James has always been a great 'napper'. At three years old, he still goes down for at least two hours a day. Now sometimes, if we are out and about he won't nap. But by the time bedtime rolls around he's so beat, he falls asleep.. FAST!
Graham on the other hand - is a TERRIBLE napper. I think I have created a NON napper. Since we bedshare, if I am not lying down beside him, he will not nap on his own. If I am lucky (and I mean REALLY lucky) he will nap for maybe 30 minutes in his bouncy seat. Now I do not want to stop with the bedsharing. I love it to much. Graham still doesn't sleep through the night (no biggy. I'm used to it now) - and wakes maybe every 3 hours or so in the night to feed. Sometimes we don't need a change, but needs a top up, so I would like to continue with this - I just need him to NAP!
I'm at a lost. I put him in his pack and play and within minutes he is WIDE awake - I try putting him in his crib - WIDE awake again. I've tried carrying him in his Ergo - but he just screams. I'm so lost...
I need him to nap - by himself. I don't mind taking a nap once in a while with him, but I cannot do this everyday.
HELP!!
White noise and complete darkness via blackout curtains? That was the ticket for me with my bad napper. The white noise covered the sound of me leaving. I would nurse him when I was sitting up, and then lay him down when he was drowsy. The white noise would be on, and he would fuss when I put him down. I would rub his tummy and shush him. It took about a week, but he eventually got used to it, and would go to sleep. The other thing is, that maybe you're giving him his nap too late? If they pass their tired zone, they can be over-tired and actually have a hard time falling and staying asleep. About two hours after they wake up in the morning, they should be having their first nap. It takes a bit to figure out each babies rhythms, and its so hard when they don't nap, because they really need it and we do too!
ReplyDeleteI will try the white noise! I never thought to do that. Thanks!
DeleteWith LJ, the key is my bed! I also am co-sleeping but I've brought his pram into our room at night now. It is one of those old school prams with the big wheels. He nurses until he sleeps then if I wake up again I move him into the pram. It has been hard for a few nights but he is getting used to it and is waking less and less. During the day I go to our room and lay on the bed and nurse him and he falls asleep then I slowly get up and pack him with pillows. The first few days he woke but now he is used to it and sleeps for longer periods of time. Once he is good and asleep again I move him to his pram. The idea is that we are slowly working towards being in the pram the whole time. Then I'll repeat the process for moving him into his crib in the boy's room. My room also has black curtains which helps. I keep a blue light in a lamp too. It creates a calm ambiance!
ReplyDeleteMarley just takes his naps on me. :)
ReplyDelete