Can anyone help with cracking daytime naps in the cot?

[greeneone12]

My 6MO little one just won't have it at all! I have tried PUPD but it goes on for over an hour and I give up. I wonder whether its actually worth all this hassle. I dread the morning nap as I know it will end in a battle and me giving in. She is used to falling asleep in her chair in the living room with a bit or rocking....we did start with night-time sleep in her cot before daytime which I feel was the wrong way round.

Any advice would be great as she does sleep better when she eventually goes off in the cot but has only done so happily a few times.

Greenone12

Probably isn't worth the hassle! DS was exactly the same and wouldn't sleep in his cot at all until he was 4 months old. He was fed to sleep for every nap and sleep at night until 9 months old and he went to a childminder in the morning. On the very first day there, he was happily cuddled to sleep by her and would be cuddled to sleep whenever he was at the childminder, but would still only be fed to sleep when at home. From 1yr onwards he started to stop needing to be fed to sleep all the time and now at 16 months old, his bedtime and naptime routine consist of shut the curtains, read a story, ask him if he wants to lie down, he lies down and closes his eyes and that's that.

I wasn't happy to do any kind of crying until he was over a year old, then it took a few nights of leaving him and going back in every 5 mins, pat on the head and lie him down again and leave.

HTH

:)

Ok thank you! She really resists sleep in the day anyway and its quite a challenge getting her to sleep anywhere in the day, let alone her cot!

I know they change so much as they get older too...

Yup, I wouldn't bother tbh.

Even my fab sleeper, ds1, wouldn't often nap in his cot. He needed help to nod off in the day, even though he slept like alog at night. There isn't the same biological imperative to sleep in the day for humans (though kids need it) so it isn't so easily acieved.

In same situation with DS2, just put him into cot. I know he won't sleep but trying to get him used to idea of chilling out for a bit anyway. Tbh usually don't bother and feed or walk him to sleep. Remember vaguely that with DS1, who now 6, he started to have more regular naps about 9 months to a year so don't despair they do get there. Agree with cairnterrier not to be too worried as they do get there in the end. DS1 is a fantastic sleeper now and has been for years in contrast to many of his classmates from what I hear.

I worry that DS2 isn't getting enough sleep but tbh trust my instinct more now and as I can't do letting them cry it out at this age and like you have tried insisting on the daytime nap and ended up practically in tears myself I have now decided to go with my instinct and the tried and tested method of muddling through! Sounds like you are responding to your baby's and if she falls asleep in her chair then count your blessings as any sleep is good enough in my book.

Got to go baby not chilling out and DS1 needs me to play!