Contact Napping

EdithGrantham · 2021-10-20T13:16:03+00:00

My DD (nearly 12 weeks) naps for significantly longer if sleeping on me compared to if I put her in her moses basket, upto 2 hours on me compared to under an hour in the basket. Does this mean she needs the longer nap and I'm depriving her of sleep if I put her in her basket? She seems happy enough either way and it doesn't significantly change how she sleeps at night either.

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Cantgetausername87 · 20/10/2021 15:28

Hi I dont have the answer but wanted to say that I have the same thing! The best place my LO will sleep is in the pram or on me. Like you it doesnt change how much they sleep at night time so I havent overly worried about it and just assumed its because they feel relaxed and safe x

Original poster

EdithGrantham · 20/10/2021 20:57

Yeah I'm trying not to worry too much, just feel bad when there are times I have to put her down and she ends up waking up sooner than if she'd be on me. Does your LO carry on sleeping if the pram is still or is it just when you're on the move?

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Cantgetausername87 · 21/10/2021 01:44

Oh i know the feeling! If I have washing etc i feel so bad as he wint carry on sleeping. No the pram needs to be moving at all times or he will wake - do you have the same? I read on here it can be a good thing as it means they know the difference between day and night and vehave differently - does yours sleep well at night?

Amammai · 21/10/2021 01:51

Completely normal at this age. Try a sling- they can contact nap but you can move around to get stuff done (or make a brew and get a biscuit ☺️) IME it doesn’t last and if you want to try for extended cot naps, after 6months they usually seem more capable.

Original poster

EdithGrantham · 21/10/2021 09:55

@Cantgetausername87 she's only fallen asleep on her pram once recently and it took her ages, she did stay asleep for a bit once it was still but no idea if she'd have done longer if I kept it moving, we'd just got home from a half an hour walk by the time she eventually dropped off! Her nighttime sleeping is pretty OK, generally getting a 4 hour stretch then a 2 hour, then another 2 hours. It's on the very low side from what I've read but she's happy when she wakes up so I'm trying not to stress, annoyingly we were getting 6 hours then 2 hours a little while back and that big chunk of sleep made such a difference to how I felt!

@Amammai I have a sling but she doesn't seem keen and on the occasions I have managed to use it for napping she's woken up at around the same time as she would if she was in her moses basket. I'm persevering with it though and putting her in it for a little while each day, hoping to build up to longer stretches and then hopefully her naps in it will stretch as well.

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Fancyties · 21/10/2021 09:59

I used to contact nap with my LO. Just went with flow. Around 4/5 months was when I worked on pram naps. As she would sleep better in my arms. Usual tricks of using bouncer, pram, sling are my advice. But tbh I would go for contact naps and Netflix and chill x x

Cantgetausername87 · 21/10/2021 10:01

@EdithGrantham I'm sure it will get easier and she'll be back to her old sleep pattern soon! X

Original poster

EdithGrantham · 21/10/2021 10:20

Thanks @Fancyties, I do love them most of the time and keep reminding myself that no-one ever wishes they'd spent less time cuddling their babies, it's just a bit annoying if she drops off before I've had chance to have a shower!

@Cantgetausername87 fingers crossed! I felt like superwoman the first night she did 6 hours, looking forward to that feeling again

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Fancyties · 21/10/2021 12:44

With the shower I used to and still do pop my LO in bouncer while I shower. She doesn't make any fuss and quite happy to do it. When younger I used to feed her early morning leave her asleep with sleeping oh and go shower x

Original poster

EdithGrantham · 21/10/2021 18:48

@Fancyties

With the shower I used to and still do pop my LO in bouncer while I shower. She doesn't make any fuss and quite happy to do it. When younger I used to feed her early morning leave her asleep with sleeping oh and go shower x

Yes I do put her in a bouncy chair when I shower but again if I put her in it when she's asleep she wakes up quickly. Because she doesn't have a definite routine yet I'm never 100% sure what time she's going to have a nap so our morning usually goes like this:- wake up and feed -get up and go downstairs, get nappy changed, breakfast for me -feed again, at this point she sometimes just chills out for a bit longer in which case I shower, at others she falls asleep so I'm "stuck" for 2 hours or more. I have thought I should shower straight after the first feed and nappy change but then I worry I won't get breakfast and I'm very food oriented

I think the key is getting her to nap longer in the sling but as she feeds to sleep getting her in the sling wakes her up.

