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Original poster

Is it ok for my five month old to have all his naps in the buggy?

31 replies

Findingthingstough18 · 30/11/2018 09:42

For a good few months DS (five months) has taken all his naps in his pram, in our hallway, pushed back and forth for a few minutes until he falls asleep and then left still. When he was in the carrycot that felt like the perfect solution - nice and close as SIDS guidelines suggest, but essentially in a cot. But he's outgrown the carrycot and is in the pram bit now. For a few days I put him in the cot but that was a disaster - so hard to settle him (and required endless rocking, which was really hurting my back) and he kept waking up crying after 10 minutes and not going back to sleep no matter what I did and so was really overtired. So we went back to the pram, but I feel so guilty about it. On days like today where we're going into town later it means he can spend nearly five hours (three hours of naps, two out and about) in his pram in a day. That's far too much, isn't it? It can't be good for his back? The seat is reclined back as far as it will go but that still means he isn't lying completely flat - it's more like a car seat angle. And that would be far too long for him to be in a car seat. Do I need to go back to the cot even if it means him not napping well and not getting much sleep?

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AnyFucker · 30/11/2018 09:48

Could you get a pram style rather than a buggy ?

Babies of this age should really be lying flat for sleeping.

RicStar · 30/11/2018 09:54

Is he really to big for the carrycot pram bit - ds is over 98th centile for length and 75th for weight and still fits in standard size pram carrycot - I would try and squish him into that or get a cheap lie flat buggy - we got one from Argos with older ds.

Original poster
Findingthingstough18 · 30/11/2018 09:55

I might be being thick but what's the difference between a pram and a buggy? I don't think he's going to fit in the carrycot of any pram, not just ours - he's such a long baby (95 centile for length last time he was measured, and everyone always comments on how long he is). It's a silver cross pioneer. I looked and they don't make a newborn insert for it, annoyingly.

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Original poster
Findingthingstough18 · 30/11/2018 09:57

I was squishing him in the carrycot but DH pointed out that he couldn't straighten his legs fully even with his head touching the end. Do you think that would still be better - should I go back to that?

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SoyDora · 30/11/2018 09:58

My 98th centile DD2 fit in the pram carrycot until past 6 months... we had an uppababy vista.

Bluebelltulip · 30/11/2018 09:58

My DD napped in the seat part of her pram at that age but ours only has a very slight incline on its flatest setting.

MiriAmmerman · 30/11/2018 10:04

Ideally you need a pushchair with a seat that lies properly flat. So, the Pioneer has a bucket seat which means the seat is one piece at one fixed angle, and you just tilt it to recline. However, you can get buggies/pushchairs where the seat back is a separate piece, so you can lie them properly flat.

All the Mamas & Papas pushchairs do this I think, and the Maclarens which are suitable from birth (that's what makes them suitable from birth). Could you see about getting one of those Maclarens (like the Techno XT) second hand on eBay to use for naps? Then you wouldn't need to worry, and a lightweight stroller might be useful for holidays etc anyway.

Original poster
Findingthingstough18 · 30/11/2018 10:05

I've taken a picture to show the angle it is at

Is it ok for my five month old to have all his naps in the buggy?
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Bigonesmallone3 · 30/11/2018 10:08

I have an egg which doesn't go very flat for sleeping but I also have a mothercare stroller which lays completely flat (suitable from birth) cost me about £60 maybe it's worth getting one..

Bluerussian · 30/11/2018 10:09

As long as he can lie down properly, wouldn't worry.

Original poster
Findingthingstough18 · 30/11/2018 10:15

Ah, great, the from birth strollers sound like the best solution - I'd want one asap so I might need to buy new (we bought the Pioneer secondhand but it took a while of watching before anything came up near enough us to collect and looking on gumtree and eBay quickly now I can't see anything near me). Would be more than happy to spend the £60 on the Mothercare one - do you think it's comfortable for them? Don't mind too much about how it handles as would only be used in the house.

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Original poster
Findingthingstough18 · 30/11/2018 10:18

And thanks so much Miri for that explanation - yes, I can now see that it's the bucket seat that's the issue, and feel like I was being a bit thick about it!

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Bigonesmallone3 · 30/11/2018 10:22

I think it's a fab lil stroller!
Smart looking too..

Original poster
Findingthingstough18 · 30/11/2018 10:24

Am about to go to Mothercare in five minutes then! I feel so stupid for not working out this was an option earlier - I have been literally losing sleep worrying over it.

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Bigonesmallone3 · 30/11/2018 10:25

That's what MN is for I guess :)
No harm done..

Lost5stone · 30/11/2018 10:28

We have the pioneer and the carrycot is stupidly small. We ended up getting a cheap lie flat stroller from argos for naps, it was just kept at home.

Original poster
Findingthingstough18 · 30/11/2018 10:33

We have the pioneer and the carrycot is stupidly small

Ah so it's not just me! I just put him in it to double check as everyone else said their long babies fitted in theirs and he had to curl up his little legs and then cried... I read reviews before buying it and no one mentioned either of these issues!

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Original poster
Findingthingstough18 · 30/11/2018 12:31

Am now the proud owner of a Mothercare Nanu, which took about three minutes to assemble. Now to see if DS will sleep in it...

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Bigonesmallone3 · 30/11/2018 13:54

Aww well done..
That'll be a weight lifted

Ohwhatbliss · 30/11/2018 14:33

Not to pee on the chips but you might be setting yourself up for some real sleep problems in future. You're going to have to transition to a cot at some point and honestly, sooner the better. Once babies start rolling, crawling, standing and are generally more aware they're harder to get to sleep in the pram.

I mean all this kindly, it'll be MUCH easier to get DS used to sleeping in the cot now than in 2/3 months time.....

RangerLady · 30/11/2018 14:39

My daughter had all her naps in her stroller (m&p sola) or the car until she stopped napping at 2. At nursery she slept happily on the mats like the others. Didn't ruin her for life and worked for our family. I dropped 2 dress sizes walking her about too.

CottonSock · 30/11/2018 14:42

My dd1 napped in a pram always. It wasn't an issue for us. Quite convenient . Dd2 will nap in pram , cot or car .

CatsCatsCats11 · 30/11/2018 14:50

DD has always napped in the pram no problems in the cot at bedtime she's put in awake and is fine. Much more convenient she naps in the pram where ever we are.

buffysummers4 · 30/11/2018 16:04

Both mine had lots of naps in the pram, younger one still does sometimes. Sleeps fine in cot at night or if we are at home but that's quite recent. Agree lie flat would be better though. I always put the radio on for mine too, bit of background noise seemed to help them sleep!

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