How do non bf-ers (or DHs or day cares) get babies to nap?

[Sherri]

My partner, Ava's other mom, is home with Ava while I'm at work. She is having trouble lately getting her to take naps. We don't want to go the CIO route. Usually Ava will fall asleep during a walk or drive, but that's not always working lately. She tries cuddling her to sleep, putting her in her crib with soft music, all kinds of things. I don't know how to advise her b/c I nurse her to sleep at night and for naps on the weekends. Meanwhile Ava gets very very tired, and just won't settle down. How do your DHs do it or how do day care providers do it?

[texasred1]

Sherri - I'm like you. And we (dh & I) never really put Mason down for a nap. But dh always puts him in his swing, which usually makes him conk right out. The sitter always let him sleep in his swing too. But then he got to the age that he wanted to pay more attention to all the other kids and never slept during the day, so she transitioned him to a crib for naps. I asked her if he did ok with this and she said yes. Apparently she didn't do much and he just took to it? :? When I do it at home it doesn't work that well for me. I will put him down then do stuff in the room and he knows I'm still in there. Slowly I'll turn lights off, get quieter, then move out of the room. He's done ok, except once. And I just picked him up and gave up on sleep time for then.

[ceskow]

We bottlefeed and sometimes David will fall asleep while eating, but recently he wakes up after he is done to burp. In the past the swing has worked to put him to sleep, but I think he has figured that one out. Recently it takes letting him get real fussy, then pick him up, give him his pacifier, and hold him in his favorite position. We have even gotten to the point where he likes a blanket to snuggle. He's never been real big on naps and typically will wake up if you put him down after he's out. Daycare from what I can tell does similar...They let him calm down in the swing and then will move him to his crib. I think he has also learned to recognize that the crib is for sleeping and they can now lay him down in it if tired enough and he will go to sleep.

DH had a tough day with him one day and he wouldn't nap and was extremely fussy/crying loudly. He finally tried laying him down in our bed, right below my pillow with our covers off of him of course, and he fell asleep immediately because he had my scent for comfort. Maybe C could try that and see if it will help and then move her to her crib once she's asleep. Someone was mentioning sleeping on top of some of her blankets that you use on a regular basis and then rotate. That way the blanket will have your scent for her.

[mara232]

I heard about placing your pajama's or shirt in the crib to help comfort her. A is the worst napper/sleeper. We used to feed him a bottle and he would fall asleep - now at 1 yr old it doesn't work. We need to lay with him for a long time. I mean like an hour. It is a bad habit that we need to break after he gets better. I am reading the no cry sleep solution. Wish I had more ideas for you.

[Waitingfor1]

Sherri,

Good question! Esteban takes naps at his grandma's (sitter) w/o difficulty. She will rock him to sleep or he may even fall asleep on his own, just lying in bed while he's playing. When he's home with me, the only way he naps is in his swing (like Mason) or when he's in the car. But lately, I'm even having trouble putting him to bed at night. Sometimes he will cry and cry even if I'm holding him or trying to rock him to sleep. I have to play his favorite CD in order for him to fall asleep, and even then it may take him 30 minutes to an hour. It's been a rough 2 weeks lately! Sorry I'm not of much help.

[Sherri]

This is all VERY helpful. I will print out ideas and bring to C. We haven't ever let her have anything in her crib or pack&play, but I've read that some of you give them things to play with until they settle down on their own and then take them out when they fall asleep? Is 6 1/2 months old enough for that?

[mara232]

Yes! I gave A his duckie and blanket until he fell asleep - and I mean fell asleep hard then I went back and removed it all. If she can hold her head up - you can do that.

[texasred1]

I forgot about this - my mom gave Mason a toy for Christmas that looks like a worm, each piece of the worm is labeled with a different number, you can press the number for it to make music sounds or count or something else, then it also has some little toys dangling from it, Anyway this whole thing velcros to the side of the crib. Mason didn't havd much interest in it until yesterday, I think partially because I moved it (last night) so where he could reach it, now he entertains himself. He can't push the buttons, but he plasy with the other pieces. I can't remember who makes the toy, though it was infantino or baby einstein, but I don't remember...

[lisamarie]

Our routine is...two binkies in the bed...her baby( a snuggly baby) and her fav blankie..and detached the music box off her mobile and turn it on and lay it on her dresser..then turn the fan on low. And bam! She does great 90% of the time. Oh and before I put her into bed I will rock her standin up and sign you are my sunshine or say in a singing voice.."time to go to bed...time for a nappy...night night baby Porkchop"

[ceskow]

LM ~ I am picturing the day Emma goes to school for the first time and the teacher calling her by Emma and no one responding because she thinks her name is Porkchop. (I am pretty sure she knows her name, but how many times has someone thougt that? We call David "Buddy" quite frequently, but I have tried to get better about calling him by his real name for fear of him not knowing his name. The only problem with this is that his Dad's name is David too.)