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Fancyties · 21/10/2021 19:11

I used to do quick nappy Change/dress upstairs straight in bouncer me shower. Do lo feed. Tbh it's not a luxury shower at that age and used to do it quick but I don't feel human without a morning shower 😂 if LO sleepy grab breakfast and eat while lo sleeping. I used to do a pack lunch too 😂 I have to admit I have dropped food on her while lo sleeping 😂

Original poster

EdithGrantham · 22/10/2021 11:12

So today DD woke up at 8, I changed and fed her, had my own breakfast, she wanted feeding again then so did that then had a shower and got dressed by 9.

She fed again and fell asleep, at this point I'd normally let her nap on me for as long as she liked but thought I'd take advantage of being ready earlier than usual and get out for a walk. Getting her in the pram disturbed her but thought she'd drop back off to sleep once we got moving, nope!

We got back and she fed again, fell asleep, woke up because I dared to try and put my boob away, I bounced her for a bit and she did a massive burp. Still not asleep so I swapped to the other boob and she's now fed AGAIN and just fallen asleep. So she's been awake for 3 hours and clearly hasn't read the books that say babies up to 3 months can only manage 1.5hrs max awake!

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Fiestyfish · 22/10/2021 12:04

Depending on what kind of sling you have you can feed in them. I did this with an older baby but might be worth a shot? YouTube will have some videos showing how I’m sure!

Original poster

EdithGrantham · 22/10/2021 17:02

Ah yes, I think I saw that in the instructions will dig them back out and have a look. What I'd really love is for someone to invent a device that allows me to sleep whilst she's on my chest so it's still safe for her, could do with joining her in her 2 hour nap!

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FATEdestiny · 22/10/2021 17:18

What about cosleeping on your bed for the nap? You can sleep then.

Original poster

EdithGrantham · 22/10/2021 17:22

I've thought about that but our mattress isn't very firm and my DH occasionally has a cigarette, not sure if the guidance against sharing a bed is for when the smoking parent is in it or at all times? I could maybe set myself up with a camping mat on the floor though.

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Timeturnerplease · 23/10/2021 09:04

Oh i know the feeling! If I have washing etc i feel so bad as he wint carry on sleeping. No the pram needs to be moving at all times or he will wake - do you have the same? I read on here it can be a good thing as it means they know the difference between day and night and vehave differently - does yours sleep well at night?

@Cantgetausername87 My second - just turned 11 weeks old - will only nap for 30 minutes at a time, and only in a perpetually moving buggy too! DD1 was the same. Interestingly, both nailed day vs night VERY early on and were/are great at sleeping 12 hours only waking for a couple of feeds (touch wood).

Am typing this while rocking DD2 in a covered buggy in the kitchen, while DD1 potters around the lounge watching Paw Patrol and making a mess. DP has ‘kindly’ gone to get the food shopping 🤦🏻‍♀️

Fancyties · 23/10/2021 09:51

You can get one of those jiggle things for the pram. I can't member what they're called. Pop it on and it jiggles the pram or something x

Cantgetausername87 · 23/10/2021 10:04

@Timeturnerplease how very kind of DP to go shopping for your family!
That is interesting about day vs night I think there must be something in that! What a set up you have there isnt funny the things we have to do and how we adapt to them!

furiously googles "pram jiggler" @Fancyties

Fancyties · 23/10/2021 10:32

😂 😂 @cantgetausername87 I can't think for the life of me what's its called. I saw my friend have one but it was too late for me to have one by then 🤦🏼‍♀️

Original poster

EdithGrantham · 23/10/2021 10:56

Is it a Rockit? I've just found it by googling "pram wobbler" after accidentally typing pam wobker and finding someone of that name on Facebook That might be worth the investment, although with the colder weather setting in I do quite like having my little hot water bottle baby on me!

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Timeturnerplease · 23/10/2021 17:09

The pram jiggler is indeed a Rockit. We have two on at once, yet DD2 still knows the difference between that and a human 🤦🏻‍♀️

The Sleepytroll is supposed to be better/stronger but very pricey (and my sodding child would probably object to that too).