Afternoon nap in cot doesn’t work!

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Help - any experience of this?

My 7 month old will go down in her cot for first nap about 2-2.5 hours after waking no problem (mostly) with a story and a brief rock. Even if opens her eyes on put down she’ll still normally just go back to sleep. Only lasts 30 mins generally but still...

In the afternoon with similar cycle and wake up time she just won’t stay asleep after a rock or feed to go into cot! Eyes open each try and gets really distressed so we always end up with her feeding and sleeping on me 2/3-4/5pm!

Afternoon cot naps just don’t seem to work!

No words of wisdom but you aren’t alone. DS will only nap on the floor he’ll sleep happily in bed at night time.

Will your DD sleep in her buggy? You could take a short walk to get her to sleep and then push her into the house to let her finish her nap.

She will sleep in buggy but unfortunately wakes after 30 mins or when I stop

On the floor! Aww!!

Naps usually get progressively more difficult through the day. First nap is easier than second nap, second nap easier than third nap and do on.

Is your baby having just two naps a day? If so, I would stretch the second awake time. A good approximation for awake times on 2-nap days is 234 - 2h from waking in the morning to first nap, 3h from waking from first nap to second nap, 4h from waking from second nap you bedtime.

This is just an approximation though and it is assuming 3h of naps per day, or thereabouts.

I would stop rocking to sleep and try in-cot settling with you leaning into the cot. A firm hand on baby's chest/back/side while going to sleep is good reassurance. With bits of patting and shushing if needed.a dummy is also a significantly helpful tool for baby going to sleep independantly.