Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Can your baby nap through noise?

26 replies

WillSingForCake · 21/05/2014 15:35

We tiptoed round PfB when she had her naps as a baby, and as a consequence she now wakes easily if anyone so much as sneezes near her.

DC2 is 6 weeks old, so thought I'd do things differently and let him take his daytime naps downstairs. But the poor child keeps waking and crying at noises, particularly as PFB is now a noisy toddler. He gets overtired as a result. So what shall I do? Persist, or let him nap upstairs in the peace?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

notaflamingclue · 21/05/2014 15:39

DD is 15 months old and we never tiptoed around her naps. We decided that she would need to adapt to us, not the other way round. When she was little she would sleep through anything.

Unfortunately it didn't make a blind bit of difference in the long run - she has ears like a bat now, and wakes at the tiniest noise - until about midnight, when she finally goes into a deep sleep.

In your shoes I'd be inclined to take him upstairs. But there are plenty who would say he's too young to sleep alone (I wouldn't, DD was in her own room at 4 weeks). That's obviously a decision for you and you alone.

findingherfeet · 21/05/2014 16:44

I've got a 11 week old DS and a very noisy 2 yr old DD!

DS is a very light sleeper in the day it seems, I'd hoped he'd just get used to his noisy sister and to a degree he has in that he now doesn't flinch at her piercing (happy) screams...

However he naps badly, little power naps with only one solid day sleep (that coincides with my daughters nap) and he is easily disturbed.

I've tried putting him to sleep upstairs away from his sis but he doesn't settle in his cot in the day for some reason (no problem at night)

I think with DD I had time to obsess over her naps - take her for long walks in buggy/rock her and feed her whenever required to encourage her to sleep etc but with my little boy he just has to nap when he can as he's having to fit in with DD timetable of activities and nursery and so I have to disturb him to take him out/bring him in doors which I'd never have done with my PFB!!

Try the cot and see but LO will probably adjust to the noise soon.

BarbaraPalmer · 21/05/2014 16:49

i don;t think ti makes a difference if you try to get them to tolerate noise

dd1 could happily sleep through a mariachi band parading through her room. dd2 wakes up if I open a bag of crisps in the kitchen when she's sleeping upstairs .

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

widdle · 21/05/2014 16:58

I think it helps to be noisy around them napping but it's probably nature rather than nurture a lot of the time.

We had one of those Angel monitors but never used the sensor - DH was fiddling with the controls and accidently turned on the alarm. I ran through to the bedroom to knock it off - it was right next to DS's head and sounded like a bloody fire alarm and he slept right through it!!

TeaAddict235 · 21/05/2014 17:09

DS is 15 weeks and we've decided to be as noisy as craZy, because around 8weeks he would wake up if I farted and it drove me mad. We're not usually noisy and have had to actively make noise, I haven't tried vacuuming yet while he's asleep, but I can now open the front door, take out the recycling, put the washing machine on spin, put the kettle on, etc etc etc, ...... if he's in a deep sleep in our bed

Nunyabiz · 21/05/2014 17:20

When Dd was a few weeks old we went with her for a walk, she fell asleep in the buggy. We were on a busy road and a fleet if fire engines and ambulances drove past, sirens blaring. She didn't even stir. We took this as an indication to not tip toe around her and she has slept through anything since. She slept through a New Year's Eve party this year...we went out. The venue was 'family friendly' but the MC was sooo loud I wanted to slap him. She fell asleep in her pram. She just turned 3. Not a care in the world.

Btw she has no hearing or speech problems

TarkaTheOtter · 21/05/2014 17:30

I thought I'd do the same thing with dc2 but tbh it has made no difference.

Original poster

WillSingForCake · 21/05/2014 20:44

Thanks everyone. He's going to have to get used to some degree of noise as his bedroom is directly above the kitchen, and I'm not going to try & cook dinner in silence!

OP posts:

MiaowTheCat · 22/05/2014 07:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Thumbwitch · 22/05/2014 07:09

Both of mine are light sleepers, as am I. DH is a bit less light, but not much - so it's not really surprising that the boys wake up easily. I don't exactly tiptoe around them but if I make too much noise, they do wake up. They were/are never changeable while asleep, either - nor could I get them in from the car and keep them fully asleep, although DS2 will usually go straight back to sleep if he's tired enough.

