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Sleep

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Original poster

8 month old...how to get from car to cot?!

11 replies

Sleepymama285 · 04/02/2022 20:08

Hi everyone,

I've posted before about my sleep dodging LO (8 months old) and am back to ask all you lovely mamas for some help again!

After two months of all night wake ups, we've recently done some sleep training (gradual retreat) and introduced a comforter for nighttimes which has made a massive difference in helping DD to self settle and link sleep cycles at night.

Naps however are still a complete nightmare! DD has always been reliant on constant motion for day naps...I used to walk miles pushing her in the pram every day, but she's too alert for that now so doesn't drop off. I then tried pushing the pram in the house which worked for about a week but doesn't seem to anymore. So now I'm either bouncing her in a bouncy chair (which she's getting too big for and is starting to refuse) or taking her out in the car which is costing me a fortune (and also means I have to try and keep the car in constant motion as she'll often wake even if I stop at traffic lights etc!)

We tried to use the gradual retreat method to put her down awake for naps twice (using a different comforter/book so she didn't get confused with night) but this just resulted in a very unhappy baby and less than 10 minutes of sleep!

Can anyone suggest a way to improve things and get her sleeping in the cot for naps? I can't keep driving her around for every nap as it's not practical and also can't be great for her to spend so much time in a car seat.

Thinking of trying exactly the same routine as at bedtime but am worried about having a negative effect on night sleep. I'm also wondering whether to put her down awake or try to get her drowsy with feeding/rocking first (although she hasn't fed to sleep in the day for a long time and usually resists being rocked too!)

Also unsure of nap timings...she's generally been doing really well most nights, but usually wakes around 4am, so I feed her, and then she'll usually be up for the day by 5.30/6am latest.

Any help much appreciated!

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ChittyBang1987 · 04/02/2022 21:19

I don't know if it helps, but I do the same what I do for bedtime for naps now. It seems to have improved her sleep overall in general.

I do nappy change, sleeping bag, bottle downstairs. Same conditions, dark, white noise dummy graveyard. Cuddle, a little sing of twinkle twinkle, and now she's older, she lays I'm my arms when she's ready to be put down in cot. Quick pat and hold while in cot after handing her 2 dummies to hold, and after 45 seconds, I walk away.

I'm not really sure why I told you my routine 😆

ChittyBang1987 · 04/02/2022 21:24

If lo can self settle I would encourage that.... If you start feeding to sleep or rocking, it could back fire.

Original poster

Sleepymama285 · 05/02/2022 15:56

Thanks @ChittyBang1987 Yes I was thinking the same about feeding/rocking to sleep, although apprehensive about putting her down awake as it went so badly last time! Does your LO settle well for both night time and naps or did the naps take more time/work? Always good to see other people's routines, so thanks for sharing!

OP posts:

ChittyBang1987 · 05/02/2022 16:20

Tbh we just did exactly the same for naps and nighttime sleep but we did do cc x

Ihatewinding · 05/02/2022 16:24

I do very similar to Chitty Bang. Nursery has blackout blinds and curtains, dummy graveyard (not heard that term ) and comforter.

We did chair method. Started with nap routine of nappy change (with dummy in and holding comforter so knows Sleepytime is coming), bit of winding just in case any troublesome trapped wind, then sway singing twinkle twinkle (this tune is magic honestly, makes her lids go sleepy when hears it now) then down in cot. To start we sat next to cot and replaced dummy and comforter until fell asleep, could take up to half hour even with correct wake windows. Then sneak out after 5-10 mins. Would normally do 30 min nap but previously was a contact napper so I was still sooooo grateful to be able to have a wee and a snack and she was around 6 months so normal really. Did this for all naps, her dad did bedtime and carried on holding her to sleep for a bit (as was quicker) but only when he got on board and did the same that the timings drastically shortened (5-10 mins max) and she started having longer naps and less night wakenings.

When it was taking her 5-10 mins to sleep with us there I trialled leaving after putting her down after routine and twinkle twinkle swaying, shhing and walking out and she would fall asleep solo! It was a gradual process though, maybe 2-3 weeks. Consistency defo the key, do not pick up if you can help it. Dummy really helped prevent any crying as well

ChittyBang1987 · 05/02/2022 18:08

Yes, as pp said, consistency is the key. Pick a way and stick with it for a while before thinking it doesn't work. It takes time consistency and patience.

Original poster

Sleepymama285 · 05/02/2022 19:48

Thanks for your replies. Think we'll just have to bite the bullet and use the same routine we use at nighttime for the day naps. Wish my DD would take a dummy but sadly she's not a fan anymore!

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xXwhenwillitendXx · 05/02/2022 19:52

No advice but the traffic light thing just bought back all the memories of when I used to rock the car back and forth at the lights. I dread to think what the cars behind used to think

Original poster

Sleepymama285 · 06/02/2022 11:24

@xXwhenwillitendXx Lol this is exactly what I do People must think I'm a terrible driver! Did you ever get yours to nap elsewhere or were you confined to car naps forevermore?!

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TheGlitterFairy · 06/02/2022 21:26

I’ve been working on cot naps in the last couple of weeks with DS who is nearly 8 months old. Instigated nap routine - nappy change, lightweight sleeping bag, black out curtains, white noise on - MUCH louder than I imagined we needed it to be - this has been the game changer this week - into cot, dummy, stay with him while he settles / to pop dummy back in if needed. Longest cot nap this week was 90 mins which is something of a miracle. Never thought I’d see the day. First time I did this I was with him for 35 mins and he slept for 30. Yesterday was with him for 4 mins and he went to sleep.
Be brave!!

xXwhenwillitendXx · 07/02/2022 06:51

It was a while ago so struggling to remember. I think someone sent me a sleep schedule I stuck to religiously for 6 weeks (does mean having no life) I'll have a look for it later today. I then made sure naps where same as bedtime, do in sleeping bag, and white noise. If she woke up during a nap and it was too soon for the wakeup I would rock her back to sleep and let her sleep in me for the remainder of allocated nap.
Tbf she slept really well after the 6 weeks. Until now, but she's 18 months now so that's a completely different issue

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