How to get baby to nap alone?

[Taedareth]

Hopefully someone has some advice on this topic. My 6 week old baby frequently falls asleep on the nursing pillow after a feeding. Then if I try to move him while he's in light sleep, he wakes up. If I move him after he gets into deep sleep, he stays asleep. BUT he only stays asleep if I lay down next to him and stay there. If I lay him down in bed and I leave the room, guaranteed he'll wake up after 5 minutes. He just KNOWS when there's a warm body within touching distance and if there isn't, he wakes up and cries.

This is only an issue because DH and I have been wanting to have sex lately but the baby won't give us a chance! I've also tried nursing him to sleep in bed but as soon as I get up to leave, he knows I'm gone and wakes up. If I nurse him to sleep in our bed and then we try to have some marital intimacy on the other side of the bed, he wakes up also. ARGH!!!!! Anyone got advice on how to get a baby to nap by himself??

[DesireeH]

I have no idea either. Both my kids did this. We've only dtd twice and the first time I miraculously got her to sleep but she was SUPER tired cause Jevin woke her up all day everytime she fell asleep he would scream or something and wake her up. The second time I put her in the swing next to the bed and she stayed asleep. LOL It hasnt happened since cause she always wakes up. She will sleep the longest alone in her swing though, maybe cause it feels like she is being rocked or something? If you go for a drive in the car will he stay asleep in the carseat? I did that a couple times too when Jevin was a baby. We dtd on a twin mattress on the floor in the other room as he got older (and would sleep by himself more).

It does get easier though!!

[IncaMama]

here's what i did with DS. get dh to put a towel in the dryer while you're getting baby to sleep. nurse baby to sleep on a bed (so you don't have to transfer). just as you're ready to pop baby off the boob and leave, have dh wrap pillow in the towel that just came out of the dryer. as you leave, have dh replace your body with the pillow. worked like a charm with DS....although..you know, not for TOO long. LOL!! but definitely more than just leaving with no replacement warm body.

[Emmy142]

I like what Michele suggested. I'm trying to figure out how to get Teagan to nap in her crib during the day. I don't like leaving her on my bed alone so during the day when she is napping, I would prefer her to be in her crib, plus then I don't have to worry about DS bothering her the second my back is turned.

[anonymous4_20]

I asked this question earlier this week!

We're still working on it. We've had the most success so far with a heating pad laid in the bassinet during nursing with his blanket on top of it (kind of michele's method modified). Then I take out the pad, set him down, and lay the blanket over him. We're also putting a metronome on 60 bpm and playing it in the room while he sleeps. He still won't nap for long--about an hour is his longest nap--but we'll take what we can get!

When you say "it does get easier" can you offer a time frame for us first-timers?

[aisraeltax]

im definitely interested in any ideas out there.
someone mentioned a rice sack (heating it in the microwave) when leaving babe. anyone know where to get one of those things? i will try anything at this point, since he wont sleep at all w/o me lying w/ him. (or in teh sling).

[Taedareth]

Don't spend money on the rice sack thingy - you can make one for practically free. Take one of your husband's socks, fill it up with rice, and tie the end closed. Voila!

[DesireeH]

When you say "it does get easier" can you offer a time frame for us first-timers?

like 4-5 months........lol.....for us anyways....lol

but then wait until they are 3 and just walk in on you. LOL

[aisraeltax]

or when they are teenagers and find out u r going to have a baby and say "OMG...i thought you guys were too old to do it:""""

[allnaturalmama]

Originally Posted by aisraeltax

or when they are teenagers and find out u r going to have a baby and say "OMG...i thought you guys were too old to do it:""""

[starparticle]

We have been working on this for the past two weeks also! Seriously, my main motivation is a little time alone with DH...I also going to my office with him next week, so I need him to be able to sleep while I work with the chemicals for the press...

We are good for two (2!!!) 2 hour naps every day with the following method:

1) Get baby full but don't let him fall asleep.
2) Wrap him in two comfy blankets
3) Do what ever to get him drowsy (walk, bounce, etc)
4) Lay him in the cat bed ( http://www.perfectdogbeds.com/Pages/...ut-milano.html ) on his side. He will ONLY sleep on his side! The cat bed works great cause it props him up just right.
5) Let him stare at me as I work on the computer for about 10 minutes. Some times it takes a paci for it to go that long...
6) He finally falls asleep.

I think the cat bed is key because it is warm, it keeps him on his side, and he has pressure on his back and front, like lying next to someone.

Our only problem now is that sometimes he wakes up SCREAMING cause he has to pee, and then we have to start the whole process over again But for the most part it is going well!

Now what to do about that restless period he has between 3 am and 6 am...ideas??

rachel

[spiralmg]

The cat bed part of your method is hilarious!

[Jeanne_L]

Originally Posted by starparticle

Now what to do about that restless period he has between 3 am and 6 am...ideas??

rachel

what's up with that? my ds does that too! not every night, but maybe half the time...

[mkoontz]

It's funny, but I've found Aveena sleeps better when she falls asleep by herself too. I always wanted to be the kind of Mum that wears their baby the whole time and does all that kind of stuff, but she just seems to go to sleep better and stay asleap longer if she does it by herself. I think the constant movement on me actually wakes her up. I have to confess that I'm kind of sad about it too, but it does give me much more time!!

[IncaMama]

megan, same here. Rowan was my velcro child so Ava is a foreign creature to me! LOL she sleeps much longer if i just leave her the heck alone. and if she stirs...if i just leave her alone, she'll put herself back to sleep in a moment. !!!!!! that NEVER happened with Rowan. still doesn't! LMAO!!!

i'm just thanking my lucky stars for now until she changes on me like they all seem to do just when you get used to them. LOL

[DesireeH]

or when they are teenagers and find out u r going to have a baby and say "OMG...i thought you guys were too old to do it:""""

[monkeymommy3]

My ds has the same problem, he's 4 weeks. The only trick I have is to lay him on his side on the couch and then the key is to lay his blanket along the side of his face....he has to have his blanket touching his face.