Hello,

I have a 12mo boy and his 3yo brother newly in care. This is their 2nd fulltime week after 2 parttime weeks. 3yo sleeps for my naptime (11:45-2:15). The 12mo does not.

Mother is breastfeeding and nurses to sleep at home. 3yo has not napped at home in over a year but naps easily for 2+ hours for me. But this 12mo just doesn't want to sleep. He will often fall asleep easily, even without crying, but wake after 20 minutes and cry thereafter. I have tried soothing him (mom says rocking helps; not for me) but the end result is the same: he cries the entire remaining time.

Mom has expressed a frustration with him not napping here because his quality of life is reduced from what it previously was (at home with her). He has not napped longer than 20 minutes here at any time. He is a nice boy otherwise...friendly, playful, eats well, ect. He isn't overly upset at being left...doesn't cry at dropoff and is mostly happy during 'awake' periods.

Is there anything I can do? I have my own 11mo as well as a DCG15mo and they nap very well.

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Are you sure she's not having him at the breast for the whole nap?

If he's doing a twenty minute cat nap cycle there's a good chance that the way she copes with it is holding him thru the nap and having the breast available when he cycles into light sleep.

Is she saying that she nurses him to sleep and he STAYS asleep without the breast during nap?

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yeah it sounds like she is nursing to sleep and then back to sleep. by rocking, she may mean that she rocks and holds the whole nap.

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