Pls help! HOW do you put baby down for nap with 3 year old?

[nzbabies]

Baby DD is 11 months old so I don't know how I've managed until now - I guess it changes over time - but now my 3 yr old says he is scared to be alone if I try to put her down for her morning and afternoon naps, and whines outside the door. It is so stressful that I give up and she doesn't sleep or we go for a walk to give her a sleep in the pushchair but she wakes after 20mins. I am wondering if I have to do cc (which I doubt I could do) in order to be able to put her down quickly? At the mo it takes half an hour at least as I stay with her til she is asleep - which is of course too long for ds to be alone. And he hates dvds! (scared of images) Thanks - would love to some help

Sorry no help but much sympathy from a mother of 2 DD's - 7 months and 3 years. 3 year old got shouted at this morning for waking little one after 5 mins and then I cried as feel guilty!!!

Awful isnt it?!?!

oh soknackered yes it is! I hope someone can help us! I am so knackered too by the way, from the nights!

Could your 3yo be quiet for the whole time you are settling DD? Perhaps he could stay in the room with you, but only if he is quiet and stays out of the baby's eyeline?

Does he go to nursery at all?

It is quite a long time for your ds if that's twice a day.
When my twins were born I was still rocking 2 yr old ds to sleep in my arms for his afternoon nap! I just thought this is silly and put ds1 to bed-he looked shocked and then turned over and went to sleep. I was very happy!

Why not compromise- I used to do a big walk in the morning round park or whatever with ds hopping on and off the buggy board whilst twins slept.Then I put them in cots for afternoon sleep.

You could in the short term try and gradually put dd down awake- gradually decrease the time you spend in there. You could give ds something to eat to distract him, or put a grandparent on the phone to him whilst you do it? She may take to it quicker than you think.

You do need to stay calm too- you getting stressed about ds's noise will keep her awake more than his noise will.

I have similar age gap between my 2. I'm afraid I didn't give my dd2 alot of my time when settling her for her naps.

I'd give dd1 something to do like stickering (usually sitting outside babies room as she didn't like being alone in another room) and then take dd2 into bedroom, give quick cuddle and kiss and put down for nap. I'd let her cry and go in to settle every 3-5 mins- she usually did settle after 10 mins.

Thanks for all the ideas defineme...GoodnightNobody did she still keep crying and you have to go in and settle her always, or did she get used to it and not cry every time you put her down eventually?

i used to walk ds2 to sleep in a sling when he was little, then we walked him to sleep in the pram

if she only sleeps 20 mins try going for a long walk at that time - once you get past the 20 min hump she might sleep longer if you are still walking / jigging the pushchair?

She wakes usually because of ds's noise, even though I am still walking/jiggling the pushchair - or some noise from something else. She just doesn't usually sleep that well in the pushchair And I find it very hard to control ds and keep him from suddenly shouting near her, or needing me to stop jiggling so I can help him do something etc. Otherwise he will have a tantrum - a sure way to wake her up!!! !

nzbabies- she did often cry when I'd put her down (she'd get back up and jump up and down crying- a real protest). However, I did try to pretend this didn't phase me and go in after a short time to resettle. I'd calmly say, 'sleep time,' -she'd often have none of it till the 3rd time I'd been in. I remember in the early days thinking she'd never settle and being really torn by her needs and dd1's.

After a couple of weeks she mostly accepted the routine and happily snuggled down straight away.

I think at 11 months she was having 2 naps- a short morning nap and a longer one later. By 12 months she was having just the one nap at 12.30ish.

good luck.

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