Please help me get my 5 month old dd to nap in her cot.

[Koothrapanties]

Dd will only nap on me. I know, I have made a rod for my own back, but she is so snuggly.

I talked to the hv and her solution was cc. I am not willing to do cc, so I tried pick up put down. It was awful. The first few naps she went down after about 45 minutes, but only slept for 20 minutes each time. Then she started to get more and more distressed each time and completely refused to settle.

Hv told me to put her down for her naps after 1 hour of being awake so she wasn't over tired. She wasn't tired at all!

I don't really understand the concept of putting her down drowsy but awake... Dd doesn't seem to do drowsy unless you are rocking her to sleep. Then if you put her down she immediately wakes right up and is not happy about being put down.

I have tried laying down with her in my bed, but if I even put her to the side of me she wakes up and cries.

She sleeps fine in her cot at night. She falls asleep with her last bottle and then I put her down. She wakes as I put her down and settles herself by sucking her hands. She will not do this in the daytime though.

Any advice would be very much appreciated as I am a bit stuck. Step by step instructions of things that have worked for you would be fantastic. Thanks very much.

[rubyblue]

Hi, I don't have step by step instructions but dc1 was similar in that he needed motion to get to sleep which was a nightmare. I instigated the same routine for naps as bedtime (not the bath), so basically bf him to sleep and stayed with him then gradually crept out of the room. It was like a miracle the first time he fell asleep in bed without being rocked or in his pram! So I guess I would say if you get some good suggestions, stick with it and be strong and do it now as you really really need that time and your baby needs the sleep. It was a godsend for me when dd came along as I synced their naps and could sleep or catchup on stuff. Remember it can take a while for dc to get the message so whatever you do, stick to it for a few days or weeks. She'll get the message eventually. Good luck!!

[Koothrapanties]

Thanks ruby.

I was wondering if I should try and replicate night time, but I didn't know if it would muck things up in the evening if she wasnt happy about it.

[Eletheomel]

Does she sleep in a buggy?

DS1 never napped in a cot. He used to fall asleep on me (and then I'd need to delicately move him to the side, but usually he'd wake up) or he'd nap in a moving buggy, so during the day I did that. If she sleeps well in her cot at night, that is the main thing (DS1 never did that either - it was always risky time-consuming transfers!).

I know it can be frustrating having them on/near you for naps (you get nothign done, and no time for a cup of tea and chocolate!) but once they start crawling and moving they get physically tired and tend to nap much easier.

DS2 doesn't nap in his cot either, I feed him to sleep lying on our bed and that is where he takes all his naps during the day (could that work for you?)

Totally understand why you want her napping in cot now, but just wanted to say that if it doesn't pan out, then in a few months time when she's crawling, you'll find that her napping habits are likely to change.

You might also want to read the 'no cry sleep solution' as she has softer ideas than 'pick up put down' technique and your baby might respond to it?

Sorry I can't give any step by step instructions, just wanted to say that I feel your pain!

[Koothrapanties]

She sleeps in the pram but only on the move. We live up on the 2nd floor so I cant just bring her up in the pram. :(

I will give feeding to sleep in bed a go, but he is bottle fed so it might not work quite so well.

Thanks very much.

[Theyaremysunshine]

I've had 2 tricky sleepers. Dd is now 10m and still needs a cuddle or buggy or car to sleep. At 5m she was still bf to sleep and I couldn't put her down. Now, once asleep, I can transfer to the cot or just leave in the buggy without motion. Just taking things slowly here as I also did PUPD with DS and it was horrific.

I'd also recommend the no cry sleep solution. I've found it very helpful, but it's not a quick solution, think weeks not days.
Basically at your stage you'd be putting her down drowsy (after cuddles/bottle or whatever) and keep cuddling in the cot til she falls asleep. She will wake. Redo cuddling to drowsy. Repeat attempt to put down. Repeat and repeat til she finally goes down and stays down. Takes a long time to start with, but means you can always respond if they cry.

Do read the book, makes lots of sense (more than I just did!).

[mrsmalcolmreynolds]

DS was like this but now (9mo) naps reasonably well in his cot. What helped was partly time (I started trying for naps in cot at 7mo) and also building up sleep associations in my arms which could then be used in the cot as well. So white noise, sitting in a chair in his room, humming a particular tune etc. I also just sat by his cot for comfort rather than PUPD which for some babies just annoys them even more.