We are getting pretty desperate for any naptime tips any of you moms/ aunts/ friends have. I just don't have the heart to listen to Allie cry herself to sleep anymore (hence the photo of her in her swing). Is it too terribly bad to let her nap in her swing? Help, please :)
3 comments:
Well I'm probably not the best person to answer this as I only have one child and my methods probably just work for him. I tried to read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" when Miles was first born, but I found it so incredibly boring that I only read a couple chapters! But I did get this from it- I try to read Miles drowsy signs: such as getting quieter, less movement, disinterested in surroundings and then I try to put him in his bed awake and leave him. I have a little musical pull toy attached to his crib that I use to distract him a little until he falls asleep. Sometimes he talks or fusses a little, but if I catch him soon enough while he is in his "quiet phase" he usually falls asleep on his own. However if it has been a day where we have been running around or on Sundays when his routine is off. I try to rock him to sleep and then put him in his crib. If he fusses I go back in and calm him down by rubbing his cheek and shushing in his ear and then go back out. I won't pick him up unless he is really hystarical. Sometimes I have to repeat this process 2-3 times but usually he goes to sleep. But if he is really over-tired I will do just about anything to get him to sleep(cause believe me he is crabby if he is over-tired)even if it's nursing him laying down on my bed and then leaving him there surrounded pillows or (gasp) putting him on his tummy with his paci in his mouth and rubbing his back till he falls asleep. Anyway, like I said my ways probably just work for Miles, but I've heard that the books "On Becoming Baby Wise" and "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" are excellant. I haven't read either one, though! Hope you can figure out what works for little Allie-baby! I know you could use the naptime as well An! Love ya
wow that is a rough one. well after the three boys I don't think I even have an answer for ya. what worked with my boys was that we would just lay him down and let them cry, and about a 2 weeks after that they learned that it was nap time, and when I laid them down they knew it was nap time, and they would just play until eventually going to sleep, but the first week and a half were the hardest because like you I hated to hear him cry, and I just wanted to go hold him, but after time things got better for the both of us, and nap time wasn't so bad. Just Remember that while they are crying to go about every five minutes, and tell her that she needs to go to sleep and that you love her...that is what seemed to work for me and my boys. Although when they get out of the crib into a regular bed then a new challange begins. Normally with my boys now I lay on there floor until they go to sleep, and I have to do that at night to not so much for kayden, but for Xander, because he is scared to be by himself, and so that is comforting to him. So sometime I think that you have to try some advice, and then trial and error on what is going to work best for you and Allie. The best thing to teach her is to be consistant. maybe after she goes to sleep in her swing is to pick her up and put her in her bed if that is possible. Well I hope I could be of some help! Take care
Thanks Heather and Christina! We will try your suggestions. I have been reading a great book called "The SleepEasy Solution" and the tips in there are good, I just wanted some mothers' advice. :) Thanks! :)
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