Need help with naps for my 6 month old

[DanielBumpsMummy]

My DS is 6 months old. Bless him he sleeps so nice at night (whispers so he doesn't hear) any where from 10-12 hours straight through.

He has always been a short napper - 40 mins for each one and then he is awake. 40 mins exactly!! Occasionally longer but not very often.

Anyhoo.....I need help because we have always rocked him to sleep for naps. But in the last week or so he has been very very fussy when I have been trying to put him down and we both end up sad and upset.

At night he self settles about 50% of the time -so he can go off to sleep on his own but for naps he never does.

Starting Monday I want to help him get to sleep himself for naps. I am thinking that I'll put him in the cot and try to soothe him in there..........

Just looking for advice/tips from anyone who has been through a similar situation.

Sorry, no advice, just about the sleeping through and self settling half the time!

Hope you get some advice.

Hi DBM,

I have the opposite problem - 5 month old DD will self settle for naps but not at bedtime when she screams if I try and put her down in her cot awake. I got there with naps by (a) not leaving it too long inbetween sleeps - my DD struggles to stay awake for more than 2 hours at a time. Naps became easier when I realised this and put her down earlier. And (b) I have to say, I found that she settled better if I just left the room. I spent sooooo long shhing and patting her and stroking her to try and get her to drop off at nap time, always accompanied by her screaming. It was awful. Then one day in despair I just left the room (in tears) instead, just to take a few deep breaths and to my amazement she settled herself after about 5 mins. I think it's too stimulating to have me in the room when she's trying to go to sleep, so now I take her into her bedroom, sing her a little lullaby, tuck her up and leave. I also pull down the blackout blinds which helps to cut out stimulation. She does usually cry a little, but it's very mild grizzling and usually stops after about 5 mins max. I still feel bad about doing this , but if I ever go back in, or pick her up, the crying gets worse not better.

I don't know if any of this will help as our LOs are all so different. And if you can share your secret for self settling at night ...

Try rubbing his tummy in a big circular motion. That's how most babies in nurseries go to sleep.
Or stroke his forehead downwards over his eyes, closing his eyelids as you do it.
The trick is to do it all with no stimulis, no talking, dim lights, maybe some soothiing lullaby music.

Do you have a nap routine? We always had a bedtime routine and DS went to bed fine but naps were always difficult and I wondered if it was because he didn't know what was coming IYSWIM, so we implemented a nap routine to give him nap cues - ours is nappy change, into grobag, read a story and in cot with light show on.

Also as DrCosyTiger said the timing of naps is very important, I think at 6mo DS was napping 2 hours after he last woke up (now at 9mo its 2 hours 45 mins).

HTH