Holiday at Friends- How do you deal with naps when visiting?

[gracemamma]

So we haven't taken DD -5 months- to anyone else's house yet and Christmas is the day (no family or super close buddies in new locale). The only time the day doesn't focus on her naps is when we go to the doctor so I'm a little concerned. I always put her to sleep in the ergo during the day and maintain quiet to help her sleep well. By keeping things to her schedule (outings are short etc.) she sleeps relatively well at night. I don't want to mess this up! So what do you mamas do? Do you dissappear for 1.5 hours with baby? Do you leave the party after 2 hours? I don't want to push her, make her unhappy or miss her naps but figure this gathering will last several hours. Thanks in advance for your thoughts, suggestions, experiences!
The people at the gethering love our baby but havent had kids in a while.

[oolongtea]

If I'm comfortable with who I'm visiting, I ask for access to a quiet room (an upstairs room, or a basement den with sofa) and disappear for 1.5 hours while DS naps on my lap. I just explain that otherwise we'll be up all night and then so tired the next day.

Otherwise, like if it's at a restaurant or something, I just attend for two hours or so between naps. Sometimes I'll push back a nap by up to an hour in order to stay longer, but only the nap that happens around 11/12/1... if the later nap (at 3/4/5) gets pushed back, it affects bedtime too much. Also I find that DS's attention span for being at a party isn't any longer than 1-2 hours. He likes a lot of one-on-one attention which he doesn't get at a party unless there happens to be someone there who really loves babies.

[lovepiggie]

I think it depends on your baby. I would try just wearing her at the party and seeing if she sleeps... If not, or if she gets fussy, I don't see anything wrong with disapperaing for a while. That's what we did at Thanksgiving for my son, since it was an out of town visit. Normally I would just leave earlier... I plan on taking my son to Christmas dinner at my family's and only staying for the meal and a quick visit because I know it will be a busy time and I don't want to stress him out.

[dislocator3972]

Before we came down to my IL's DD and I practiced her sleeping alone for naps. Now that we're here she's only done it once, but it's nice to have it as an option.

If you're not into that (or if it just wouldn't work for your situation) I would just disappear. I had to very clearly state that I would not be leaving the house today. The last three days had been REALLY rough for my DD so today I'd be following her lead and helping her recoup. And I didn't I didn't leave the house, I spent hours upstairs when she needed to, and she was a MUCH happier baby.

If your friends have had kids, they'll remember all the hoops they had to jump through when their kids were little as soon as they see the babe's cute face.

Good luck!

[lifeguard]

I would sling ds & let him sleep while I continued enjoying myself. His longest sleep ever in his life was through a noisy New Year's Eve party. As long as I am moving he'll sleep.

[Sk8ermaiden]

Originally Posted by oolongtea

If I'm comfortable with who I'm visiting, I ask for access to a quiet room (an upstairs room, or a basement den with sofa) and disappear for 1.5 hours while DS naps on my lap. I just explain that otherwise we'll be up all night and then so tired the next day.

Otherwise, like if it's at a restaurant or something, I just attend for two hours or so between naps. Sometimes I'll push back a nap by up to an hour in order to stay longer, but only the nap that happens around 11/12/1... if the later nap (at 3/4/5) gets pushed back, it affects bedtime too much. Also I find that DS's attention span for being at a party isn't any longer than 1-2 hours. He likes a lot of one-on-one attention which he doesn't get at a party unless there happens to be someone there who really loves babies.

This is what we do too. Everyone has been great about giving me somewhere to put her down.

[sunshynbaby]

I'm lucky that at our first family gathering DS has a grandfather-type figure who loves to dance babies to sleep and then hold them for as long as they sleep. It's his specialty I'm just going to go with the flow at the other party we go to. If I end up in my friend's bedroom sleeping with the baby, so be it!

[gracemamma]

Thanks so much! Great ideas that make sense. I feel a little silly being with others & having things revolve around DD naps but I really want to prioritize her being well & getting the rest she needs. I know that the better she sleeps during the day, the better she sleeps at night. DH doesn't think it's such a big deal - his brothers young kids in Italy go to sleep at 11PM alot of the time & dont eat til 10PM during the summer.
I wish she could sleep well during a party being worn (could have a couple months ago) but she wakes (just woke up with soft typing with white noise machine on!)
Where do I sign up for a Gpa type who dances babies to sleep? Sounds wonderful!