How long to fall asleep for a nap?

[Sparrowlegs248]

If you put in cot awake? Ds has never sell settled but we've been doing gradual retreat at bedtime successfully. We are taking it slowly, about 2.5 weeks in and I'm at the door.

Anyway, decided to attempt it for a nap today. He's been having just one nap 50% of the time, he's 13 months. He's tired, got up at 7 which is late for him. Put in cot at 11.10 ( would have been a bit earlier bit for a poo explosion.....)

Just wondering how long to give it? Or if I need to stick it out now I've started? He'd be asleep if I'd gone with the usual pram nap.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Still awake, crying and the bloody mobile has run out of battery power.

[MyBreadIsEggy]

How "awake" are we talking?
My Dd is 16 months, but for a few months now I've been taking her upstairs, having a cuddle, a bit of a rock, then putting her down when she's very sleepy but not asleep. Whereas before I was rocking her completely to sleep! She's usually asleep, or at least quiet and still by the time I get downstairs and turn the monitor on.

[Cliffdiver]

With DD2 (now 2.5) it takes anything from 30 seconds to 30 minutes.

I find naps work best if she's not overtired and I loosely follow bedtime routine - so (quick) story in room then song in bed and then say our goodnight ritual. Been doing it this way since just after she turned 1.

Sometimes I have to 'fake sleep' in her room - or try and bribe DD1 (4) to do it

[Sparrowlegs248]

Well, he normally naps 3.5-4 hrs after waking. 9.30-10. But woke just after 7 today so by the time wed dealt with the nappy it was 4 hrs so Def ready for a nap but not grumpy or exhausted.

He got upset and sobbed so I picked up, cuddled, sang a bit then put back and sang and rubbed his back and he's gone to sleep. I feel crap really as am trying to crackers the sleeping thing, pregnant with dc2 so need to work on it. My mother constantly tells me how a foster baby she had, she just used to put him in his cot switch mobile on and he'd go to sleep. Fantastic.

Maybe he's not ready for it. I hope I haven't fucked bedtime up with this.

[MyBreadIsEggy]

Notta it's hard, especially being pregnant! I'm 31 weeks with dc2 at the moment and it's getting harder to lean down into the cot with my big Boulder belly
Sounds like you're doing everything right my Dd would never fall asleep straight away if I just dumped her in the cot wide awake - I'm pretty sure most babies wouldn't! I don't see anything wrong with a loose bedtime routine, and a bit of a cuddle/rock as long as you're happy and comfortable to do it.

[MumiTravels]

More or less instant. We do clean nappy, sleeping bag, muslin cloth and put him down wide awake and say see you in a little while, have a nice sleep. Then see him 2 hours later x

[Sparrowlegs248]

Thanks mybread

L he slept for about 90 minutes so not long enough really but I guess he'll be tired at bedtime. It is hard, I feel fine now bit it seems so shit when you're right in the middle of it. An hour sitting there for a 90 minute nap.

[FATEdestiny]

Whilst still in the bedroom phase of GW, I wouldn't have waited anywhere near an hour for baby to sleep. You are getting into the realms of just messing around then.

This comes down to basic practicality for me. I have 4 children. There's no way I'd have an hour spare in the middle of the day to settle baby. But neither would I ever consider leaving baby to cry.

I would expect baby to be settled within 10 minutes. Might not be fully asleep by then, but should be going to sleep with 10 mins. Then maybe 5 minutes to go into a deep sleep. So no more than 15 mins start to finish. Often it would just be a couple of minutes start to finish.

If baby wasn't settling after 10 mins then I'd give up, come downstairs with baby and try again in half an hour.

[Sparrowlegs248]

Thanks. It's the first time I tried it for a nap. Bedtimes are OK, it's 15-35 minutes, but with no help from me at all and I am sitting busy the door. Less than 10 minutes tonight, but obviously tired from earlier.

I really wasnt sure what to do today. I felt like I should see it through. He kept laying down and settling but then getting up again, and actually he did that at bedtime a couple of times near the start.

Re having the time - that is why I'm.trying to crack it now, so when #2 is here I don't have to spend an hour.

I won't leave him to cry. Can't bear it.

[MyBreadIsEggy]

How did bedtime go after the 90 min nap OP?? I find that my Dd can take longer I settle at bedtime if she's had a shorter nap than usual just because she getting to the brink of over tiredness by then 👎🏻 and I've got neighbour's that are inconsiderate arseholes who socialise loudly in their garden so not to wake their own cherubs but couldn't give a fuck about waking everyone else's

[Sparrowlegs248]

Well he was indeed very tired, refused his stories and fell asleep in 10 minutes by 6.30. Up twice in the night, and awake by 5am (but bf on and off til 6) Which wasn't a surprise.

But, our usually very reliable pram nap lasted about 1 minute this morning. He did rest and lay quietly for a while but no sleep.

Attempt number two at cot nap coming up!

Bad luck on the neighbours. I live in the arse end of nowhere, my attached neighbour is very quiet. On theater side, they always always start buggering about with their noisy garage door etc just as ds falls asleep in the afternoon.

[Sparrowlegs248]

The other, not theatre!

[MyBreadIsEggy]

Is it hot where you live too?
My Dd was up twice in the night (and funnily enough only had a 90 min nap yesterday!) but is was exceptionally warm in her room last night
Hopefully the early wake up will make for a good cot nap today fingers crossed for you

[Sparrowlegs248]

Thanks. Still waiting.......... Hes doing his tired noises.

It has been warn at night. We were down to one wake up but twos not too bad.