swaddle? DS was a nurse-to-sleep only baby, and the only way I could put him down after was if he was swaddled!

 

[MrsAmk]

Yea, and he fights the swaddle too

 

[redlemonade]

Would he stay napping if you didn't try to move him into his crib? Maybe it's not an option, but you could try letting him nap on you? Have you tried babywearing?

My LO was very hard to put down for naps (and still prefers to nap in my arms at 3 months of age) but I just make sure I have water, snacks, book, phone etc when nursing her before a nap in case she won't go down. It's made life easier That and the sling which is a godsend for getting her to nap.

 

[sarah34]

I know a lot of people won't agree with my method but this is what I did to teach lo to self settle in his crib for naps. My lo can only stay awake for 2 hours before he gets over tired, he starts rubbing his face, whining and pulling his ears. I put him down and he goes straight to sleep for an hour to an hour and a half. When we first started doing this we left him to cry for 5 mins at a time. Once the 5 minutes was up we went in without talking to him, calmed him down but stroking his face and shhhhing then walk out again. If he started crying again wait another 5 mins and go up again. The first couple of days it took 2 or 3 attempts so a max of 15 mins before he went to sleep, now he goes to sleep straight away!

It was hard listening to him cry but he couldn't hurt himself and was only left for 5 mins.

Also, if I let him get overtired and do not get him in his crib at the right time he takes longer to go to sleep, same if I try to put him down too early he will only sleep for 30 mins! Make sure you are aware of his tired signs and you should be able to build a routine from that. Xxx

 

[MrsAmk]

Would he stay napping if you didn't try to move him into his crib? Maybe it's not an option, but you could try letting him nap on you? Have you tried babywearing?

My LO was very hard to put down for naps (and still prefers to nap in my arms at 3 months of age) but I just make sure I have water, snacks, book, phone etc when nursing her before a nap in case she won't go down. It's made life easier That and the sling which is a godsend for getting her to nap.

That is exactly what I am trying to break I can't be doing that all the time, especially when I work fulltime...he needs to be able to nap in a crib. Yea I have tried babywearing too, this little stinker is not a fan! I have an Ergo and a woven wrap, both of which he usually pushes away and cries!

 

[Miss_Cellany]

My lo wouldn't nap in his cot/crib/basket/anywhere but me until he was 5 months old and he just changed by himself. He just suddenly disliked being held to nap and started having long naps in his cot.

 

[Teri7489]

Isabella wouldn't sleep/ nap in her cot until she was 6 months. After spending the first 6 weeks of her life sleeping on the living room floor with her in her pram we gave In and put the carry cot bit in the big cot. It stayed that way until we went on holiday and she had to sleep in a travel cot. Xx

 

[redlemonade]

Would he stay napping if you didn't try to move him into his crib? Maybe it's not an option, but you could try letting him nap on you? Have you tried babywearing?

My LO was very hard to put down for naps (and still prefers to nap in my arms at 3 months of age) but I just make sure I have water, snacks, book, phone etc when nursing her before a nap in case she won't go down. It's made life easier That and the sling which is a godsend for getting her to nap.

That is exactly what I am trying to break I can't be doing that all the time, especially when I work fulltime...he needs to be able to nap in a crib. Yea I have tried babywearing too, this little stinker is not a fan! I have an Ergo and a woven wrap, both of which he usually pushes away and cries!

Ah ok. I thought he just wasn't napping at all aside from the car! Keep encouraging the crib and he'll get it eventually. I personally wouldn't let him cry it out; I think it does more harm than good. But you can gently keep trying to put him down. Does he have a mobile attached to his crib that could help him settle? When do you need to go back to work?

 

[Jayneypops]

DD2 is 6.5 months and we have had a regular routine since about 5.5 months (although everyday doesn't always follow!). I noticed she was starting to get tired (pulling her ear, a bit grumpy etc) around 9am each morning and remembered that it was the same with DD1 so I started to catch her as soon as I saw the signs and take her to her room. She now has a daily nap at between 9 - 9.30am for 1-1.5 hours.

She then has another nap around 1.30 -2pm for 40 mins - 1 hour. Luckily for me, this 2nd nap coincides with DD1s nap so in the afternoons I usually get 1 hour to myself with them both asleep and as I work from home its really important for me!

 

[MrsAmk]

I know a lot of people won't agree with my method but this is what I did to teach lo to self settle in his crib for naps. My lo can only stay awake for 2 hours before he gets over tired, he starts rubbing his face, whining and pulling his ears. I put him down and he goes straight to sleep for an hour to an hour and a half. When we first started doing this we left him to cry for 5 mins at a time. Once the 5 minutes was up we went in without talking to him, calmed him down but stroking his face and shhhhing then walk out again. If he started crying again wait another 5 mins and go up again. The first couple of days it took 2 or 3 attempts so a max of 15 mins before he went to sleep, now he goes to sleep straight away!

It was hard listening to him cry but he couldn't hurt himself and was only left for 5 mins.

Also, if I let him get overtired and do not get him in his crib at the right time he takes longer to go to sleep, same if I try to put him down too early he will only sleep for 30 mins! Make sure you are aware of his tired signs and you should be able to build a routine from that. Xxx

I must have a bionic baby because that is exactly what I tried doing this whole labor day weekend. Except he doesnt let me just try to soothe him without picking him up. I put him in his crib, he immediately would be crying. I left him for 10 minutes (longest of my life!), and went in to try and shhh, pat, rub, but he just WAILS the entire time....no soothing going on!

 

[MrsAmk]

Would he stay napping if you didn't try to move him into his crib? Maybe it's not an option, but you could try letting him nap on you? Have you tried babywearing?

