Daytime Naps in Other People's Houses

[Elf]

I always feel rather restricted to the morning outing and then afternoon outing rather than a daytrip. I know dd (12 months,) can have a not very good sleep in the pram after lunch if we want to be out all day but it isn't ideal.

It seems a shame to me that if we visit a friend in the morning we can only stay an hour and a half because of getting back for lunch and sleep.

I hear children need a lunchtime nap until they are about three so this is going to go on for some time. THE POINT OF THIS THREAD COMING UP: Does anyone regularly put their baby down for a daytime nap in other people's houses? Unless you picked just one house ie the dreaded PIL and made an effort to get them used to it, surely the baby just wouldn't do it in a strange place? What do you think? (I'm going to bed now but will be looking at the thread asap.)

Luckily dd (4 months) will sleep pretty much anywhere, although if the pram is moving she wakes up after half an hour or so.

However I have noticed on days when she's not keen on a nap (usually because she's become overtired) she will always sleep on a double bed if I lie there for a few minutes with her first. Now this is our double bed, so it may be my smell that tires her, but you could take an old t shirt you have been wearing and lie your dd on that. Worth a try?

Mine do it in strange places all the time! I just stick to the normal going for a nap routine and they both (2+7 months, 7 months) go to sleep fine.
I guess it would be harder if they only did it occasionally, but as I rely on buses for transport in a rural area we often dont have the option of going home. It would also be harder if they relied on blackout blinds or some other thing in their room to get to sleep, but mine are pretty flexible and like their kip! Also I have done this since they were pretty small, so they are both accustomed to sleeping in other peoples beds, both in the day and at night!

I have managed this with my DS. the main problem is finding somewhere suitable. He's settled in a friend's cot or on people's bed (but I worry about him falling off) and also on a caravan bench seat. Other places are on a blanket in a field and in a beach tent. Also laid down on the back seat of the car (stopped obviously and with door open. But I suspect now that he is 19 mo this is going to get more difficult (ie he will not want to miss out on whats going on).

Also find that he transfers from car to bed without waking sometimes. This is particularly useful at night. I have given him his bedtime routine (bath, milk, teeth, books) in loads of people's houses and then bunged him in the car in his dressing gown. So you could go for the afternoon and stay for tea. This also avoids a late nap after an afternoon visit which might affect bedtime!

Mine have usually slept happily in the car, pram, on people's sofas or in my arms when we're out. They're pretty adapatable children and sleep anywhere.

When ds1 was small he often fell asleep in his highchair with his face in his food, standing up against a chair or coffee table, half way up the stairs - you name it, he's slept there!!! Now he is adult he still falls asleep just about anywhere. None of the others were such ardent daytime nappers, they always seemed to find life too interesting to spend it asleep.

My DS won't have a nap at anyone else's house so I must admit I avoid afternoon outings, usually having a long morning out, late lunch & then he sleeps from 2- 4.30/5 - yes!! Then goes to bed at 7pm. It wouldn't suit everyone but I have got into the routine of it now and it gives me 'my time' in the afternoon (Mumsnet usually!). If I am going somewhere which would incorporate a longish drive after lunch he would sleep in the car.

This afternoon I really wanted to go out but found myself getting in such a state, & getting cross & trying to hurry him up that I realised it just wasn't fair & cancelled my arrangements. Tomorrow I have some friends coming to me - I've warned them that DS will probably sleep through the visit!

My ds will pretty much only nap in his buggy (or sometimes the car seat when we are driving somewhere). Which in the end is very handy, because he doesn't actually care where the buggy is when he's napping in it. I could be in the middle of a rock concert and he would happily sleep through it as long as he was in his buggy. And of course, he will therefore nap easily in someone else's house. My dd is due any day now and I hope to train her with the same convenient habits as my ds.

Thanks everyone for your comments, it's good to know some babies do just get on with it. I guess I'll just have to give it a go. Mind you I quite liked having an excuse not to go to the PIL for the whole day

Good luck with your impending moment SofiaAmes. SueDonim I would love to know your DS1's secret, for my own sleep more than anything! Thanks again people.

my son is 22 months and still loves his after lunch nap, including if he's at friends or grandparents. I usually take the travel cot with me if I can (or my friends set up theirs if going by bus/train) which can look a bit extreme if you're only going for lunch, but its worth it. He gets the message that it's time for sleep, there's somewhere proper and safe for him to be, and I get a lovely 2 hours to eat my lunch and chat with my friends. Just so you don't all think I'm a smug cow with my wonderful co-operative child, it doesn't always work, but it does more often than not for me to keep in the habit of doing it. Also have baby no 2 due in March so it may well be all change then anyway!

I agree with a lot of the experiences already posted. I find taking a travel cot with me helps, although my ds has settled reasonably well in other people's cots.

The thing that works best for her though is taking her regular sleeping bag and blanket with us. The sb is great - like a comforter in a way. She seems to know that a nap is expected.

Unfortunately my ds won't sleep well in her buggy, and even in the car we have problems as it takes her a good hour sometimes to drop off. So the old trick of travelling home from a distant friend over her pm sleep, no longer works. She is 20 months old now though, so it's perhaps not surprising.

I think it's good to hear the results of advice sometimes and the other day we went out for the whole day so dd had to sleep not in her room. It was great feeling less worried about it having posted here and heard people's experiences. We took her sleeping bag and a book and did the routine and she slept on my dh on this person's bed which was fine. so thanks. Next time we'll try and get her in a cot. BTW we have been on holiday and stuff, she has slept in other places but daytrips just seem a bit different.