Moving to cot for naps or nighttime? Which first?!

[Muse84]

The number of possible scenarios are mind boggling. I need help.

Ds1 is 6 month EBF

Naps aren't that long. Will nap in a variety of situations as long as he is in arms or on the move. Some days though he fights every single nap

Nights- sleeps in co sleeper/in my bed. Goes to sleep at 7pm without a problem - have a strict nighttime routine - but he wakes a lot after 12am (recent development due to rolling) and always at 445/5am. Ignoring doesn't help; if I take him downstairs he yawns and looks tired until I take him back up to sleep

Getting to the point of considering gentle sleep training methods

I know I can't be far from him at night for now as rolling onto front only and EBF

Do I:

• get him used to one nap a day in the cot? I know I would have to fully commit to this as will involve pupd and lots of time. Currently no pattern or routine to daytime naps, although first nap of the day is fairly consistent. Or will this just confuse him?

• pupd for both day nap and nighttime, in cot straight away, so he has no doubt where he is sleeping.

It's important to say I really want to avoid having to put him in cot for every daytime nap, the flexibility of napping on the go is priceless. Or am I just wanting to have my cake and eat it...

Ultimately, we both need more sleep. I'm particularly concerned that he doesn't have enough good quality sleep

I'm so tired, confused and stressed about doing the wrong thing. Help

I don't really know the answer to your question (coslept with mine until 12mo plus) but before you tackle nights, think carefully about whether that would get you more sleep. Obviously if he goes in his cot and wakes to feed less that's amazing, but what if he doesn't? Will you be more tired getting up to him, sitting up to feed and then waiting to put him back down in the cot?

Not saying that's wrong but for me the loss of sleep to me wouldn't have been worth it at that age.

Also a mattress on the floor as a floor bed is a good option for naps in the house. Feed to sleep on there and then escape for a bit of a break - it may still only be 30 mins at this age though! At least you don't have to transfer a sleeping baby and risk the wake up. I put my DS onto a floor bed full time from 12mo, it's been great.

My 5 mo EBF started going in his own cot for the first nap for a few weeks, then last week we started putting him down for his bedtime (we too have strict routine and 7pm bedtime). Since doing this he’s gone from 6-8 wake ups to just 2 (11/12 and 3/4).

His other daytime naps are in pushchair/car/sling. It’s working for us and I think the first daytime nap in cot helped him to settle in the big cot/own room at night.

Thank you both!

I think I'm going to try daytime nap in the big cot, in his own room to start with...... We shall see!