What are we doing about naps?

[sam1930]

Hi everyone! We’ve been cosleeping successfully using the safe sleep 7 since birth and love it, LO is 3 weeks in a couple of days.

But what are we doing about naps during the day? He likes to be nursed to sleep and I leave him in the middle of the bed with no sheets, and the monitor, but it usually lasts like 20-30 minutes before he wakes up. When I stay with him for the naps they can last almost two hours (so that’s what I’ve been doing). I don’t mind staying with him for one of the naps because I get my nap in too, but I’d like to be able to leave him for at least one nap so I can get some stuff done around the house…

Does anyone have any tips for daytime naps for a cosleeping baby? He’s really young so it’s okay if the tips are for future months, just want to get ahead of it to plan.

Thanks everyone!

 

[birdlover]

@sam1930 Contact naps and baby wearing all the way. Some one said to me - one day you will carry your baby for the last time and you won’t even know because they will grow up and be too big. I am getting all the snuggles in while I can and I have no regrets at all.

 

[justauser]

@sam1930 We’re at 7 months and have only done contact naps. Naps in the carrier were amazing until he started to be interested in the world around 5 months.

 

[jessiejackson]

@sam1930 Mine is 11 weeks and she naps in her bassinet. She was kind of forced to because I also have a 3 year old who doesn’t start school until September.

At first she just wanted me to hold her while she napped but the more I just kept putting her in the bassinet, it just started to work. She will sleep in it for hours now.

I do feel bad and I would love to be holding her while she napped and I watch TV but I can’t with a toddler.

 

[ktores]

@jessiejackson This is kinda what I've been doing. Also 11 weeks and she likes to stretch out for sleep so lap naps are no more. So I leave her in the bassinet until she is about to cry. I don't let her cry before I pick her up and she's slowly sleeping more in the bassinet.

 

[geeani]

@jessiejackson Does baby wearing not work or have you not tried yet? Wondering as a mother to be and just trying to imagine how to work out this dynamic. I have a baby on the way but would like to adopt a toddler.

 

[jessiejackson]

@geeani I’ve only worn her when we go out and it works ok. Sometimes she sleeps in it and other times she won’t.

It kinda hurts my back to wear her but it’s always an option. I should try it more

 

[geeani]

@jessiejackson Thanks for your input on this! Everyone makes babywearing seem so simple but in the back of my mind, I always wondered how it would affect my back. I hope to babywear in the house for at least six months but after that, I’m not sure how realistic that is.

 

[daribfr]

@sam1930 At 9 months and we still contact nap. I love the snuggles and know she won't do it forever, so I'm soaking it in now. Sometimes if I put her in my back carrier around her nap time, she falls asleep and then I can walk around and do stuff, dishes, clean. Just not too much bending over.

 

[donald_allan]

@sam1930 Mine is the same way at 11weeks. I have been able to tire him out during tummy time then I put a paci in and pat his back until he sleeps and sometimes he will sleep for an hour plus.

But if that fails I just put him in my moby wrap and he will sleep untill I take him out. I was using the moby wrap once his cord stump was gone and he loved it! He cried at first from confusion but he loved it.

 

[sam1930]

@donald_allan Mine also sleeps with the paci but as soon as it falls out he starts to wake. I got another one (more nipple shaped) just in case it’s the type of pacifier I’m using. I’d love an hour nap. I’ll look up the wrap! Thank you!!

 

[confusedbuthopeful]

@sam1930 The baby carrier is where it’s at. But not at 3 weeks… at 3 weeks you just hold your baby and hopefully let someone else do the cooking and cleaning.

 

[keithparagon]

@confusedbuthopeful I miss these days so much

 

[toes]

@sam1930 Yes, babywearing naps! My little guy is 10 weeks and will usually take two 2-hour naps a day when worn in a carrier (I have the Solly and Baby K'Tan). He doesn't like the more structured Ergobaby yet.

 

[sangotunhienst]

@sam1930 Carrier naps!! My baby is 4 months and that's the best sleep she gets during the day. She will sleep lightly and wake up laying down unless I'm beside her. Check out the babywearing sub. You're in prime time for baby to sleep all day snuggled up in a wrap

 

[daribfr]

@sam1930 L and

 

[lizawales]

@sam1930 Exactly the same here! Although bub is 7wo. They seem to have a sixth sense and know if you’ve left the bed/room. Only thing that seems to help a bit is white noise, and making sure she’s warm enough. But I pretty much have to lay in with her for naps, or hold her or have her in the carrier!!

 

[speedkr7911]

@sam1930 Our’s is now 3.5 months, and she contact napped in the carrier or napped with us in the bed up until about 3 weeks ago. Since both my husband and I have time off (Canadians), we still contact nap her most of the time, but we can put her down to sleep in her own co sleeper bed around 7-8pm for a few hours before we come to bed ourselves. So I know she could probably be napping independently, but having her in the carrier seems more practical for longer naps and so that we can go out and walk
the dog or run an errand by foot if we need to.

So to answer your question, the baby carrier, especially the fabric wrap ones for when they’re really little work really well for naps! Helps them adapt to noisy environments while they sleep too.

 

[drpirtle]

@sam1930 13 months old and all naps are contact naps, either in bed laying down, sitting on the couch with them in my arms or carried around in a wrap. That last option is great if you need to get stuff done! ..or when you've more kids, to run around after them, lol

 

[leyah]

@sam1930 Thats pretty much how mine was too. I stayed with him for some but for others I just left him as long as he would sleep, which was usually 20-30min. Its only a short while though. At around 8 months mine started napping for at least an hour at each nap, alone, and at 18 months he is giving me a full 3 hour nap! Just chug along through those tough sleep stages.

Something I did was try to slip my boob out and slip a pacifier in. This really only worked until he was around 4 months old and learned to be wary of my trickery lol but it definitely helped him sleep longer for a good while!