nap nightmare still!!!!

[claremoss]

I am having a nap nightmare! Baby was only napping in pram until I changed it to a buggy. Now she won't nap in it, and won't nap in the cot either. My 2 options that I have been thinking about trying are 1) change back to the pram and then over a few weeks stop rocking her to sleep, then move the pram into the cot, then move her from pram to cot, or 2) maybe try a shortened bedtime routine ie, story on sofa, move to bedroom for grobag, feed, story, song and cot. The former fills me with dread as I don't think I can listen to her crying for weeks like she has been the last week. The latter also fills me with dread but as there are less changes I am hoping she will adapt quicker and start to nap there. She goes down fine at night, no tears, will play in her cot for 20 mins then drift off to sleep. Has anyone tried the bedtime routine for naps and if so, how long did it take to work, if it worked at all? From one very stressed mummy!

5 and a half months.

Same as QTPie , pushed baby in buggy over the edge of the hall rug , back and forwards so there was a steady bump bump while singing a lullaby , worked a treat for naps . Made sure they were cosy , just had a feed before doing this .

My baby girl was literally notorious for fighting naps. At 9 months she still does, but not as much and we have finally mastered the cot napping (though now she will not nap in oram if we are out walking about! So I am a tad housebound at times lol)
Swaddling her in pram while rocking it and shhing worked. Eventually swaddling her and jus leaving her to doze off worked. All a naturual progression. I never did the mini bed time routine. Souds good though. Some babies just find it harder to drop off! Ive finally accepted she is like me in that respect (bad genes mummy haha!)
I reckon around 6 months she statted getting easier to get to sleep. Before this it was crying (even screaming) every time she needed a nap (as she would get so overtired from fighting it) was very draining, so i feel your pain... But it does pass!!

Why would you stop rocking her to sleep if it works? Honestly? Sleep especially naps are much more important for you and her at this age, not how she gets there.

In the buggy, is she warm enough? No drafts etc? Have you got a snooze shade for her? Make sure her feet are warm, she's got her neck covered eg use a scarf gently tucked in or a bib etc. hands covered, blanket under the foot muff. Obviously layers that you can remove if you go into a shop.

As for napping in a cot - with my second, I would feed then cuddle to sleep then into cot. I had a light up sea horse and would pop her in after a cuddle and rock (her room is pitch black) while I sorted out her older brother. Sometimes she'd drift off to sleep, other times she would need more cuddles. Over time she got to the stage where a feed and a brief cuddle were enough and into the cot she would go to sleep. A revelation after my first! I was much more relaxed about it and didn't stress - I kept a few thoughts in my head. 1) she won't need it forever 2) I actually like the cuddles 3) I wanted her to nap.

Are you worried for any particular reason? With my first it was because I was going back to work. He didnt nap in his cot until 9/10 months and even then we didn't get decent stretches until he was 1. However I needn't have worried as nurseries, CMs and nannies will cuddle them to sleep if they're decent IMO and IME.

I can't believe my first attempt has worked!!!!!!! Did a mini bedtime routine, put her down, first ten minutes she played, next 10 minutes she moaned, but never cried, and then after 25 mins in total she is sparko I don't think I have ever been this happy!!!!! ;o) Let's hope it works again later? I really thought this would take me all week!

thanks!! She is heading for 2 hours :o))))))

2 hours! Fab! My dd rarely sleeps that long even now. Result :)

Epic fails twice today :o(, She just seems to wake up when I put her in the cot. She doesn't cry, just moans for 20 minutes and then is wide awake.....so stressful! Tomorrow is another day I guess. Am going to try everything ten mins later, as she is approaching 6 months maybe her wake times are getting longer and she simply isn't tired when I put her down?

She went down twice in cot today!!!!!