** Stupid question alert** Newborn/small baby - where to put her for naps.

[Bea1985]

Hello clever people.... I wondered if you could please tell me what you'd do. I, expecting my first baby in a couple of weeks, am trying to make sure I've got everything in, and have got myself confused. Ongoing pregnancy mega insomnia is not helping!

We live in a tall thin house over 3 floors, our bedroom is at the top. In there I have a Moses basket (used but with new mattress) and a cot bed (used but with new mattress, not assembled yet).

I also have (all used but is good order and washed):
An icandy cherry full travel system
A large travel cot
A graco soft carry cot (Quattro model) that was given to me
A vibrating bouncy chair that reclines to a flat position
A maxi cosi cabriofix car seat

I have a wee nursing chair / area set up on the top floor and know the first few days will be crazy ... I know I might spend a lot of time in my bedroom with baby, up on the top floor.

When I feel like spending the daytimes (or parts of days) downstairs and the baby needs to nap on the ground floor, what could I put her in? I initially thought soft carry cot, but now I realise it's more like a structured footmuff (it has solid sides and a soft cover that zips around) so maybe too warm to use indoors.

I have a bad back and really really don't want to carry the Moses basket up and down the stairs.

Could I put her down for daytime naps in any of the above ? Of course I will stay in the room with her.

Not sure what is safe/what the rules are/what I haven't thought of.... All I know is she needs to be flat, with me, and not overheat.....?

Thanks so much!

EDIT - the car seat is brand new! I did not make that clear

Does the icandy travel pram include the carry cot pram bit that they lay down in? If so I'd use that initially like a moses basket. If you have room downstairs you could set up the large travel cot instead but that might be a bit too big during the early days.

Thanks! Yes it has a proper (fully horizontal) carry cot as part of the I candy system.

I know what you mean about the travel cot, it's a large one (could double as a play pen later) and she might not feel very cosy.....

She needs to lie flat. Either assemble the cot bed and keep the moses permanently downstairs, or pick up a secondhand moses off ebay (get a new mattress). One of my friends used to use the pram section of the I candy system and swore by it as she could push the baby around the house.

In theory, you could use the travel cot, but they are a bugger to lie a titchy baby down in. They come into their own when the baby can sit upright (basically after they have outgrown the moses).

Don't use the car seat regularly for naps! You are supposed to limit the amount of time a baby spends in them.

If your baby ends up with wind or reflux, the bouncer may be your saviour.

My newborn slept in her pram carrycot downstairs. I felt completely happy with this as it is one approved for overnight sleeping so I knew it was 100% fine for long sleeps. Do you know if yours is?

Though even if it isn't I'm sure it'll be fine just for daytime naps. If you put the hood down it'll allow air to circulate better.

I used the carrycot part of the travel system and that worked fine

I’d stuck with the pram attachment for now. But my babies never settled unless in my arms so seriously, what do I know...?!?! Hope you have more success!

I used our pram carrycot when he was downstairs with me and Moses basket at night. Or he slept on me, in his swing chair which I tipped back, or on his playmat. Basically anywhere he could lay flat. He wasn’t picky! I just used to make sure I had blankets available to cover him if need be.

It’s pricey but I wholeheartedly recommend buying a sleepyhead. They are brilliant - my little one used for all sleeps until 8 months old and it was great to take from room to room and use as a travel cot.

I used the pram downstairs like a Moses basket during the day and the Moses basket by the bed. Congrats. Exciting times ahead for you.

Thanks all..... I knew id get some good advice. Right, not the car seat of the graco footmuff thing ....

I'll just have a look now to see if the I candy carry cot is approved for overnight sleeping. That will live downstairs and what a bonus if I can push it around is into the kitchen rather than have to carry it.

Just checking now...

Lots of babies don't like being put down for naps until they are 3 months or so, so you may find yourself sat on the sofa with sleeping baby on you for a long while. I would add a sling to your list of sleep options as it will more than likely come in handy.

If you do have a baby who is happy to be put down then perhaps set up the travel cot downstairs so you don't have to keep moving things around.

Good point Bea. It makes baby very portable if they learn to sleep in the pram. My baby was born in May and had quite a lot of naps in the garden as well.

Yes , it is approved for overnight sleeping! Great!

I have two further stupid questions now though!

Why might a carry cot (I mean, from a pram) not be approved for overnight? Is it to do with ventilation?

The "bouncy chair" ...it does lie flat, and it vibrates and plays annoying music. I might try her in that for short naps or lies down, see what she thinks. Is it safe though, for a teeny newborn baby to be in a vibrating bouncy chair (on the floor)? It doesnt vibrate much.... But could the vibrating not damage her little brain ?!

Mumsiemummy1 ah yes that's a good point.... I forgot to put on my first post, I have a moby wrap! I am going to a sling meet up soon to learn how to use it. I never thought about it as an in-the-house/sleep option - thank you!

I'd be a bit careful with the bouncy chair. I was handed down one that lies flat but my baby seems to overheat in it quite easily.

We live in a 3 storey house too, I have a bed for DS on each floor.

Top (our bedroom) crib for overnight.
Middle (kids bedrooms) cot bed
Bottom: pram

I use whichever one is closest to where I’ll be during nap time.

You shouldn’t leave your child sleeping in a car seat for long, they need to lie flat. HTH

I second the sleepyhead! It is a bit pricey but for us was/is worth every penny and has been used every day since purchasing at 2 weeks old and my DS is almost 6 months.

Makes baby feel lovely and secure in the tiny new born days. It’s great for co sleeping if you don’t want/aren’t comfortable/aren’t confident with baby right in beside you- which you may well end up doing if breastfeeding at some point. It also can be used where ever you go, in hotels and at relatives houses etc. What was also important for us as DS is a bit reluctant to sleep anywhere other than his cot, is creates a familiar environment for him if we do have to use it in a travel cot at his grans or something. It also made transitioning him
from his next to me crib in our room to his own cot much easier.

Google the fourth trimester so you have got all the info in case your baby doesn’t want to be put down. (Mine never have!!)

Definitely set up downstairs for naps. If you’re breastfeeding, set up a table with bottle of water, tv remotes, juice, snacks and a freshly made cup of tea just before you sit down to feed and baby will nap on you there.

You can definitely use a sling for daytime naps in the house - they’re fab!

I’d also try to have one nap upstairs so you can have a lie down whilst your baby is sleeping. Again, if you’re BF, try to master feeding lying down and then you can feed to sleep in your bed and you can doze/read, rest too.

My two either slept on me, or on a folded blanket on the floor (on the rare occasion they’d be put down) for daytime naps. The Moses basket was pretty much ignored.

Thanks for all the info and experiences guys, makes very interesting reading for an imminent first time mummy! Will google fourth trimester ....will also keep sleepyhead in mind. I'll see how she goes in terms of being put down before I spend the money. But I've read so many good reviews about the sleepyhead it's great to know they are an option (and can get on next day delivery if urgent!) X

I’d never heard of the 4th trimester till my son was born but it really made a lot of sense to me.

During the day my DS has always slept in the pram - carry cot bit when younger, pushchair attachment a bit later. The bonus of that is they get used to sleeping in the pram so they'll nap anywhere, meaning you can go out whenever suits and stay as long as it suits.

Mind you my DD only ever slept on me and I was grateful for my ergobaby.

Mine (8 weeks) has slept in the pram or a swing - the swing doesn't lie flat, it's kind of a bucket seat, but that doesn't seem to be an issue.