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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Napping issues
sahm2three 12:30 PM 09-07-2010
My baby room for naps is not working out. I have an almost 2 year old that is good and goes to sleep for about 2 hours. Then I have an 8 month old that barely sleeps at all during the day, used to but doesn't any more. Then I have a 5 month old who is iffy on naps. He is held a lot at home, so would sleep much longer if he was held (not going to do that). I am struggling with what to do because I want them to all be on the same schedule. Do I keep them in there until nap time is over regardless of whether they are sleeping and just go in from time to time and give them their lovies or paci's again? If I don't get this figured out soon, I won't get a break all day. Advice?
tenderhearts 04:08 PM 09-07-2010
I'm hear ya. I wish I had a break too. All my dcks nap at the same time, except the 2 babies are on different schedules, 8 mo and 5 mo, I try but they are so unpredictable in their napping. The 5 mo old is pretty consistent but it's hard because some of her naps can be 2 hours sometimes 3 so it changes the times some. I try to get them down before the others get up so I have at least 30 min but that doesn't happen often anymore, I miss it.
Myother problem is, I have to use 3 different rooms for naps. I can't put the 2 babies together because the 8 mo old doesn't nap well so he'll wake her up, and I can't put either of them with the other kids because sometimes she'll wake up and cry for about a minute or 2 when she rolls over, so she'll wake up all the other kids, ugh it's so frustrating.
Myother problem is, I have to use 3 different rooms for naps. I can't put the 2 babies together because the 8 mo old doesn't nap well so he'll wake her up, and I can't put either of them with the other kids because sometimes she'll wake up and cry for about a minute or 2 when she rolls over, so she'll wake up all the other kids, ugh it's so frustrating.
Unregistered 05:01 PM 09-07-2010
I have 2 dc babies they are 15 months and 8 months old they nap for 2 to 2 and half hours a day I do not get them up even if they are awake till nap time is over. I also cut morning nap out at 6 months so they sleep longer in the afternoon and when they are 12 months I cut the evening nap out youy can try cutting morning nap and see if that works.
Crystal 06:12 PM 09-07-2010
Naptime can be such an issue. It sux when 98% of the group sleeps well and you have 1 or 2 UP. What I have found is that putting the older children down and then spending some quality time with the infants -playing actively for a bit, then settling down with a blankie and a book - can really help with getting them to nap. How about getting rid of the play pens ( I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out 
) putting a couple of napmats in a quiet corner, a few little "quiet" toys - soft blocks, books, soft dolls, etc. and then quietly sit and play with them, then lay them down, read them a quick story, rub their backs for a minute, then tell them "night-night, I'm going to _________________, I'll be right here, you go night-night" If they get up, you quietly walk to them, pick them up, GENTLY lay them down on their mat, tell the it's time for ________ to go to sleep, lay down and go night-night, I'll be right here" then walk away. REPEAT.
This WILL NOT work the first time, but after a few times, turning it into a routine/ritual, they will learn to lay down and self-sooth. Over a few weeks you will be able to remove yourself more and more until they are doing it on their own. It IS time consuming, but in the end it's TOTALLY worth the effort - you have solid nappers who wake up well rested and ready to go, and you feel the same because you got a much needed break.
) putting a couple of napmats in a quiet corner, a few little "quiet" toys - soft blocks, books, soft dolls, etc. and then quietly sit and play with them, then lay them down, read them a quick story, rub their backs for a minute, then tell them "night-night, I'm going to _________________, I'll be right here, you go night-night" If they get up, you quietly walk to them, pick them up, GENTLY lay them down on their mat, tell the it's time for ________ to go to sleep, lay down and go night-night, I'll be right here" then walk away. REPEAT.This WILL NOT work the first time, but after a few times, turning it into a routine/ritual, they will learn to lay down and self-sooth. Over a few weeks you will be able to remove yourself more and more until they are doing it on their own. It IS time consuming, but in the end it's TOTALLY worth the effort - you have solid nappers who wake up well rested and ready to go, and you feel the same because you got a much needed break.
sahm2three 07:32 PM 09-07-2010
Originally Posted by Crystal:
Naptime can be such an issue. It sux when 98% of the group sleeps well and you have 1 or 2 UP. What I have found is that putting the older children down and then spending some quality time with the infants -playing actively for a bit, then settling down with a blankie and a book - can really help with getting them to nap. How about getting rid of the play pens ( I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out ) putting a couple of napmats in a quiet corner, a few little "quiet" toys - soft blocks, books, soft dolls, etc. and then quietly sit and play with them, then lay them down, read them a quick story, rub their backs for a minute, then tell them "night-night, I'm going to _________________, I'll be right here, you go night-night" If they get up, you quietly walk to them, pick them up, GENTLY lay them down on their mat, tell the it's time for ________ to go to sleep, lay down and go night-night, I'll be right here" then walk away. REPEAT.
This WILL NOT work the first time, but after a few times, turning it into a routine/ritual, they will learn to lay down and self-sooth. Over a few weeks you will be able to remove yourself more and more until they are doing it on their own. It IS time consuming, but in the end it's TOTALLY worth the effort - you have solid nappers who wake up well rested and ready to go, and you feel the same because you got a much needed break.