My LO was very hard to put down for naps (and still prefers to nap in my arms at 3 months of age) but I just make sure I have water, snacks, book, phone etc when nursing her before a nap in case she won't go down. It's made life easier That and the sling which is a godsend for getting her to nap.

That is exactly what I am trying to break I can't be doing that all the time, especially when I work fulltime...he needs to be able to nap in a crib. Yea I have tried babywearing too, this little stinker is not a fan! I have an Ergo and a woven wrap, both of which he usually pushes away and cries!

Ah ok. I thought he just wasn't napping at all aside from the car! Keep encouraging the crib and he'll get it eventually. I personally wouldn't let him cry it out; I think it does more harm than good. But you can gently keep trying to put him down. Does he have a mobile attached to his crib that could help him settle? When do you need to go back to work?

Yes he does, and I already am back to work

 

[redlemonade]

Would he stay napping if you didn't try to move him into his crib? Maybe it's not an option, but you could try letting him nap on you? Have you tried babywearing?

My LO was very hard to put down for naps (and still prefers to nap in my arms at 3 months of age) but I just make sure I have water, snacks, book, phone etc when nursing her before a nap in case she won't go down. It's made life easier That and the sling which is a godsend for getting her to nap.

That is exactly what I am trying to break I can't be doing that all the time, especially when I work fulltime...he needs to be able to nap in a crib. Yea I have tried babywearing too, this little stinker is not a fan! I have an Ergo and a woven wrap, both of which he usually pushes away and cries!

Ah ok. I thought he just wasn't napping at all aside from the car! Keep encouraging the crib and he'll get it eventually. I personally wouldn't let him cry it out; I think it does more harm than good. But you can gently keep trying to put him down. Does he have a mobile attached to his crib that could help him settle? When do you need to go back to work?

Yes he does, and I already am back to work

I think these things just take time and patience. It's a big adjustment for him so he needs time to feel secure in the new arrangement IMHO. I'm sorry I'm not much more help

 

[sarah34]

I know a lot of people won't agree with my method but this is what I did to teach lo to self settle in his crib for naps. My lo can only stay awake for 2 hours before he gets over tired, he starts rubbing his face, whining and pulling his ears. I put him down and he goes straight to sleep for an hour to an hour and a half. When we first started doing this we left him to cry for 5 mins at a time. Once the 5 minutes was up we went in without talking to him, calmed him down but stroking his face and shhhhing then walk out again. If he started crying again wait another 5 mins and go up again. The first couple of days it took 2 or 3 attempts so a max of 15 mins before he went to sleep, now he goes to sleep straight away!

It was hard listening to him cry but he couldn't hurt himself and was only left for 5 mins.

Also, if I let him get overtired and do not get him in his crib at the right time he takes longer to go to sleep, same if I try to put him down too early he will only sleep for 30 mins! Make sure you are aware of his tired signs and you should be able to build a routine from that. Xxx

I must have a bionic baby because that is exactly what I tried doing this whole labor day weekend. Except he doesnt let me just try to soothe him without picking him up. I put him in his crib, he immediately would be crying. I left him for 10 minutes (longest of my life!), and went in to try and shhh, pat, rub, but he just WAILS the entire time....no soothing going on!

Oh dear, maybe you could try picking him up, not talking and calming him down then when he stops crying put him straight back down and leave the room. Wait the 5 mins and go back in? Worth a try? I know it's horrible to leave them crying! I was literally counting down the seconds when we first did it!!

 

[MrsAmk]

I wonder if I should wait a bit and try again later. He is teething a little too

 

[Moolia]

Perhaps he is overtired when you are trying to put him down? My ds would be an absolute nightmare when he was overtired. We had to catch him when he got a glazed look in his eyes. If it got to eye rubbing or yawning then it was game over! It did get better as he got older though and he would go down easily.
Do you think making the transition from the rock and play to crib at night might help first before trying it for naps?

 

[MrsAmk]

Would he stay napping if you didn't try to move him into his crib? Maybe it's not an option, but you could try letting him nap on you? Have you tried babywearing?

My LO was very hard to put down for naps (and still prefers to nap in my arms at 3 months of age) but I just make sure I have water, snacks, book, phone etc when nursing her before a nap in case she won't go down. It's made life easier That and the sling which is a godsend for getting her to nap.

That is exactly what I am trying to break I can't be doing that all the time, especially when I work fulltime...he needs to be able to nap in a crib. Yea I have tried babywearing too, this little stinker is not a fan! I have an Ergo and a woven wrap, both of which he usually pushes away and cries!

Ah ok. I thought he just wasn't napping at all aside from the car! Keep encouraging the crib and he'll get it eventually. I personally wouldn't let him cry it out; I think it does more harm than good. But you can gently keep trying to put him down. Does he have a mobile attached to his crib that could help him settle? When do you need to go back to work?

Perhaps he is overtired when you are trying to put him down? My ds would be an absolute nightmare when he was overtired. We had to catch him when he got a glazed look in his eyes. If it got to eye rubbing or yawning then it was game over! It did get better as he got older though and he would go down easily.
Do you think making the transition from the rock and play to crib at night might help first before trying it for naps?

Hmm figured naps would be easier to try first. And oh my I dont know if I can stay up all nigth fighting him to sleep in the crib....I already have to be up at 0430 for work

 

[Moolia]

You poor thing. It's tough enough when you're at home, I can't imagine working full time with an 18 week old. I'm sure things will get better, it just might take some time

 

[Moolia]

Does he nap in the rock and play?

 

[MrsAmk]

Does he nap in the rock and play?

Sometimes! But no more than 30-45 minutes. I have to nurse him to sleep and then place him in it.