georgejungle Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 Our 7 month old Baby won't nap anywhere except in our arms. I know, we must have spoiled her early on. We love her! She'll sleep in her crib at night no problem, a few cries, then she's out. But during the day, forget it! Me and Wife are getting kinda weathered having to nap her on our shoulder three times a day in our dark bedroom for an hour at a time, just so she'll get some sleep... We've tried to let her cry it out for naps, but she will literally cry for an hour if we let her. what to do?
GorillaTheater Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 This tends to be an area where parenting opinions are dearly-held so you may hear a wide range of views, but for what it's worth coming from a dad with 8 kids, I say let them cry (sounds mean, doesn't it). In fairly short order though, they'll learn to put themselves to sleep with little or no crying (like she's already done at night). Besides, you guys need a break; naptime is for you almost as much as it is for the baby.
Girlygal Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 My first babe got to be like that, only wanted mommy to sleep on. At first it was cute, then well like you i wanted him to sleep on his own. I know it sounds terrible and you guys have already tried it, but you must let them cry it out. Try to make a routine out of it, prior to bed tell a story something calm and relaxing, get them a silky blanky and a bottle of warm milk. Talk quietly, make sure they are getting relaxed. Then take them in and lay them down in a quiet room and walk away. It took nearly a week before he started to go down by himself. And i cried a few different times, but it truely is whats best. Now my 3rd kids begs to be in his bed when he wants to nap and i am happy to lay him down and walk away. As parents we need that nap time as much as they do to rejuvinate ourselves and to get the house work done. I hope that you get this worked out! Just remember a routine really works!
laRubiaBonita Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 have you tried laying her down to nap, and keeping a hand on her belly or back and just rubbing or lightly patting her? also if you speak softly while you do this it helps too. i used to do that with my kids i babysat, and it would help comfort them.
2sure Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 The hands down best advice I ever received while I was pregnant: Let the baby cry. I wished many many times I would have followed it. My daughter would not nap for me so she walked around miserable the second half of the day. Later, that translated to not going to sleep unless I was beside her. Didn't solve the problem until she was 5 years old. I let her cry and didn't give in. TRUST me - they can cry a lot longer and harder, plus beat on doors and throws things when they are 5. Do it now.
Author georgejungle Posted June 8, 2009 Author Posted June 8, 2009 Thanks All! We do the ritual book read and Wife feeds her milk, gets her relaxed, we set her down in the crib and that's when Baby freaks out! Cries, Cries, Cries. Even if we get her to fall asleep on our shoulder, THEN set her down in her crib, she'll wake up immediately and cry! She won't let up too, she's a screamer. Thanks for the advice, i know every parent is different, i'm open to all the suggestions. I know we need to just let her cry it out, but when she can go on for a Whole Hour, it breaks our hearts...
hotgurl Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 I know this is really hard. But I had to do it too. Let her cry it out. I think there is a method where after 10 minutes you go in and check etc. maybe it was in what to expect the first year. Also for my daughter I found a walk in a stroller helped her fall asleep. Plus I got to get outside and get some exercise as well. good luck.
Art_Critic Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 The noise machine... http://www.brookstone.com/store/product.asp?pid=467019 Works like a charm for our son.. just read the reviews... also. the older the baby gets the easier this becomes.. somewhere around a year their patterns all start getting tons better...
GorillaTheater Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 The noise machine... http://www.brookstone.com/store/product.asp?pid=467019 Works like a charm for our son.. just read the reviews... We have a variant of that. "Stream" (think babbling brook) noise seems to work the best for us.
Art_Critic Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 I know we need to just let her cry it out, but when she can go on for a Whole Hour, it breaks our hearts... Yes you do but only to a point.. our little one went almost 7 hours crying during the reflux era.. He also won't cry himself out..although the older he has gotten he will occasionally cry before a nap and then go right out.. If your child continues to cry you go in there.. comfort them but don't pick them up..just let them know you are there for them and then see if they will calm down.
blind_otter Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 Well I am not a cry-it-out parent. I dislike the Ferber method and I have read some negative literature regarding emotional development and crying it out. My S/O actually feels like he retained some hostility towards his parents because he has some memories of being left to cry it out in a crib and hiding his face under a blanket. Also, my parents never did this method with me, either. I just can't handle it. When my son cries, it makes me feel crazy. I feel this intense urgent need to help him. If I had to let him CIO I would cry myself. I nurse him to sleep, mostly. We have the crib side-carred to the bed for ease of nursing. I can nurse him to sleep, slide him over into his crib and I just put a pillow next to him now, since he can get out of bed and open the door and come and find me when he wakes up now. Anyways, basically what I've learned thusfar is that you baby will constantly change. She may get into a good routine for a while but as soon as she starts working on some new developmental challenge, be it sitting, crawling, the pincher grasp, or walking, their sleep will become more disturbed as they concentrate on obtaining this new skill. The best advice I ever got was - go with the flow. Don't worry so much, as long as they are healthy and happy.
Trialbyfire Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 Maybe she's ready for the transition to two longer naps per day. As well, sleeping on shoulders or your body, means she can hear your heartbeat. How about some form of heartbeat music? Another way that might help, is to go for a walk everyday, around the afternoon nap time. Not only do strollers help quite a number of babies sleep due to the rocking motion, the long hour or two hour walk absolutely helps the mother get into shape.
Meaplus3 Posted June 10, 2009 Posted June 10, 2009 Keep her awake as much as possible during the morning and try to offer her lot's of stimulation with toys and such. I had good luck this way with all 3 when they were babies. Good luck. Mea:)
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