Thanks for that. It sounds nice, but I don't know if I would stay sane! The 8 month old used to nap, and now doesn't hardly nap at all in the 10 hours he is here. And if I lied him down on a mat, he would NEVER stay! I would have to physically hold him on it. In order to change his diaper I have to put a leg over him to keep him laying down or I have poo everywhere because he tries to roll over the second I lie him down! The 5 month old freaks out if layed down anywhere. I can hold him and get him to sleep (which I really don't have time to do every day) but the second I try to lie him down he wakes and freaks out. Mom says he sleeps in his carseat a lot. I won't judge, because I had a son who was extremely colicky and you do what you have to do. The 8 month old, maybe a growth spurt (God help me, he is already HUGE!). I am just going to have to move the 5 month old out of the room and see if that makes a difference. Ugh. Soooooo frustrating.Naptime can be such an issue. It sux when 98% of the group sleeps well and you have 1 or 2 UP. What I have found is that putting the older children down and then spending some quality time with the infants -playing actively for a bit, then settling down with a blankie and a book - can really help with getting them to nap. How about getting rid of the play pens ( I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out
) putting a couple of napmats in a quiet corner, a few little "quiet" toys - soft blocks, books, soft dolls, etc. and then quietly sit and play with them, then lay them down, read them a quick story, rub their backs for a minute, then tell them "night-night, I'm going to _________________, I'll be right here, you go night-night" If they get up, you quietly walk to them, pick them up, GENTLY lay them down on their mat, tell the it's time for ________ to go to sleep, lay down and go night-night, I'll be right here" then walk away. REPEAT.This WILL NOT work the first time, but after a few times, turning it into a routine/ritual, they will learn to lay down and self-sooth. Over a few weeks you will be able to remove yourself more and more until they are doing it on their own. It IS time consuming, but in the end it's TOTALLY worth the effort - you have solid nappers who wake up well rested and ready to go, and you feel the same because you got a much needed break.
Crystal 07:47 PM 09-07-2010
Yeah, that does sound frustrating! Too bad Mom and Dad aren't on board with allowing the child to learn to self-sooth....holding them all of the time does not benefit ANYONE - ESPECIALLY the child!
I won't judge on the carseat thing either - an exhausted parent NEEDS sleep.
Good luck....I hope you find a solution, QUICKLY!!!
I won't judge on the carseat thing either - an exhausted parent NEEDS sleep.
Good luck....I hope you find a solution, QUICKLY!!!
marniewon 08:09 PM 09-07-2010
At about 5-6 months old, my dcb started having a hard time putting himself to sleep. Up until that point, we swaddled him, but dcm decided to take the swaddler away (mostly because he was outgrowing it). He was constantly waking himself up,and there was no way I could put him down awake - he just couldn't do it. I went to the store and bought him a "lovey" to keep here, just for him. (It was one of those tiny blankets with an animal head on it). So, after breakfast and diaper change and a bottle, when I knew he was starting to get tired, I would give him his "lovey", put on some soft music and lay him down. After a while he realized that when I gave him lovey and put him to bed, it was time to sleep. And then, after a while longer, he decided he didn't want to sleep anymore when I put him down. He would cry and cry, and I would go in every few minutes to replace paci and lay him back down. I was talking to someone on another board and they told me to stop going in there, because for as long as i was going in there, he would continue to cry, just to make me come in there. So, I stopped. i would lay him down, say night-night and walk out. The first couple of days were tough on all of us, but he finally figured out I wasn't coming back in and he would just go to sleep. Now, he's a pretty good napper (he'll be 1 next month).
Hope some of this helps!
Hope some of this helps!
momma2girls 05:55 AM 09-08-2010
Originally Posted by marniewon:
At about 5-6 months old, my dcb started having a hard time putting himself to sleep. Up until that point, we swaddled him, but dcm decided to take the swaddler away (mostly because he was outgrowing it). He was constantly waking himself up,and there was no way I could put him down awake - he just couldn't do it. I went to the store and bought him a "lovey" to keep here, just for him. (It was one of those tiny blankets with an animal head on it). So, after breakfast and diaper change and a bottle, when I knew he was starting to get tired, I would give him his "lovey", put on some soft music and lay him down. After a while he realized that when I gave him lovey and put him to bed, it was time to sleep. And then, after a while longer, he decided he didn't want to sleep anymore when I put him down. He would cry and cry, and I would go in every few minutes to replace paci and lay him back down. I was talking to someone on another board and they told me to stop going in there, because for as long as i was going in there, he would continue to cry, just to make me come in there. So, I stopped. i would lay him down, say night-night and walk out. The first couple of days were tough on all of us, but he finally figured out I wasn't coming back in and he would just go to sleep. Now, he's a pretty good napper (he'll be 1 next month).
Hope some of this helps!
I know this is very true!! I think my little guy that looses his pacifier all the time- the parents are waking up and giving it to him all night long!! THey have to be. I know I need to start not going in and giving it to him also. It will be hell though for a couple of weeks!!At about 5-6 months old, my dcb started having a hard time putting himself to sleep. Up until that point, we swaddled him, but dcm decided to take the swaddler away (mostly because he was outgrowing it). He was constantly waking himself up,and there was no way I could put him down awake - he just couldn't do it. I went to the store and bought him a "lovey" to keep here, just for him. (It was one of those tiny blankets with an animal head on it). So, after breakfast and diaper change and a bottle, when I knew he was starting to get tired, I would give him his "lovey", put on some soft music and lay him down. After a while he realized that when I gave him lovey and put him to bed, it was time to sleep. And then, after a while longer, he decided he didn't want to sleep anymore when I put him down. He would cry and cry, and I would go in every few minutes to replace paci and lay him back down. I was talking to someone on another board and they told me to stop going in there, because for as long as i was going in there, he would continue to cry, just to make me come in there. So, I stopped. i would lay him down, say night-night and walk out. The first couple of days were tough on all of us, but he finally figured out I wasn't coming back in and he would just go to sleep. Now, he's a pretty good napper (he'll be 1 next month).
Hope some of this helps!