Feeling like a failure because dd won't nap at 7mo

[Seriouslyscrewed]

Title pretty much says it all...

Dd has struggled with naps since she was born. She was constantly over tired and really miserable. I rock her to sleep then hold her and we now have a good schedule of 3 naps a day like this and she naps great that way. She's no longer overtired and is happy and healthy.

Trouble is I'm being made to feel like shit for want of a better word by everyone I know for not having her nap on her own.

I tried for weeks to get her to nap in her cot, I dedicated whole weeks to just concentrating om this. Nothing works and it ends in dd being completely hysterical and me frustrated and stressed.

She will be going to nursery in april. What am I supposed to do? I feel like a total failure because I just can't seem to crack it. I can't physically force her to sleep so what am I supposed to do?

You can put a child to bed but you can't make her sleep. I'd leave it to the nursery to get her in a routine. FWIW my DD was a total law unto herself didn't nap at any regular time and stopped any daytime nap after the age of about 1. It's no reflection on you. You've tried. Now you have to stop stressing about it.

The problem is that if she doesn't sleep she's horrendous all day, so I know she needs it. She won't sleep in the car or pram so the only option is for me to rock her/bounce her to sleep. Everyday revolves around this and I rarely leave the house! I just wonder if I'm missing something? Should I be letting her cry in her cot? She's cried in her cot for 2 hours before and would not sleep!

You are in no way a failure! Your doing what you need to do and being there to comfort your DD. Hope a baby sleeps and naps is in no way a reflection of your parenting! You are doing what works for you and that’s totally fine! If napping with you means she’s well rested then I’d just keep going with it. At 7 months she’s still tiny and it won’t last forever. It’s very normal for babies to not nap on their own when they are so little. As for nursery, I don’t have any experience of this but from what other people have told me when their DCs go to nursery they are totally different- they nursery staff find their own way and the babies adjust. One friends DS was cuddled during nap times for about 2/3 months when he first went to nursery before he was then happy to go in the cot. I’d cross that bridge when you come to it.

Ignore th comments from others, every baby is different. Be kind to yourself mama, it’s only a problem if you think it is x

What happens if you rock her in the pram?

I used to rock DD from the back of the pram (so she couldn’t see me) with a particular tune playing and bumping the pram against my hip or over a bump on the floor. Worked like magic as a baby and even when she was 4 and desperately needed a nap.

She just fights and fights! She just cannot let herself close her eyes and sleep. It's exhausting.

I really do home nursery will be okay I'm very worried about it! What if she gets completely inconsolable? Will they call me from work to go and get her?

Dd1 would only nap being rocked or in the pram or car ( as long as you didn't stop), I panicked as she was going to nursery. Napped fine in the cot at nursery from day 1!!
Some babies like sleep, some don't, it is nothing to do with you as a parent. I think people who have easy babies don't get that.

Yes zeit!! It seems that everyone I know have babies who just nod off when they are tired, they just don't understand that my dd just isn't like that!

It's getting me down because I feel like I'm being judged for having a difficult baby as if it's all my fault.

My mum actually said to me "you are why she's like this" while she was holding a screaming dd who'd just had her jabs and then been on an awful stressful car journey all the wsy down to my mums when she hates the car feel like such a crampy mum

That was unkind of her to say. You sound like a loving, caring mum, and your baby's sleep habits are definitely not down to you. Babies are not computers that can be programmed to do what we want them to. All we can do is give them the opportunity to sleep. Sometimes it's just a case of waiting until they're older before they're able to be more independent. Some babies get there early, some take a bit longer - they're not broken, just different. Your baby is still very young and it's not surprising she wants to be close to you so much.

I'm sure the nursery will find a way to get her to sleep - babies often react completely differently to people who are not their mummies.

I suggest you get a good baby carrier, that way she'd be close to you and able to nap while you have your hands free. You'd be able to leave the house too, and not be trapped under a sleeping baby.