ChunkyPickle · 22/05/2014 07:17

I'm guessing that like almost everything else, it depends on the kids - DS1 and DS2 always took/take their naps downstairs and I can hoover around them, talk, watch tv etc. Loud bangs (like dropping something) will make them jump, but even then I can generally just pat them a couple of times and they go to sleep.

My sister's baby would not do that at all - needed dark and silence.

I can't imagine that there's much you can do differently at 6 weeks that would make such a difference so I really think it's just down to the luck of the draw with your baby.

voodoochimp · 22/05/2014 07:21

DS will sleep through constant noise but not through sudden noise especially if it's loud.

SixImpossible · 22/05/2014 07:22

My youngest could nap through anything (including his dbro and dsis running around yelling their heads off) but woke at the quietest murmur of my voice near him. After a few months he became a worse sleeper. Eventually he became a better sleeper again, and was not disturbed by my voice.

I would be inclined to persist for a few more weeks. 6w is still very new, still getting used to the world. When sleeps, is he restless? How about at night, when it's quiet - does he sleep for longer?

Artandco · 22/05/2014 07:24

I used to put them somewhere quieter to nap/ sleep if possible but wouldn't tiptoe around. Ie would put in bedroom from 6 months ( in flat so next to living room), and friends would come over in evening for meal/ chat etc so fairly loud, but wouldn't expect tem to sleep next to dinner table as too much light/ people to look at/ etc

Def dont creep though, I know people who whisper, don't flush loo, allowing no visitors etc

Ragwort · 22/05/2014 07:26

My DS was able to sleep very easily, I always put him in his own room to nap (yes, I know it is against the guidelines ) and never had any problems but I expect it is just down to luck.

Artandco · 22/05/2014 07:31

Is a different room/ area possible? Ie if toddler is playing in living room, can baby sleep in hallway or corner of living room away from toddler slightly, but still close

Fishstix · 22/05/2014 07:39

Swear used one of those baby soothing noise dc's on. It cut out background noise nicely I and meant he could sleep.

MillionPramMiles · 22/05/2014 08:43

Artandco - We tried for months to make dd sleep downstairs in noise/light and the result was a baby who stayed awake for 12 hours a day (and cried from tiredness for most of that). The parents whispering and not flushing the loo have probably learnt from bitter experience.

Not all babies are the same, as other posters have said. We like to believe that all the convenient/pleasant things our babies do are down to our parenting but the reality is much of them aren't.

trixymalixy · 22/05/2014 08:54

DS could nap through power drills. I thought DD would be the same as she was a second child and would surely get used to sleeping through noise? No chance, she was a very light sleeper and we had to try and keep DS downstairs as she would wake up very easily.

Original poster

WillSingForCake · 22/05/2014 08:57

He sleeps well at night when it's quiet, and wakes in the morning when one of has a shower (his room's next to the bathroom). Not much I can do about that though as DH needs to shower before going to work. There's not really a quiet corner downstairs where he can nap - nowhere's safe from the toddler noise!

Thanks everyone for all your posts. Think I might start trying to settle him upstairs a bit more, will try some white noise too.

OP posts:

smokeandfluff · 22/05/2014 09:34

Its definitely not a nurture thing! When ds was very small he napped downstairs and we made as much noise as we liked. Roll on 3-4 months and he started being disturbed by noise and light. Only way to get him to nap decently now is to have him in his room with the curtains pulled. ...and I avoid flushing the toilet!

minipie · 22/05/2014 10:43

What everyone else said. Some are born light sleepers some are not.

I've been a light sleeper all my life. I've lived in London most of it so you'd think I'd be "trained" by now to sleep through planes and traffic etc - but nope, I still wake up. I don't think it's possible to "train" someone into being a heavier sleeper I'm afraid.

MillionPramMiles · 22/05/2014 14:37

WillSing - we use white noise on the iPod (placed under the cot). Works great, dd sleeps through sirens, planes etc. Would definitely recommend it.

Original poster

WillSingForCake · 22/05/2014 17:08

Thanks Million - have just downloaded a white noise app & will give it a try!

OP posts:

kaffkooks · 22/05/2014 20:02

I think it's a nature thing. I can sleep through anything and so can my son. I never tiptoed round him because it never occurred to me that noise might wake him. I would let your baby nap upstairs in peace but don't force your toddler just because her brother is asleep.

Flip

1 2