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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

......to think that pram naps aren’t a problem?

153 replies

Njh1986 · 04/04/2019 19:35

Interesting debate on this subject with friends today; literally divided the group in half.

Background: Our 4 month old has a serious case of FOMO and major issues sleeping where it’s light. Self settles and sleeps beautifully in her cot at night, waking only for the odd feed. Our house is south facing and has two or more full height windows in all rooms apart from bathroom. We use a blackout blind AND blackout curtains at night but can’t in the day as her room gets too hot. I spent week upon miserable week recently trying to to train her to sleep in a semi light cot, then accidentally stumbled upon the magic of a pram plus Snoozeshade and she’s napped like a dream ever since!

I think it’s brilliant; I literally pop her in, switch white noise on and cover her up and she’s out in seconds. Pram doesn’t need to be moving, no dummy etc. Means I can be out and about shopping/walking/chilling in the garden at nap time without having to be tied to the house. Also meant she napped like a dream last weekend when she stayed with the in laws.

However, a couple of friends seem VERY convinced that she should be napping in her cot. Like, practically trying to stage an intervention! When I pressed them on this, their reasoning was that it’s just what babies should be doing, she can’t nap in her stroller as a toddler etc.

AIBU to carry on with my system, thinking that it works and it’s fine? MIL keeps telling me that babies have napped in prams since prams were invented, but I’d love to hear some more recent points of view!

OP posts:
snop · 04/04/2019 21:57

So you have to stay in or go home even baby wants to nap, that's ridiculous, your friends sound nuts to even suggest thisConfused

PrincessConsuelaBananahamm0ck · 04/04/2019 21:59

Your friends are talking crap. Babies can nap anywhere. My two often napped outside in their pram, even in cold weather. They'd be all bundled up and warm, I had a net cover over the pram, put it outside my patio doors and the fresh air seemed to send them straight off. My oldest once had a nap in a makeshift bed I made in the shower cubicle of my parents touring caravan. Had gone to visit them for an afternoon, hadn't taken a pram or travel cot, she got tired and needed somewhere quietish to drop off. So she slept in the shower cubicle. She's now 11 years old and very clever and sensible, still sleeps like a dream and doesn't seem to be affected by the naps of her babyhood.

Jackshouse · 04/04/2019 22:04

They sound crazy. At 4 months sleep should be with an adult In The room, are they expecting you to hang out in their bedroom? Those snooze things should not be used in the warm weather as it can get incredibly hot underneath them.

TriciaH87 · 04/04/2019 22:53

Mine often slept in pushchair, on the sofa, in the cot, their carseat, even in the highchair. If they are happy to sleep there so be it. I was not confining myself to be home by 10.30 for morning nap and 2.30 for afternoon. That'd of been half my day gone. If they are happy to sleep there let them. You get to go out do things indoors and baby gets to nap somewhere comfortable.

Jamiefraserskilt · 04/04/2019 23:28

You do it your way and ignore them.
Mine napped in the most convenient place for What I was doing. Rarely was that a cot. They both laid flat in their pram for months. No different to a carrycot or moses basket.....

Wasywasydoodah · 04/04/2019 23:44

I had one who, for months, whatever tge weather, would sleep best in the pram in the back garden outside my french windows. He still loves being outside now. My third child slept best in the pram in the cloakroom. I think the white noise fron the electric box thing helped. Your friend are going to regret their inflexibility...

Talkingfrog · 05/04/2019 00:46

My dd napped in a bouncy chair (at one point like clockwork at 9.15 each day), but would often nap in her pram/pushchair. By the time she was about 9/22 months into a toddler, the nap would usually coincide with the end of an activity. Eg In pushchair whilst shopping after having gone to playgroup.
We dd if go through a short faced of getting her to sleep in a cot, but it tied me to the house, and wasn't going to happen in the days when she was with her grandparents anyway.
It is your baby and so you decide what is right for you and your child. Someone else may say different, but maybe they have a different approach and their child may have different needs.

managedmis · 05/04/2019 01:32

I just don't see how this is a problem

hammeringinmyhead · 05/04/2019 04:30

Mine has never napped in a cot during the day. The cot is for 3-4 hour stretches at night, his bouncy chair, pram or car seat are for 30-90 min daytime naps. He is 5 months and knows this. His pram is comfier than the cot anyway, with a lovely squishy liner and a footmuff.

MamaDane · 05/04/2019 04:49

I'm from Denmark and it's normal for children 0-3 years old to sleep in prams (outside if the weather isn't extremely cold or hot), they even do it in nurseries.

