Napping - please miss, can I have my arms back please?

[redandyellowandpinkandgreen]

DS is 5 months and still won't really nap, except in my arms. I was trying to be all cool about it and declaring that it wouldn't be forever but now part of me is panicking that I might still be doing this when he's 15!

I can get him to nap in other places, his swing, the pushchair (but he wakes up when it stops), the car (ditto), sometimes even his crib but it will last maybe 10 minutes, whereas in my arms he will sleep a good hour or more. I try putting him down but then worry he isn't getting a proper sleep as he wakes up so fast.

Sometimes it's okay, I just grab the remote and catch up on Corrie, but it would be useful if he could sleep for longer than 10 minutes elsewhere. Any suggestions?

He self settles at night pretty well but it doesn't work in the day.

I had the same problem with my DD (now 7mths) until very recently. I went through so many tv boxsets whilst she napped as that was the only way par car or push chair on the go. When she moved to her own room at 6mths, we introduced a short nap time routine (nappy change, close curtains, read story, snuggle to sleep bunny, rocking) and she now happily sleeps in her cot. Initially she would do just a short period and so I'd sit behind her door to listen when she'd stirr. I'd then go in quickly to rock her back to sleep before she woke up too much. I didn't have to do that very many times before she started to sleep for 45min - 1.5hrs at a time. Might be worth a try with your DS I was elated to suddenly have couple of hours a day to do stuff but she now won't really sleep in her push chair on the go. I can still rock her to sleep in the push chair in the garden but she won't settle if we are out and about. I suppose you win some and loose some... ;-) Still very happy that she's learnt to sleep in her cot :-)

Good luck!

No suggestions at all from me I'm afraid, sorry, but I just wanted to pitch in and say if you can, do try and persevere while she's still small. I gave up trying with DS and I do still have to hold him now and he's 14 months! It's very restricting! The idea of a routine sounds good... Good luck!

So sorry, I referred to your DS as she! Can I still blame it on baby brain over a year on?

I had a similar issue. In the end I just kept putting him down after 15/20 mins when he's in a deep sleep. Then gradually did it less and less. It took a few weeks of doing it consistently then finally he got the hang of it. He rarely self settles for a nap in his cot unless really tired and I keep my hand on him. But I don't mind as have freedom! We also have a nap routine - book, sleepbag, feed.

I was in the same box, my DS is 9 months tomorrow,we stopped at 6 and half months, it coincided with crawling.

Thanks all. I will just have to work on it. I know he can do it as he can do it at night but it's obviously just a habit he has got in to.

Case in point, most mornings I put him for a sleep in his swing and he will sleep for a max of 40 minutes, which is enough time for me to get showered and dressed. This morning I fancied a lie-in so I slept in bed with him and he slept an hour and a half so I can only think he does need more sleep?

Then we just need to work on sleeping through the night...