Lets talk about naptime...

[karma_momma]

My 10 month old son was going down like clockwork at 1pm for more than a month straight. I would nurse him at that time and he would pass right out. Now he doesn't want anything to do with a nap. He is incredibly fussy and yawns and rubs his eyes but doesn't want to fall asleep. My question is how many people have a naptime bed routine or put their babe to bed around a certain time. Also at what age do I trust his knowledge of his body to know when he needs to sleep versus me needing to put him to sleep so he doesn't get overtired?

[alexsam]

Nap times change as babies get older. For me, I wouldn't stress the time- let him tell you when his body tells him to sleep, and then use it. Wait for the cues and then have a short routine (to cue him in the future) and then do what you can to get him to sleep. I'm not above a car ride when ds is tired and doesn't want to go down! For us, it's lunch, diaper, nurse, nap and that works great. But it takes a little refinement to get things running smoothly.

Also, a suggestion- if meals and exercise are regular and the environment is calm, these help qute a bit.

[boongirl]

My dd has never, ever had a routine for anything, much to my chagrin. At 9 mos, she did just what yours is doing: gave up that morning nap. Nothing I could do would get her to go to sleep. She just did not need it. I have just always watched her cues and now that she is talking, we talk about it. She is an excellent judge of her sleep needs because we have always followed them. I've never imposed a bed time or nap time on her and she is now, at nearly 3, capable of telling us when she is tired and when she needs to go to bed. She rarely stays up too late. She just does a great job of trusting and understanding her needs.

Also at what age do I trust his knowledge of his body to know when he needs to sleep versus me needing to put him to sleep so he doesn't get overtired? Trust him now. As long as a baby is allowed to follow his own cues for sleep, he will do so. When you try to impose a bedtime regime on a baby, he looses all ability to watch and monitor his own body needs. Of all the babies and mothers I know, from mommy group and preschools, the ones who put their babes on sleep schedules are the same ones who are up many times a night with them, for years to come. The ones who follow their babes cues for when sleep is needed, they have much more restful homes.

Same rule applies for eating, by the way. Babies who are allowed to eat on demand eat less than those on a schedule. As children, those who eat on demand are not as fat as those who eat on a schedule. They have learned to eat what they need and not more.

[Talula Fairie]

I follow my baby's cues. Usually her naps are pretty consistant but sometimes not. And just when I have a "system" going (she's was down to taking just one nap a day for awhile...now we're back to two naps and a later bedtime, again) she switches it around on me!

But anyhow, I do have a naptime routine. I cradle her in my arms and play a quiet classical music cd. Sometimes I nurse her if she seems intrested. I have been working on laying her down on the bed or, occasionally, her crib and soothing her to sleep but that takes a lot longer most times. I think the basic rule though, is to watch for the very first signs of tiredness and gently put them to sleep using whatever techniques work best for you.

[karma_momma]

Thanks for all the great replies! I think it helps if I step back from the sitaution and remember we are working together rather than I have to tell him what to do. It's hard to break out of that mindset. Just a quick question on sleep cues. I know rubbing the eyes and yawning are cues. He rubs his eyes and nose alot as we can't seem to shake the sniffles and sometimes he will yawn half an hour after he has taken a nap. Are there other things I should watch for?