Only sleeps in pram during the day

[happygilmore]

DD is 13 weeks old and only sleeps in her pram during the day now, the pram has to be rocked back and forward and she goes off quite easily this way. She used to fall asleep on us or in her swing but seems to have gone off that...

She falls asleep on the bottle at night and is generally a good sleeper at night, probably wakes up once or twice for a feed and then normally goes back off. We only put her down in her cot when she's sound asleep though or she'll wake up.

Is this OK? I normally think it is but sometimes doubt myself a bit, esp as it's my first! I don't think it's a huge problem and don't really have the energy for "sleep training" re daytime naps yet (am recovering from illness) but would welcome any reassurance about creating a "rod for my own back" :)

If she sleeps well in general, I can't see a problem with that at all! It doesn't matter where she sleeps if she sleeps well, and if her nighttime sleep is good, then it all sounds promising.

It's normal in some countries for babies to always nap in the pram and people don't worry about it like they do here.
:)

Thanks for the reassurance :)

I think it's fine but I get paranoid sometimes when people make comments about how she should be "put down for a nap". I'd like to see them try it then deal with her when she's overtired as she gets so upset then :(

If she's rocked in the pram to go to sleep, she does and is generally very happy and smiley :)

My DD has never been a good napper but it is only recently that I have started trying to get her into her cot (she is 8mo). At 13 weeks I didn't really care where she slept, as long as she did.

As long as you are happy with the situation, don't worry about 'rods'.

DS (5 months) is/was exactly the same. He sleeps fine in his cot at night, but for naps we can pretty much only ever get him to sleep by putting him in the pushchair.

Strangely enough, he started creche 4 days a week this week and they have absolutely nooooo trouble getting him to sleep in a cot (3 times a day)!!! Very frustrating... I'm hoping he might give it at go at home this weekend, but am not holding out much hope! I just thank my lucky stars that he naps, and have given up worrying about how and where he does it!

DD is nearly 6 months and only in the last couple of weeks has she been put down for a nap in her cot, up until now she's been in her pram, or the car, or on me, depending on where we are!

I personally believe on doing what you need to do to get you through the day, if that means your DD sleeping happily in her pram, go for it!

Both my ds' have taken/still take all their naps in the pushchair. Ds2 is 1 yr old and is sleeping in his pushchair as I type. I've always seen it as the cot is for night time not for naps. We have to push the pushchair back and forth too but it has always worked for us, so I would stick with it. Ds1 napped in his pushchair til he was about 3. :)

DS always napped in the pushchair until he was about 2.8. DD still does, she is 18 months. IMO it is much better this way as it means that as long as you have the pushchair with you they can nap anywhere. It's much more of a problem if they will only nap in their own cot!

Congratulations on your DD, and don't worry about 'making a rod'

thanks everyone I feel very reassured :)

With DD1 I used to try for ages to get her to nap in her cot, I would be in there for hours putting her down, picking her up, rocking her etc. Then she would only ever do 45 mins. She would be happy to sleep when out in her pram. Until one day, I put her in to take her out and by the time I put my shoes on etc she was fast asleep! I then started putting her in her pram for naps and she started sleeping for 2.5 hrs which was unheard of for her! She was a bit older than yours I think by then and I got all the usual comments from family etc. She is now 2.5 years and she will now nap on the sofa if I read to her and occasionally even in her bed! Sometimes she even lies on the sofa and goes to sleep by herself. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that it's done her no harm, it's saved my sanity as I used to spend so long trying to get her to nap and at the end of the day they don't need to nap for ever so don't stress about it too much.

Perfectly fine I would say. How on earth would you ever go out if they take all of their day time naps in their cot!? DS2 has only started having daytime naps in his cot from 12 months of age. And that is only if we are in after lunch (he is now in a routine of napping after lunch, after being demand fed and napping since birth). If we are out he has his nap in his buggy/car seat.