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Sleep

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Original poster

Daytime naps - how??

25 replies

SkiptonLass2 · 12/01/2016 09:14

Ds is 13 weeks. We've got a good bedtime routine and to my amazement he will put himself to sleep if fed and put in cot ( I put him in, lights out,
Say night night and go lurk outside for a bit, he's usually out in five mins.)
So, he is capable of falling asleep. But... Only at night. He's always resisted daytime napping - hes far too interested in looking at stuff! He will nap briefly in the pram but I'm not able to put him down for a nap in the day.

How can I work on being able to put him in his basket for a nap? I've tried feeding to sleep then transferring ( he wakes and wails) sleepy but awake ( instant alertness as soon as he's put down) and letting him grizzle for a bit to see if he settles.

Any ideas? It's minus fifteen or so here so I can't be out all day with the pram - we go out for 60-90 mins a day but more than that isn't an option when it's so cold.

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daisydalrymple · 12/01/2016 09:49

Dc3 takes his day time naps in his pram in the kitchen, is this an option? I put his lullaby cd on, pop him in, then push back & forth for a few mins. He's also partial to the washing machine being on

He's 14 months now, but I probably started this at maybe 6 months.

PennyHasNoSurname · 12/01/2016 09:52

Another one here who has always had dc nap in the pram in the house. Dds room is pitch black so her and ds from about 10 weeks would have a bum change a feed then down into the buggy. Lights off and a gentle rock. Id sneak out after five mins. Eventually no need to rock any more.

Could he need a comforter? Dd had a dummy but ds just likes a muslin square he rubs on his face to help send himself off to sleep.

Also, its handier to catch them the second they show sleepy signs. Literally first eye rub or yawn and mine go down.

Pointlessfan · 12/01/2016 09:53

DD was exactly the same until about 9 months (sorry, that's probably not what you wanted to hear!). She would only sleep in the day in the car or if being held. I often tried to put her in her cot but she just instantly woke up. Then one day she stayed asleep and from that day on she just napped!
I found it quite good actually, it meant I could go out all the time without being tied to a routine.

BjorkBjork · 12/01/2016 09:54

Can you feed lying down in bed then sneak off when he's asleep , removing pillows etc

ALongTimeComing · 12/01/2016 09:55

13 weeks ... No chance. Take advantage of the cuddles now or pop him in a sling when he's looking sleepy! He'll gradually show you when he's ready. Or feed him lying down on a bed then roll away once he's done (if you are breastfeeding).

bittapitta · 12/01/2016 09:55

13 weeks... Let him sleep on you and enjoy the cuddles? Sorry you don't want to hear that. Get a sling!

Original poster

SkiptonLass2 · 12/01/2016 10:02

I would love to use a sling but I find it too painful. I was crippled with spd during pregnancy and I find the weight of him makes my hips hurt in the same way within ten minutes. I'll keep trying but right now it's not an option.

I'll try the pram. Its winter here so there's no way I can bring it into the house proper (outdoor shoes/wheel in the house is kind of taboo where I live) but I could try wheeling him up and down the hallway :)

Right now he will nap on me. I don't mind it but my pelvic floor and dodgy hips make it uncomfortable to sit in one position for too long.

He doesn't have a comfort item yet - maybe j need to try him with some things...
I suppose it'll sort itself out in time. Does anyone have a pre nap routine? Ds responds well to our bedtime one so maybe I could try a pre nap 'thing'

OP posts:

Original poster

SkiptonLass2 · 12/01/2016 10:05

Maybe I should just leave him outside in the pram in the snow like everyone else where I live!

(Irrationally worried about wolves/elk/Lynx)

OP posts:

MrsL2012 · 12/01/2016 10:06

Sounds just like mine! I popped him in the pram and went for walks up to 3 times a day to get him to sleep. It wasn't pleasant in the cold and rain but there was nothing else I could do. He woke the minute I stopped moving or came back into the house. He dropped to just having 1 nap at 11 months so at least by then it was only one walk a day. This lasted until 13 months when it was bucketing down one day, I put him in the pram and wheeled him backwards and forwards in the hallway and away he went. I was so happy!!!

daisydalrymple · 12/01/2016 10:32

Our pre nap routine is nappy change, go into kitchen and put lullaby cd on, ds grabs his brushes (he has adopted two mini handbag brushes as his cling on items whilst he naps ), then I pop him in the pram.