[Kim]

Jonah has a crib toy that attaches to the side of the crib and is like an aquarium with fish that swim around. It also plays music and has flashing lights. Sometimes this will work to get him to go to sleep. The only thing that works for him all the time is just holding him with his pacifier and bouncing him and singing to him until he gives up. I've heard when they are little, they don't know what it means to feel tired so we have to help them go to sleep. I also don't see anything wrong with letting him cry for 10-15 minutes, but if it goes longer than that, I'll go get him.

GOOD LUCK!

[MommyX3]

I was not a long term bf'er... so I or dh goes with baby and bottle to there room, rock and give her some milk.. when its gone or she's done we just give her a hug and kiss tell her its time to go night night and lay her on her tummy and cover her rump and legs with a blanket, she pulls it to her face and sucks her thumb a bit and falls asleep.

On nights she the "fussy tired" we do the same stuff but sometimes she fuss for a bit in her crib, but when I spy on her she's back to cuddleing with her blanket and thumb..

[tracyrhymer1979]

to get Kallie to go to sleep I would sit in her room in the dark, give her a bottle, hold her with her laying down in my arms, and rock back and forth gently. She fell asleep most times in less than ten minutes. It was such an amazing time, holding her while she fell asleep. I wish she still did that, but now we just ask her if she wants to go to sleep, and she either nods yes or puts her thumb in her mouth and lays her head on our shoulders.

[wantingbabynumber2]

Wont' help during the day but at night Hannah loved the fisher price baby monitor that played music and did a light show on the ceiling she'd watch that and never fuss. It also has a auto button that if it stops you can restart it without going into the room. The biggest thing I would recommend is a routine do the exact same thing close to the same time everyday like say a diaper change a rocking then bottle then bed or whatever works best for her day schedule. That way she learns okay in like 10 min I will be in my bed to sleep. We did the same thing with our nighttime routine for Hannah when she was little it was bath, massage, hugs/kisses, bed. then evolved to wipe down or bath, hugs/kisses, bed. Now she is wash hands face brush teeth hugs/kisses books bed. She never fusses or puts up a fight unless she is overly tired or we have company.

[Sherri]

C just called and said "It worked, I got Ava to nap!" She used a combo of your suggestions and Dr Sears & No Cry Sleep Solution that I browsed at the bookstore yesterday on naps. The one big tip was that as soon as they start giving "tired" signals, start the nap ritual. Don't go take the dog out, run around and do a bunch of stuff first, seize the moment or you will miss the window and they will be overtired and unable to wind down. So - when she saw Ava was getting tired, she brought her to our room and cuddled with her on my side of the bed and held her in the crook of her arm. And it took awhile, but she did wind down and drift off to sleep, and it was pleasant for both of them. So thanks for all the tips!

[Leanna]

That's great news Sherri!

[mara232]

Good news Sherri!

[texasred1]

Sherri - Here's that toy I was talking about, it's by leap frog:
http://www.leapfrog.com/Primary/Infant/PRD_babypal/Baby+Counting+Pal153+Plush.jsp?bmUID=1169738151888&bmLocale=en_US

I attached it to the crib and Mason entertains himself. He hits the little things at the bottom.

[Jacque]

Ty refused to sleep in his crib for naps until about 3 months...it was really wierd. He would sleep in there all night with no problem, but during the day...no chance. Then, all of a sudden he decided to sleep in there and now prefers it. I think it's because he's becomming more aware and noises, etc. stimulate him more. He sleeps in his crib for 3 naps a day now and all night...wierd.

I wasn't too worried about it because I kinda wanted him to be flexible on sleeping so when we weren't at home he would still nap...like in the car or pack n play, etc. I've heard some people's kids can't nap anywhere but the crib and it makes it harder to be mobile...we'll see if my theory works or not when he's older ????? That's just how I rationalized him napping in his bouncy or swing all the time :)

[Sherri]

Ava used to nap in her swing, too, but by about 3 months, she also had it figured out. So it's now in our attic.

Michelle, that looks like something my parents got Ava for Christmas. I don't know, that fake mommy voice weirds me out, but maybe it's worth a try.

[Jacque]

Oh yeah...he uses the mobile for naps but not at night

[texasred1]

I don't do a whole lot of that voice thing on the toy, and I don't think Mason cares about the sound it makes, just the sound HE can make by rattling the dangly things.