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Sleep

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Original poster

Nearly 1 year old still refusing to nap in cot...

11 replies

kjonesey2 · 01/12/2016 14:23

I'm at my wit's end - my 11 month old will not nap in his cot during the day. At night I put him down awake, he grumbles for a couple of minutes then drops off. Exactly the same sleep routine during the day (dark room, song, sleeping bag) he'll just stay awake and cry.

When he was 7/8 months I could feed him to sleep then put him in the cot, but that stopped working and now he needs rocking in the buggy to go to sleep. I wasn't too worried about this when I was on maternity leave but it's causing issues now he's started at nursery. He just doesn't get enough sleep as they don't have time to rock him in his buggy and he resists the nap anyway. He's also a super light sleeper which doesn't help!

Any advice on how to wean him off the buggy and get him into a cot or am I stuck with this now?!

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FATEdestiny · 01/12/2016 16:42

I would make the focus rocking his buggy less, not getting him into the cot.

Buggy naps are quite sustainable long term. If you could wean him off how much rocking is needed until you work towards being able to lie him in the pushchsir with his comforter and rock for a couple of minutes then park him in a quiet corner somewhere.

CockneyViv · 01/12/2016 16:53

How much sleep is he getting at night?

My dd will very happily go in her cot at 7.30pm, roll over and sleep until 7.30am the next day. However, she'll only nap in a moving pushchair. On the one hand it's a drag, I'd love to be able to have a couple of hours free every day to tidy/cook /work /relax but I've accepted that my dd only needs another 20-30 minutes sleep a day and she gets that when I take her out. Further, I would take sleeping all night over a two hour nap and fights to go to sleep/multiple waking.

What I'm really asking is is this actually a problem for you? It might be a pain for the nursery having a baby awake when the others are napping but does it have any repercussions on your ds?

Sparrowlegs248 · 01/12/2016 19:32

Ds is 16 months and has properly napped in his cot a handful.of times. It's something I am revisiting once his cold/teething goes. Those couple of 2+ hr cot naps were amazing!

rebeccaroskellthomas · 02/12/2016 10:08

We did controlled crying for her day time naps. I presume you have tried this already though?

Original poster

kjonesey2 · 03/12/2016 11:47

He definitely needs a nap during the day, he only gets 2 x 20 mins at nursery and he's wrecked by bed time, which is currently 6:15pm as he's so exhausted. It's also affecting his eating as he's too tired to eat dinner.

I've not trying controlled crying for daytime naps yet really. I tried it one day and he grumbled for 30 minutes, slept for 12 minutes then cried again so I got him up. I wasn't really sure if CC could be used for naps. I know he can self settle because he does it at night but he just can't seem to manage it during the day!

OP posts:

Timetogrowup2016 · 03/12/2016 17:57

My dd is 9.5 months and the same .
Night sleep is different to day sleep .
Self settling at night won't mean they can in the day unfortunately.
I've tried cc for a month for naps and today I've had one ten minutes nap. It's got us no where

FATEdestiny · 03/12/2016 19:01

He definitely needs a nap during the day, he only gets 2 x 20 mins at nursery

I think it is reasonable to expect nursery to put more time and effort into his sleep. Especially at your DSs still-young age, they will know he's not getting enough sleep.

If they are not prepared to work at getting him sleeping more at nursery, I'd change nurseries. Staff at nurseries should be used to having to put in the effort to get children to sleep who are a challenge to get to sleep.

43percentburnt · 03/12/2016 19:12

What fate said. My friend works in a nursery she does an amazing rocking, bobbing motion which sends babies to sleep. She says its from years of rocking babies to sleep at work! Your Nursery should be doing this.

If it's any consolation my 9 month old twins will only feed to sleep for me, shush patting makes them scream louder. However they will fall asleep in DH arms or in the arms of my rocking bobbing friend!

Sparrowlegs248 · 03/12/2016 19:30

In my limited one baby experience, timing is key. I tried with ds again today, he was in the cot before he really looked tired. We went up, nappy change, curtains drawn, story and in cot. Mobile on. He did complain but went to sleep after about 25 minutes.

Only lasted half an hour but still, it's a start. When I've tried before, the times its failed I think I've probably left it too late.

Original poster

kjonesey2 · 05/12/2016 10:45

I have discussed it with nursery, they are happy to hold, rock and shush him to sleep but he wakes up as soon as they try to put him down. We thought that taking the buggy in would mean that he'd get decent sleep but he wakes up after 20 mins. It might just be too noisy for him, he's quite a light sleeper.

If I was to try and get one nap a day in the cot, would the morning one be the sensible one to start with? It's the one he used to take in his cot and his need for sleep seems to be stronger in the mornings.

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Sparrowlegs248 · 05/12/2016 13:52

I'd say so - it's the one I tend to have success with with ds. Managed it again this morning, not long enough but better than nothing! Ds was down to one nap but after being a bit poorly is back to two most days. The second one is a struggle though.

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