Sling naps - when to stop?

[Goosey345]

My DS is only 6 weeks old so I know very early days and 4th trimester etc but just trying to think ahead. He loves being in a stretchy sling for daytime naps and will sleep for several hours like that! He'll also sleep for ages in the car seat if I let him. He'll drop off in a moving pram but only for 30-40 minutes max and wakes as soon as I stop walking.

I've tried bouncing him in a bouncy chair and rocking him in the pram in the house but neither of those have worked so far to get him to sleep. He's doing great overnight sleeping for long stretches in his crib in a sleeping bag.

Just wondering what I should do about the naps in the sling. My concern is that I have back problems and a prolapse so can't carry him long distances in the sling or when he gets heavier. When and how would others advise I move him on to cot etc for daytime naps? Thanks!

Sounds very like my baby except his night time sleeping has gone out of the window the last few days (4.5 weeks old). Also interested in others views as I like having him in the sling and do generally support the idea of fourth trimester but also have weak abs and sore back due to caesarean plus want him to sleep independently eventually.

I didn’t bother with cot naps for either of mine, I worked hard on push chair naps and it’s worked really well for me.

@notalwaysalondoner yes sounds very similar. I also had a casearean so another reason I don't want to continue with the sling naps for too long! I'm sure your baby's night sleep will improve soon. Mine has started sleeping much better in the night in past week without me changing anything. Sure will all change again soon though.

@mayblossominapril Good to hear pram naps worked for you. I guess that gives alot of flexibility to the day! Can you give any advice as to how you got that to work successfully? Thanks

If it helps, I started to be able to put ds down for naps at 5 months. Obviously that’s just ds, not suggesting they are all ready at this age but it may help give an idea?

My daughter would sleep pram, sling or lying on dh. She's 14 months now, I have a carrier I can wear her on my back and she'll often nap in there still. Once she got to 7 months I was putting her on my back and she was so much lighter there.

Once he is asleep can you transfer him to a cot?

We did sling naps until she dropped them at 18 months with my youngest. She wouldnt sleep anywhere else and I got used to walking around until she was asleep and then lowering myself onto the sofa and watching something, when she wasn't at nursery - they were able to get her down on a cot, witch craft.

Hehe mine was taking sling naps until she was about six years old! It was a really excellent way to settle her when out and about, I have happy memories of walking until she fell asleep and then having a nice slow browse round the shops, or sitting at a pub and having a pint over the top of her peacefully-sleeping head! And without the annoyance of having to deal with a pushchair.

Both carrying and naps eventually tailed off, of course, but it was a daily occurrence until about age 3.

I guess what I'm saying is, if it's working for you don't fret about how to end it or that you'll form a 'bad' habit. Tying yourself to being at home at a certain point each day, just so your child can take a nap in their cot, is way more limiting than having a child who can sleep anywhere (sling/pushchair).

Remember that the sling you have now is not the only type of sling! I had carriers that were honestly comfortable up to age 6 and I'm no super-strong supermama. I guess I built strength slowly as she grew, but the carrier makes all the difference. Your local sling library will be able to tell you more about good supportive carriers for bigger babies, toddlers, even preschoolers if you're interested.

I honestly don't get why people are so down on slings sometimes. They were a complete lifesaver for me, for YEARS, and I never had those awkward moments where you're trying to push an empty pushchair with one hand while wrangling a 'BabyBlob WALK now, I WALK!' toddler at the same time. :-) (Because yes, sometimes they want to walk, but they can't walk very far so you have to either carry them or put them in a buggy in between times.)

Do whatever works at each stage, don't make your life miserable trying to force something. Neither of mine would cot nap. We pram nap my youngest - it's a bit tiring but it gets you out and keeps the baby weight shifted. We did sling naps and bouncer naps until she grew too large

Agree with the above. If it works now, keep doing it until it doesn’t (either for you or the baby) and then cross the bridge. We’ve had phases of sling naps, pushchair naps, naps on the boob, naps in the cot…it changes so much.

As well as echoing pp about different slings make carrying much easier and to keep them going as long as it works....

Please please don't feel you have to suffer with prolapse / back issues. I'm only just sorting mine out now and DD is 7 in October!!!

If you have private insurance you can use that, if not, make sure you're in the system for referral to women's physio as soon as possible.

First DC it was just a few weeks, 2nd DC was for quick naps with the long nap in the cot up until she was about 8 months. 3rd DC lived in the sling until 5 months for all naps town transitioned the easiest to the cot.

Basically they are all different but in hindsight I forced the cot naps more with first and second to get the perfect nap routine going but realised that going at their speed, enjoying the closeness and not stressing meant easier sleeps for all

Then!

Thanks everyone for all your advice. I'm certainly enjoying the closeness and cuddles of the sling, as well as the flexibility of carrying my baby about hands free. I'm just worried about the effect on my pelvic floor! It's helpful to hear that babies can transition out of it to the cot but I like the idea of pram naps too so maybe I'll give that a try first.