Would love some advice on daytime naps please!

[Rachel12551]

Hi everyone

My 11 week old baby girl is getting really good at sleeping at night with only one early morning feed and 6/7 hour stretches in the next2me crib. I am so grateful to have some sleep however her daytime naps are still hard.

In the day she will only sleep on my chest/sling or in her swing chair. I have tried everything and she has different cribs/rockers/moses basket but she won't settle in any despite all the same techniques (white noise, dark room, soothing etc).

I've read that it is safe for babies to sleep in swings for short periods of time. She will only sleep for around an hour and a half tops in this at a time - is this safe? Also is this likely to change in the future if I keep trying to put her down in her crib at nap time?

I'm a first time mum and I'm just worrying whether she's safe and getting enough sleep! She's generally quite a clingy baby which I don't mind but don't want her to be unable to sleep on her own in future (I know she's still very young).

Any advice would be really appreciated!
Thanks

Following as also in the same situation! 11 weeks and can do a decent stretch overnight in snuz pod but daytime naps are a different story. Mostly in sling or pram

@Lpc123

Following as also in the same situation! 11 weeks and can do a decent stretch overnight in snuz pod but daytime naps are a different story. Mostly in sling or pram

Glad I'm not the only one!!

The risk for non-flat surfaces for sleeping is mainly if the nap is unsupervised. The main difference for daytime and night time sleep is that at night you are asleep so will be unaware of any danger. Whereas during the daytime you are awake and in the same room as baby while sleeping.

So while not without risk (nothing is without risk), using pushchairs, bouncers, swings, rockers etc for sleep can have their risk mitigated by the fact that the nap is supervised and you are immediately present.

If you intend to have a nap yourself then better to follow safe sleep guidelines as you would at night.

I would keep daytime naps in something that moves through until naps are longer (more/than 90 mins) and more spaces out. Once down to 2 or 3 naps a day, then move those naps up to the cot.

@FATEdestiny

The risk for non-flat surfaces for sleeping is mainly if the nap is unsupervised. The main difference for daytime and night time sleep is that at night you are asleep so will be unaware of any danger. Whereas during the daytime you are awake and in the same room as baby while sleeping.

So while not without risk (nothing is without risk), using pushchairs, bouncers, swings, rockers etc for sleep can have their risk mitigated by the fact that the nap is supervised and you are immediately present.

If you intend to have a nap yourself then better to follow safe sleep guidelines as you would at night.

I would keep daytime naps in something that moves through until naps are longer (more/than 90 mins) and more spaces out. Once down to 2 or 3 naps a day, then move those naps up to the cot.

Thanks so much for your advice and for clearing that up. She is always supervised in the day time. I will keep trying to move her into the crib as well When do naps tend to get longer? As in what age?

Just wanted to bump this and see if anyone else had any advice?

My little one used to always have her naps in her swingy chair up until about 4 months, then she found the noise from the tele too annoying and would wake after about 15 minutes. Now she sleeps in her cot for her naps during the day. It's just trial and error I think if they're sleeping for an hour and a half in a swingy chair they're getting a good long stretch of a nap so I wouldn't worry. I did start trying after 4 months to get her to nap in her cot and after a few days she was self soothing and content and went off to sleep

My DD is six months and very rarely sleeps for more than 90 mins, that tends to be a 'long' nap for her. She often does a 30 min morning nap and two other naps of between 60-90 mins each now. I'd say the point you're at is where you will get the longest or most frequent naps and then it will decrease as they get older. It's normal for babies to want to be held for naps or in the pram. I still hold DD else she just won't nap

@Poppet12345

My little one used to always have her naps in her swingy chair up until about 4 months, then she found the noise from the tele too annoying and would wake after about 15 minutes. Now she sleeps in her cot for her naps during the day. It's just trial and error I think if they're sleeping for an hour and a half in a swingy chair they're getting a good long stretch of a nap so I wouldn't worry. I did start trying after 4 months to get her to nap in her cot and after a few days she was self soothing and content and went off to sleep

Ok this makes me feel so much better thank you!

@hushlittlebabydontsayaword

My DD is six months and very rarely sleeps for more than 90 mins, that tends to be a 'long' nap for her. She often does a 30 min morning nap and two other naps of between 60-90 mins each now. I'd say the point you're at is where you will get the longest or most frequent naps and then it will decrease as they get older. It's normal for babies to want to be held for naps or in the pram. I still hold DD else she just won't nap

Ok that's reassuring!