Getting toddler to nap in cot

[Coldwater777]

My 14 month old will not nap in his cot!! He's always been a bad napper and has never self settled in his cot for naps. Night time he has us in the room for a bit but will generally settle.

Up until a month or so ago we'd have TV time and cuddles he'd fall asleep on me then I'd put him in his cot. Now that does not work at all. If I put him in his cot he'll scream and get up, despite being tired. He'll go to sleep fine in his pram, sometimes without rocking.

Any suggestions please or should I stick with the pram, he sleeps well there and sleeps there at nursery.

He's also just transitioning to 1 nap. So he's exhausted come midday so drops of quick in the pram but refuses in the cot!!

Likely the cot will be gone before the buggy so stick with the buggy!!
Ds has always napped on a big cushion in the floor!
Whatever works just do that!!
I know a woman who had 'trained' her dc to only nap in the cot and she was so tied to the house it was madness!!

Go with the pram, be kind to yourself!

I think it's better to have them sleeping at home if poss as it's a chance to get stuff done or just rest! (Hence me messing around on MN while DD has her afternoon nap upstairs. )

Do you have to be out and about pushing the buggy or can you put him in it in the house? What happens if you try transfer from buggy to cot?

If you have to be out pushing the buggy every day for his nap that's really restrictive for you (plus knackering) so I'd persist with trying to get him down in cot (maybe by doing a similar wind down routine to his night time one?). If you can just put him in the buggy in the house or transfer him from buggy to cot, it's not so bad and I'd probably just stick with that.

Stick with the buggy so long as you don't need to push him!

Mine always napped in her buggy. Started off as the 'having to go for a walk' thing but I found often if I put her in it and then took ages putting my shoes on or whatever she would be asleep before we left the house - so we didn't have to leave the house!! Sometimes if she was sleepy she would just take herself off to the buggy, climb in and go to sleep.

When I said Go with the pram, I didn't mean literally go anywhere, that would be exhausting 😁

Mine never napped in the cot, he'd just fall asleep on me and id transfer him onto a huge cushion with a blanket. (firm and perfectly safe). I pushed for months with my eldest to nap in his cot and it was such hard work and a complete nightmare. Second one was the whatever works approach :)

He slept very well in his bed at night though.

Thanks for your comments! There seems so much pressure to cot nap, but hearing you've all done pram naps makes me feel better. I guess every baby is different and as long as he naps, it doesn't really matter.

I think I am worried that I'll have to walk round the block again for hours. Had to do that when he was little, in the cold. It was not fun! Thankfully, if I stop walking now he will stay asleep.

Good luck and yes, I used to walk back and forth no more than two streets away from home, then as soon as he was asleep, straight home for a cup of tea. Here's one for you!

So, just when I had got to terms with pram naps, my LO has decided he hates being put in the pram full stop. Queue having to walk with a screaming child until he falls asleep. Utter nightmare. Especially in the rain!!! Tried the cot again today and he just stood up and looked so distressed.
Naps cause me far too much stress!!