Ridiculous to think that it's bad for your baby Confused

toomuchtooold · 05/04/2019 05:15

I had the exact opposite, friends going on at me about how impractical it was that my DTs only napped in their cots and how I was making a rod for my own back. It could be literally anything, someone will find a reason why you're doing it wrong.

SamStephens · 05/04/2019 05:34

As long as she’s sleeping that’s all that matters. I’ve got an abundance of photos of my kids sleeping in bizarre spots. My favourite is my daughter sleeping in her walker - which is shaped like a car - looked like she’d had a big night on the drink lol!

partyhardynow · 05/04/2019 05:40

She's only 4m! At that age you just want them to sleep, it doesn't matter where!

However once mine got older they didn't seem to sleep for very long in the buggy, they'd fall asleep fine but would wake up after 45mins whereas in their cot they would sleep for hours so I did prefer them to sleep in there if possible.

cricketmum84 · 05/04/2019 05:40

Your baby your decision 🤷🏼‍♀️. I agree with MIL, both my kids slept in prams, hasn't done them any harm! Only thing I would be wary of is that it's not the car seat style pram as baby shouldn't be in that position for any length of time, but if it's a lay down flat pram then keep going!

fluorescentorange · 05/04/2019 06:09

Using your friends reasoning, that means you are not to leave the house ALL day in case your DC needs a nap. Your friends are crazy and this is your DC so your rules.

problembottom · 05/04/2019 06:13

Mine’s 3 months old and sleeps well at night (dark + white noise in her cot) but there’s no chance she’ll sleep in the bedroom in the day. She naps in her pram, on me, car seat, mat at sensory class...

TheSerenDipitY · 05/04/2019 06:20

god why make work for yourself, if baby sleeps in the pram do it, my son loved his pram, it was a fancy Bertini ( i loved it too) he had the best sleeps in it, it was warm and comfy and he felt safe i guess, it made our life less stressful because he was always well rested and happy, no dramas trying to get him to sleep in a room by him self or worrying that it was too hot or cold or he had kicked his covers off or rolled over etc etc, all i had to d was turn my head and i could see him, also means if you go out for dinner or to friends in the evening, you know baby will sleep happily in the pram while you get to have adult time

bellinisurge · 05/04/2019 06:22

I used to take my dd out in her pushchair to get her to sleep - it could adjust so she could lie completely flat.
If I was lucky and timed it right she would fall asleep not too far from home, I'd stop and tip the buggy so she was lying flat, get home, wheel it into the house, let her sleep for her nap, having what looked to me like good quality relaxed sleep, make myself a cuppa and watch tv on low. Was i doing it wrong 😂

BlitheringIdiots · 05/04/2019 06:26

We always did the napping in the buggy with no issues. Meant we had his napping 'bed' always with us. Then it was cot at night. He differentiated between knowing buggy was for short naps and the cot was for all night. A friend of my mums suggested it and was a brilliant idea.

SnuggyBuggy · 05/04/2019 06:28

I don't get the point in worrying too much about where babies nap given that in a few years they stop napping. It's hardly an essential life skill they must get right

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 05/04/2019 06:36

Do your friends have children? Do they walk around with their eyes closed.

Its very normal for children to sleep in prams. I dont get this children should sleep only in cots. As has been pointed out kids can nap pretty much any where. What do they mean they cant sleep in the buggy when theur toddlers. Tell them to walk round any town im sure you'll see 4 or five sleeping toddlers in pushchairs.

I'm from Denmark and it's normal for children 0-3 years old to sleep in prams (outside if the weather isn't extremely cold or hot), they even do it in nurseries*

My nan used to put me and my cousins out in the garden for our naos in the summer. Tueres pictures of the queen and prince charles having their naps in the buck palace garden in prams

lms2017 · 05/04/2019 06:38

If I could get my now 3 year old to get in his old buggy I would push the hell out of it and walk for miles so he slept just to get an hours peace and quiet Grin .

I get woken up at 5 am with "mummy sunny day" from the tiniest possible dot of light coming through his black out blinds!

Let them sleep wherever they sleep!

Iggly · 05/04/2019 06:43

Yanbu although Envy for the stealth boast Grin

Children do not nap forever. Doesn’t matter so much how they nap, as long as it doesn’t restrict you. Getting out and about is really important for new mums IMO.

needsleepzzz · 05/04/2019 06:48

OP i did exactly the same at 4m old, lasted a few months until it cooled down then she was happily back in her cot for naps, again black out blind and black out curtains. I think pram naps are good, gives you freedom Smile

countrygirl99 · 05/04/2019 06:48

Why tie yourself to home every nap time? Your friends are batshit.

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