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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

Please help me put DS down in cot for naps

31 replies

Eminybob · 22/12/2014 10:40

I've posted before about DS (5 months) only sleeping one during the day (at night he's fine) but I'm getting desperate and really need some help now.

I started last week putting him down after he had fallen asleep feeding, with varied success, about 50% of the time he would wake up, I would then pick him up, rock him and try again. As the week has progressed it has gotten harder and harder to the point today where it just isn't happening at all.

I am desperate, I need to be able to get stuff done/have a rest in those naps but I can't because the only way he'll sleep is on me (or in car/pram if we are out).

I've tried leaving him to self settle but he won't. I know he's knackered but just will not sleep. Although I'm happy to feed/rock him to sleep, I just can't then put him in the cot! I would prefer him to be able to be able to self settle but I'm not prepared to let him cry it out etc. I need some help!

Please can I have your best advice for getting baby to nap in the cot. Thanks.

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Eminybob · 22/12/2014 10:41

That should say sleeping on me

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GotToBeInItToWinIt · 22/12/2014 10:47

My DD was like this til 8 months . She would sleep in her pram when out and about too but that didn't help as I still couldn't rest/get anything done. I did the same as you and just persevered with putting her down, however I'm not entirely sure anything I did made a difference. At around 8 months she just seemed to 'get it' and finally started sleeping in her cot, but still only for one of her naps (the afternoon one was more difficult). At 13 months she naps fine in her cot. I realise this is no help to you as I have no real advice! I am expecting DC2 now and am looking into investing in something like a Cocoonababy in the hope that helps! I think DD never really felt cosy enough in her cot.

Eminybob · 22/12/2014 10:52

Thanks, I suppose 8 months isn't too bad, I'm envisioning not being able to go back to work at 12 months because he won't be able to sleep at nursery!

Does your DD now self settle?

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ApocalypseNowt · 22/12/2014 10:54

Watching with interest....

LittleBallOfFur · 22/12/2014 10:58

Also watching with interest...

Could you try rocking her in her pushchair indoors? That way you have your hands free when she goes off. This is how I get DS to nap if I don't want him on me!

LittleBallOfFur · 22/12/2014 10:59

Sorry, he not she! (Sleep deprived)

RoganJosh · 22/12/2014 11:00

I used to mine to sleep in a buggy and them leave them in the garden. I had a friend who would rock the buggy back and forth in the kitchen.
From six months old I'd rock them to sleep on a pillow in my arms and then lay them in the cot on top of the pillow. This is a bit slack from a SIDS point of view, I had been super careful til six months and decided I was ok with it.
It was only from about ten months that they'd sleep for more than 40 minutes in the cot though.

RoganJosh · 22/12/2014 11:01

Would you be happy putting him in the bed next to you while you both nap?

Eminybob · 22/12/2014 11:05

I have tried that but rocking the pram either takes an age or just doesn't work.

I think I've just messed everything up this week with keeping trying to put him in the cot. As he keeps waking he's not getting long enough naps and any sort of routine he did have has gone out the window.

I'm so tempted to just throw in the towel and let him just sleep on me.

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Eminybob · 22/12/2014 11:06

He won't sleep on my bed either

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LittleBallOfFur · 22/12/2014 11:09

I find they go through phases - just as you see a glimmer of a routine it all goes to pot due to teeth, growth spurt, separation anxiety, colds. Maybe just do what you need to to get him to have some sleep so he's not overtired, then try again?

LittleBallOfFur · 22/12/2014 11:12

Ps/ I'm on DS2. DS1 was much the same and I stressed about it, but the childminder never had any issues with his napping when he started there (11 months old). And he sleeps fine now. I'm trying to enjoy the cuddles with DS2 when I can, it does pass quickly.

Eminybob · 22/12/2014 11:35

I want to cry, I've not been able to put him down all morning, I need a shower, he's overtired I feel like such a failure

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SinkyMalinks · 22/12/2014 11:35

I can't really help, as my 9 month old is a dreadful sleeper, but I went back to work at 8 months and had the same fears as you - he'll only sleep on me, so what will nursery do?

As it turns out, he sleeps ok (generally) at nursery. Still a cat napper, but not the all out, sleep refusing war I'd expected.

SinkyMalinks · 22/12/2014 11:36

Oh, and still a shit sleeper for me! I just tell myself I'd rather it this way than vice versa.

I've been told that naps are rarely the problem we fear at nursery.

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 22/12/2014 12:34

Yes she self settles now. I put her down awake, she plays with her lamb for 5 mins and goes to sleep. Seriously never thought we would get to that point though!

LittleBallOfFur · 22/12/2014 13:15

Oh bless you Eminybob you're not a failure, but we all feel like that from time to time.

puddleduck16 · 22/12/2014 13:47

Watching with interest too as I'm hoping for a magic cure for my 10 month!! Think I've tried everything too. I've just learned to accept it. When it's nap time I just make sure I've a cuppy, remote, and use it as my relaxing time.
I just keep hoping she miraculously decides the cot is a great idea!!

Eminybob · 22/12/2014 14:42

But how would you know that they are suddenly going to start doing it? Unless you try them every time but I've decided that that is just far too stressful.

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shelfontheelf · 22/12/2014 17:31

My twins only napped in their vibrating bouncy chairs until they were about one. Fisher price do a substantial one, think it was called baby to toddler chair or something like that. They were brilliant.

GotToBeInItToWinIt · 22/12/2014 19:43

I used to go for a period of trying, get too stressed, admit defeat and let her sleep on me, then try again a few weeks later, and repeat and repeat until she finally slept! I remember the first day she slept in her cot for 40 mins while I had a cup of coffee, it was what I imagine heaven to feel like.

pootlebug · 22/12/2014 19:46

If he will go off in the pram when you're out, can you walk around the block with the pram (usually works much better than rocking it in my experience) and then come back and let him sleep in the pram indoors once you get in? Don't go far, so that you can get back quickly and rest or get stuff done for the remainder of his nap. Another advantage of him being in the pram is that sometimes you can rock them back to sleep if they grizzle a bit but aren't ready to wake up.

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123upthere · 22/12/2014 19:47

Have you tried giving bottle while in buggy cover front of buggy loosely with a blanket obvs leaving gaps for air

123upthere · 22/12/2014 19:48

I did this then plonked mysf on sofa rocked buggy with my foot on wheel eventually they do fall asleep - it's in their DNA - you'll get there! Hang in there!

123upthere · 22/12/2014 19:56

Or wrap in blanket when it's nap time maybe baby is cold? Maybe ready to start solids? Try mashed rusk in baby milk just before nap time around 10am & 3pm? Then wrap in blanket, dummy in, hold and sway to settle? Then lay into cot

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