Daytime naps in cot?

7 replies

MummyBuzz · 06/08/2011 22:21

When DD was born she had day and night time well and truly mixed up and at the time the health visitor suggested we only put her down to sleep in her cot at night and let her nap elsewhere during the day so that she got the idea that cot meant bedtime! This worked really well and she sleeps well at night now.

She is now 12 weeks old and still naps happily during the day in her 'chair' which lies completely flat. DH and I were chatting today about when we start to put her down in her cot for her daytime naps though? He seemed keen to start soon, whereas I am happy to put it off for a little longer until she has more set nap times as at the moment we just let her sleep whenever she wants to which can still be up to about 5 hours a day in seperate naps!

My main conern about continuing to let her sleep in her chair is for her posture as her cot mattress is obviously a lot more supportive and comfortable. Is it worth disrupting her routine though which she seems perfectly happy with and sleeps well both in the day and at night? Advice/experience gratefully received!

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LaTristesse · 07/08/2011 09:16

I think if I were you I would start trying to get her in the cot during the day too now. I wish I had with my DS, but I settled for an easy life early on and now he won't nap in his cot at all, he's 17mo, we have to put him in the push chair or car to get a decent nap out of him, which is a rubbish situation! It might be a bit of short term disruption, but you'll benefit in the longterm... I think the more places they can nap the more it frees you up in the future. Is she happy to nap in the pushchair too?

4madboys · 07/08/2011 09:31

i think if its working then why change?

but this is my mantra after 5 kids!

i have just started putting my dd upstairs in bed for naps, she was 8mths on fri, until then she slept in the pram but one she is too long for it and two she was getting disturbed by her brothers so it made sense to try her usptairs.

if you want you could establish one nap in the day that she has upstairs? but it is worth letting her have naps downstairs in the pram etc so that she is used to and knows that she can sleep elsewhere than her cot.

you can only try it if you want to?

BertieBotts · 07/08/2011 09:35

For a nap I wouldn't worry about her posture. If it was all night then fair enough.

Also, they are supposed to be in the same room as you for naps until 6 months, this reduces the risk of SIDS, so I think it's worth trying to do unless they really won't sleep at all.

allthefires · 07/08/2011 09:37

I also think now would be a good time to start.

JollySergeantJackrum · 08/08/2011 08:05

Ds is 15 weeks and we have just started this. Just make sure you have a good baby monitor :)

Debs75 · 08/08/2011 08:24

I have never put any of my 4 in their cots for a nap.
I don't know why I didn't with dc1 but I know with dc4 being such a light sleeper it is murder trying to move her.
When they were small enough for the carry cot they slept there and when they grew out of that it was on my knee or in the buggy. They all sleep well at naptime ecept dc3 who hated napping. As long as they are sleeping well and waking up happy I don't think it matters where they nap

Whathashappenedtomyboobs · 08/08/2011 13:00

My DS is 6 months old and for the life of me I can't get him to sleep I his cot during the day, but night time is not an issue. I also worry that he should be in a cot but my mum said "he happy, healthy, sleeping at night in his cot, don't worry about it! It will come!".

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