Naps at 3 months

[hmgarnett]

Does anyone have any suggestions on getting DD to nap in her own bed? She is 3 months old and will only nap in my arms or in her swing. She sleeps in her crib in our bedroom at night for 10-12 hours straight. She goes down at night with no argument at all! But when the sun is up, she wants nothing to do with it. I've tried to let her cry it out, which lasted all of 5 minutes. It was cruel and I will never do that again! Suggestions??

[Bokonon]

If she'll nap in the swing, and sleeps 10-12 hours straight at night, why change it?  Sounds perfect to me, honestly!

[tonimk19]

I agree. DD1 slept in a swing for naps until she was 2/ 2.5

Have you tried laying in bed to side nurse to sleep? Or maybe if you nurse to sleep, wrap a light blanket around her so when you lay her down, she still feels the warmth of the blanket (and your smell). DD1 would also go down if you rocked her and hummed. I'm guessing you already wait a good 10-15 minutes to make sure she's deep alseep. Some babies like movement, noise or need it to be dark. DD1 (as a babe) and DD2 always go down with less fuss for morning naps than afternoon naps. DD2 is 16 weeks today.

Good luck Mama! Sleep is so tricky sometimes.

[LittleBirdy]

Yes, I'd say keep her napping in the swing!  I know it can be stressful because you're probably thinking about what will happen when your DD outgrows her swing... my DS napped only in his swing both at home & at daycare.  At around 5 months I just tried putting him in his crib for a nap and it worked all of a sudden.  (Of course now we're at 9 months and he hates his crib altogether so my new conundrum is HTH to handle things when he starts crawling (very soon) because he starts the night alone in my bed... but this time I know it will work itself out so I'm less stressed!)

[dejagerw]

I agree with pp. If it's working now, there's no need to change :)

[anjsmama]

I agree with the PP, at least she naps in her swing... my first DS napped in his carseat! DD (11 weeks) also doesn't do the bed thing during the day, I either wear her for naps, or she sleeps in the corner of the couch if I am gonna be in the living room with DS. I haven't even tried to change it - she only gets up once or twice a night to nurse, so I figure that's about as low-key as a baby can get! Babies are so smart... it's like they're certain they'll miss something if they go to the crib during the day! 

[FarrenSquare]

I really don't see the swing as a problem for naps, just don't leave her in there for long once she wakes up! Baby D is 4.5 months and naps 50% in his crib (side-carred to our bed) and 50% in the swing... Well, and while I'm baby wearing of course, at least once a day.

If you are looking to try to introduce the crib, maybe you could put her to sleep the way you usually do, lay her down in the crib and if she wakes, pick her up, put her back to sleep and then you could try again, but I would just let her nap where she wants in the swing. But maybe one day it will work and she'll take to the crib naturally in her own time?

[Knitting Mama]

I would have been pretty excited if my daughter was willing to nap in the swing at 3 months old! 

But in seriousness, she did start napping in the swing soon after, like 4 months old, and she kept that up until the swing's motor broke around 8 months old. After that, she's slept fine on a flat surface. I don't see any reason why yours shouldn't sleep in the swing.

[mra]

I also agree with the previous posters. Why not just let her nap in her swing? My 4 month old naps all morning in her swing and has been doing so since about 2 months old. It's pretty much the only place she will nap during the day. I don't think your situation is at all uncommon. Is there a reason that you want her in her crib during the day?