Screams before naps

[beachy27]

Hi,

I've never posted here before but have used the forums many times for help.

My 5 1/2 month old is a good sleeper at night and naps well once he is asleep, however he screams everytime I put him down for a nap. He screams in the pram and he screams when he's put in his cot for a nap. Normally he will scream for 2-10 minutes, which my not seem like much to some but I hate sitting there trying to soothe him when he seems so upset. He then stops screaming and will settle himself over a few minutes. The only time he doesn't scream when falling asleep for a nap is in the car. He will then quite happily nap for 30mins to 1.5hrs.

I wait for his cues (usual yawning and eye rubbing) then I put him down for a nap, say the same phrases and sit with him and sing the same nursery rhyme so that he gets a sense of winding down but he still screams. Do I need a longer/better/different wind down? It feels like his screams are the last of his energy as he will stop and then settle himself over a few minutes. Does anyone else have the same issue? I just wish he could settle without the screaming first.

Has anyone got any ideas? I'm willing to try anything!

You may need a quicker wind-down. First sign of tiredness then put him down.

Do you stay with him after putting him down to sleep? this may be distracting him from falling asleep and he may get distressed. How long do you wind him down before you take him to his cot?
Perhaps try to have regular nap times for him each day to prevent him from getting too overtired before you put him to sleep.
Make the room where he is playing in, really dark, for about ten minutes and engage him in some 'quiet play'. then take him to his room and read him stories and sing lullabies before putting him to bed. Then say goodnight, put him down and if you have a lullaby light, pop that on for him to fall asleep to. This works wonders for my two.
Also if he doesn't seem to like his cot very much, after you wake him from his naps, you could put a musical mobile on and give him some toys to play with, perhaps staying and playing with him for ten minutes after his nap while he is still in his cot. This might make him feel more positively about his cot and therefore less likely to get stressed when going to sleep there.
Sorry if you already do all of these things, but hope something helps.
Good luck :)

We had the same issue - here's a thread I started about it. In the end I just accepted it as it was, and by around 9 months she'd go down without a peep. She's almost 3 now and still has a 2 hour afternoon nap!