I don't want to rock the naptime boat BUT

[Minerva0302]

My DD is 14 months old and has always been somewhat of a high-needs sleeper. We bed share at night and have her whole life with me nursing her to sleep and back to sleep during the night as needed. She's going for longer stretches at night and even let Dad put her to sleep twice in the past few weeks. Huge deal! The trouble is nap time.

When she was a newborn- 8 months she napped in her swing everyday for her longest nap of the day, usually around two hours for her other naps I wore her or she slept on my lap. Then around 8 months a switch flipped and she wouldn't sleep in her swing anymore. She'd sleep for 15-20 minutes then wake up crying hysterically, and that'd be it for that nap time. So I stopped putting her in the swing and she slept on my lap for long naps (she was down to about two a day by then). Around Christmas I had a lot to do and one day put her in the ergo to nap on my back. It really worked for both of us. She got a good long nap and I liked not being restricted to one place. And that's what we've done since. She sleeps for 70 minutes to 2 hours in the ergo. That's now her only nap time. And we're FINALLY on a schedule. Nap time is 1130-130 and bedtime is 8. Works for all of us. The problem is she's getting a wee bit heavy and now won't take a nap in bed. Even if I nurse her down she just sleeps for 20 minutes. She'll nap in the ergo if her dad's wearing her but that's it. No ergo. No good nap. Any suggestions for tweaking nap behavior? The way it stands right now I'm most likely going to work at the end of summer and feel like she needs to be able to take naps without me wearing her.

[greenbeanmama]

We've struggled with sleep issues too, with both of our little ones. I probably shouldn't say much, as we're going through a really rough not-napping phase with our seven-month-old, but for what it's worth...

Have you tried a framed backpack? We have a Kelty, with the kick-stand type thingy so it will stand up on its own. When my daughter falls asleep in there, and I really, really want to take her off (I mean, who really wants to do yardwork with an extra twenty-five pounds on their back?), I can very carefully sit down and take off the backpack. If she's really asleep, I'll prop her head with a rolled up blanket, but if she's stirring a bit, I don't worry about it - I figure she can get herself comfy. I do make sure she is within sight, and pretty close to me (I worry about big brother accidentally knocking her over). But sometimes that's the best nap she has during the day. Granted, that's not saying much at this point in time...

I can say with confidence, however, that this too shall pass. Our oldest was a horrible sleeper - would catnap a few times a day, needed to be touching me to sleep at night, woke up screaming from every single nap and every night waking. He's three now, and sleeps much, much better. He's only needing me once a night or so, and only wakes up screaming about half the time now. I've found what worked best was gently making small changes. And remembering that it's not forever, and by the time he heads off to college, he'll be sleeping through the night like a champ.

[LCBMAX]

Something that has worked for me when I need to change a nap thing is
a) patience - most of my son's nap things change on his schedule whether I like it or not

b) exhausting him before I try the new thing - eg. keep her happy and moving past 11:30, then try your new trick

Some new tricks you could try are:
stroller naps, during which you roll her right into the bedroom and sneak on out

ergo as usual but on the bouncy ball as she starts to drop off, then transfer to bed

rocking chair in the bedroom, starting after 11:30 so she's a little more desperate

Be prepared to have shorter naps again for a while til the new setting is comfortable for her. Maybe have a transitional phase in which she does her usual ergo nap, but she hears a sleepy music or white noise background that transfers with her to the bedroom eventually.

Or, as we mostly have had to do - just wait. In some ways I wish my son could still do those ergo naps since I'm tied to the house now while he sleeps, and I miss the exercise. But more realistically, I'm sure my back would have absolutely broken by now - 28 pounds. Good luck! It is all sure to change soon enough.

[ellemenope]

I still wear my 21 month old in the ergo to nap. It takes about 10 minutes for her to fall asleep then I just lay her down in our bed and undo the straps. She only sleeps for about 45 minutes.

So, I know how you feel. DD is sooo not a good napper. If she had her way she would go go go until about 6:00 and come to me to fall asleep in my arms within seconds (She has done this a number of times on busy days). And, she has also gone all day without a nap and been perfectly fine.

She just doesn't want to stop. And she is smart. She fully understands what it means to take a nap, and she wants nothing to do with it. So, I have to trick her to sleep at a time that works for all of us. I just consider it a little trick. I don't believe I am teaching her any good or bad habits. Sure, I'd love to teach her how to go into her room and lie down until he falls asleep, but I have been unable to do this without tears.

It is funny. I can't get DD to want a nap, and I can't get myself to not want one.

[Minerva0302]

Originally Posted by ellemenope

It is funny. I can't get DD to want a nap, and I can't get myself to not want one.

Thanks for the suggestions! I've got two more weeks before I finish school, so I'm waiting until then to start switching things up. ellemenope do you put her on your front then take her out and lay her down? LCBMAX thank you. PATIENCE really is essential! And I really like that stroller idea. greenbeanmama We have a framed backpack, so I'll give that a try too!