How to get baby to sleep with LOUD toddler

[HellsBellsTrudy]

Hi all, I have a 3 month old who is coming out of the newborn sleepiness and now needs to be having proper consistency in her naps, however, I also have a very energetic almost 3 year old who naturally makes lots of noise!

Baby is too little to go into own room for naps obviously and even if she could, she’s an avid contact napper and will normally wake up after at most 10 minutes if I put her down in her Moses basket.

So I end up holding her but I’m up and down moving around and it’s noisy, so she now isn’t getting any proper sleep in, and at night time is inconsolable with how tired she is!

Any tips?

Sling and try to do something where you're on your feet and moving for the whole nap so she doesn't notice you being up for the toddler. Good moment to do the washing up! You'll need a sit down and coffee after though. Alternatively, playground nap? Plonk the toddler in the sandpit and get them to bring you sand cakes

Does the older one go to nursery / playgroup? We kept our eldest going whilst I was on mat leave for exactly this reason - so that the baby could have some uninterrupted peace and quiet at home.

Otherwise on the weekends we used to do a combo of:
baby in sling,
select use of TV for 15mins for eldest whilst baby got into deep sleep then TV off and play resumed,
box of quiet toys that only came out during nap time to keep them fresh
lining up story time and nap time so whilst baby slept in read to eldest in a low voice
go to the park for buggy nap and so eldest could run around without disturbing baby

Good luck - i found those early days so hard trying to get them both into a routine that worked for us all.

Sling or use pram whilst out or put it in the garden if you have one? It’s better if baby gets used to sleeping with noise around, and surely youll need to get out and about with your toddler in the day. Mine never napped in her cot until she was about 14 months

Sling! She’s probably still small enough for a stretchy close caboo. I also learnt how to wrap with a longer woven wrap which was an absolute god send with a boisterous toddler at home. When they’re 6 months you can wrap them into your back so you’re completely hands free it’s a game changer! They can still see the world over your shoulder but snuggle in for naps when needed.