How to wind down before daytime naps

[vicdubya]

DS is a year and he goes down at 7pm no problem, either sleepy after milk or even if still quite awake, he will settle nicely in his cot.

We have done the same bedtime routine from when a few weeks old of stories, bath, milk, etc.

But I cannot get him to settle for daytime naps without either BF, or being out in the pushchair or car.

It just seems as though the transition from awake to sleep is too great for him and he doesn;t know how to wind down & fall asleep in the middle of the day.

He is on the go (just started walking) from the minute he wakes (around 6.30am) and once he is off to sleep at his morning nap (around 10.30), will sleep for 2 hours, then also maybe a short nap in the afternoon.

Has anyone any ideas ho to get him wound down a bit before his naps. His room is darkish but not pitch black (I can;t block all the light out), and there isn;t much noise, and I sometimes try reading a story to him in his room beforehand, but he does generally just tend to scream the place down in hysterics if I put him in the cot & leave the room.

At night if he cries when I put him down, I maybe just have to pop back in once to calm him & then he will be fine whereas in the day this just goes on & on with him not sleeping and me getting more & more wound up until I give in and feed him or take him out later in the pushchair etc.

Any thoughts?

[vicdubya]

Anyone?

[dinny]

count your blessings! give me peaceful night's sleep over daytime naps any day! maybe he doesn't need anything but a catnap in the day.....

[janx]

hi
I have the same problem with my 6 month old dd - she hates lunchtime naps - will go to bed for 30mins - wakes up and then just screams until I either feed her or pick her up - have tried cc, but she is soooooo loud. Interestingly for the last two days my dp has put her down and lo and behold she slept for 2 hours!! I guess she knows I will bf and he can't

[dinny]

janx, I really think their daytime naps get longer around 6 months - ds is starting to nap for longer and longer and is nearly 7 months. dd did the same. maybe feed your dd as soon as she wakes and try and put her back down to increase her sleep....?

[TracyK]

does he show sleepy signs as early as 10.30? My ds is also just turned a yo and is normally ready for his nap around 11.30pm (up at 6/6.30am).
But I can usually tell when he's tired by him whinging, rubbing ears, etc. But I won't try and put him down till he displays these signs.

[TracyK]

ps janx - are you sure she's got a really full tummy before her nap and thats shes lovely and toasty.

[dinny]

ds has a nap at about 9am, then another in the afternoon.

[janx]

thanks for advice I know it isn't hunger as she has a really big breast feed and her solids, it is more she doesn't want to be on her own- today when she woke up at lunchtime - i went into her room and sat near her cot and sang to her - after a little bit she stopped crying and went back to sleep...hurrah

[highlandmum]

If she's looking for a bf but doesn't need one and no other adult available, try a drink of water. Not so interesting as bf.

[Fisha]

I also had this problem with DD who's now 9 months. She was fine a night but had to rock her and then take her out in pram during the day. Worked out she didn't know what was coming so now when she show signs of being tired we clear away her toys all the while telling her she's going for a nap, then I take her upstairs close the curtains put her in her grow bag and then read a quick story. After that its into her cot with a bit of ssshhing and patting to push her off to sleep. Took a week but the improvement was amazing and now she goes into her cot for both naps and is generally asleep within 5mins. Might be worth a try? Good luck

[anna28]

Fisha, what a success!! How was the week though? I would love to know if there was a lot of tears? My nearly 5m DD is a nightmare during the day and I will begin your method tomorrow...wish me luck!