No daytime naps!

[Ellaroo]

Am wondering if any of you can help as I am in a bit of a muddle. DD (who is now 8 months old) has only ever slept during the day if she falls asleep whilst breastfeeding (and wakes instantly if I try to put her down in her cot/pram or even do my bra back up!). The problem is, now she's eight months old I want her to be less reliant on breastfeeding to get her to sleep as I think it could cause problems when I eventually stop all together. I know she is tired during the day as she rubs her eyes constantly and gets quite grumpy, but if I put her in her cot with the blind down etc, she gets completely hysterical and won't stop crying. I Have tried putting her in the pram and taking her out for a walk instead, but this just excites her too much as she loves it outdoors. She sleeps fine at night now (although hasn't in the past) and sleeps from about 7pm - 6.30am. What should I do? Thanks in advance.

Ellaroo, my son (18 mo.)would not and will not do his daytime naps in a cot. Even my angel of a childminder who can get any child to do anything can't get him to nap in a cot. He has no problem going to sleep at night in his cot and usually goes straight to sleep. I used to breastfeed him to sleep for his daytime naps, but found it a bit limiting. (Though if you continue this, try waiting until your daughter really goes limp, an indication that she is truly asleep, after feeding before trying to put her down). So I started putting him in his buggy and wheeling him around (inside works just as well as out... our house is small so i go in circles). I put the hood down to cut down the view and I put a blanket over him and cover his mouth and nose so the warm air helps to lull him to sleep. The childminder puts him in the buggy in the other room and puts on a tape for him which works just as well.

I agree, my dd uses a dummy and associates it with sleep / only has it for bedtime / naps. However must say last few weeks she's been pulling it out before going to sleep.

Thanks for all your suggestions. Have already tried a dummy (when she was six months old and was waking up every hour throughtout the night!), however, she wouldn't take it and seemed to think I was using it to try and harm her in some way and became even more hysterical. Tried to give it to her as a toy - sucking the handley bit seemed to amuse her, but no interest in the teat! The way I got her to sleep through the night was controlled crying which goes against everything I believe in, but I was at my wits end! Am loathe to do this during the day as well, but can't think of what else to do. How long is it acceptable to leave an 8-month-old baby crying during the day, or do you think I should give up on the idea of daytime sleeps?

Ellaroo, I had a similar problem, see under Sleep topic "How to get baby off to sleep without feeding", about 5-6 weeks ago I think.

I wondered if I would have to do controlled crying during the day but haven't as yet and don't intend to even if the naps are a bit hit and miss. Something which worked for me was what Pupuce suggested on that thread which was sort of hugging dd in the cot and talking soothingly to her. Also, if she reallywon't settle or if she wakes up half an hour into her pm nap, I pick her up and sit in an armchair next to the cot with her lying on me and rock her back to sleep and then she is usually ok about going back into the cot again. See what you think of the other thread anyway. good luck.

Ellaroo, I forgot to mention that although "controlled crying" or Ferberizing as the americans call it worked perfectly for my son at night (never took more than 2 nights each time), I was never able to get it to work for his daytime naps. He would cry for an hour straight if I left him in his cot and it didn't improve over a few days time.

Thanks, will try the cuddling and cheek stuff. Am berating myself for not getting her into a routine earier! But want to do it before she learns the word 'Mummy' as would have no will-power at all once she does that. Oh, why is it all so hard????!

My ds is very similar and wouldn't nap during the day (still only does 30 mins or so but better than nothing )
We use singing (mainly 'Row,row,row your boat...) and reading to get him to sleep.
I sit him on my knee facing away from me (away from the boobs) then either read aloud -anything to hand, or chant/sing, and he'll fall asleep in a few minutes. Have to wait for him to be really floppy before putting him in his cot though.