Appreciate the pram indoors isn't practical for everyone. We kind of fell into this, as he would always fall asleep in his pram on the school runs, so I would have a nice long walk straight after drop off 9 am, then another 2pm before pick up time. Once his sleep fell out of sync with the school runs I tried him in the kitchen.

Where abouts are you?

daisydalrymple · 12/01/2016 10:34

He has systematically rejected every other 'comforter' type item we've offered him I should add! He has a lovely little collection of the softest teddies/ blankies, and throws them all out as if trying to do some serious harm to them

Gillian1980 · 12/01/2016 11:06

My DD sleeps brilliantly at night but struggles with daytime naps too.

She has only ever managed to nap on me or in the pram but just last week she started napping next to me on my bed which she wouldn't do before. I'm hoping its a step in the right direction toward napping in the cot and the bonus is that I get a nap too!

DD is 5 months.

Original poster

SkiptonLass2 · 12/01/2016 11:14

I'm in Sweden so when the pram comes in its covered in snow and crushed rock from the roads :) the hallway is tiled so I can push him round that no problem. Ill give it a shot - it's snowing horizontally just now so I'm not keen to be out for longer than our usual 90 mins!

I'll try and think of a routine too. Something quick and portable:)

OP posts:

daisydalrymple · 12/01/2016 12:29

Ahh Sweden, that explains it.

I find the lullaby cd helps as apart from the routine of it, it does help blend household noise, so he doesn't need silence for naps thankfully. (Helpful when I also have a 6&8 yr old around )

IcecreamBus · 12/01/2016 12:34

Mine was just the same until about a year, at which point she decided that she liked napping in her cot after all. Up until then I had to push her around for half an hour or put her in the car to get her to drop off.

toffeeboffin · 12/01/2016 12:42

Alright Skipton Lancashire lass here

Not sure where you are with it being minus 15 but when DS was tiny and it was cold I'd take him to the mall in his pram and he would pass out like a light.

Then I'd grab a coffee and MN till he woke.

Or take him for a drive, then once asleep carefully put him in the house ( whilst keeping in car seat)

toffeeboffin · 12/01/2016 12:43

Just seen you're in Sweden, nice!

toffeeboffin · 12/01/2016 12:46

Pre nap routine = diaper change, dark room, bottle warm milk, dummy, maybe some plinky music on.

Around that age he'll be tired after five hours of being awake

randomsabreuse · 12/01/2016 12:48

Do you have a playmat type thing? Mine (5m) is quite similar in that she happily sleeps in her basket at night but resists naps not on a person or moving in the day. My saviour is playmat with dangly toys above and she plays with them and gradually goes to sleep. She's safe enough there so that's where she sleeps.

comeagainforbigfudge · 12/01/2016 13:11

I used this sleep guide when dd was wee. I could not for the life of me figure out her sleep cues (all very similar to hunger cues).

But by trying to put her down after x amount of time seemed to work. Albeit she only slept for 15mins.

She has gradually extended it.

Anyway, i used any and all methods. Bouncy chair, leaving to sleep on playmate, cot, sling, pram.

Its only now shes 7 months that im trying to stick to cot for her nap (or pram if out) as she'll be going to nursery soon. In saying that she has also started sleeping longer. Never thought it would happen but 1.5 hr naps do exist!

comeagainforbigfudge · 12/01/2016 13:11

*play MAT

nottheop · 12/01/2016 13:19

Around that age he'll be tired after five hours of being awake NO!! no, no, no!

I would take up to bedroom at 1 hour 20/30 and do the naptime routine then. 5 hours would have most very overtired.

I also used the sleep guide that comeagain linked to.

Nap routine of upstairs, curtains closed, nappy change, cuddle and put down. Repeat for every nap for a week and they should get the message, especially if it can be done at nighttime already.

ALongTimeComing · 04/04/2016 15:47

If it's going to be an issue bringing a pram in to the house could you get a cheap buggy or second hand pram for indoors?

Plateofcrumbs · 04/04/2016 16:00

For us naps took soooo much longer than nighttime sleep to sort out. We went from only sleeping on me / in sling, to buggy (if constantly moving), to buggy (pushed up and down hall until asleep then left stationary) - that was the breakthrough as could finally do stuff whilst he napped! And finally, finally naps in his cot, but that was well after his first birthday!

Sparrowlegs248 · 05/04/2016 10:28

Still struggling with this at 8.5months so would say it's worth putting some effort into it now. I am back at work in two weeks and have never been able to.put ds down for a nap.

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