Naps - Do you stay chained to the house - how do you cope with more than 1 dc?

(17 Posts)
Madallie Tue 27-Nov-12 19:07:20

Just wondered what you all do about naps? I have DD almost 1. Never a great napper. Hit and miss at times but now on the whole much better.

After a long time of no napping in moses basket then cot we gradually got her to nap in them. Problem is she now won't nap in pushchair at all.

I am glad she naps in cot but now they are becoming hit and miss and a bit of a struggle to get her down for I feel really confined to the house and get really frustrated that I rush home from whenever I am to put her down for a nap which can take 45mins for about an hours nap.

Do you all stay in/come home for naps. Is it possible my dd could learn re learn -she used to nap in pushchair while on the move when she wouldn't nap in moses basket/cot to nap in a pushchair if I do it often enough?

Just wondered what other people do.


minicc Tue 27-Nov-12 19:11:20

Oooh marking my place! Dd naps beautifully in her cot- but waves at people through the zip on the snooze shade on her buggy if I attempt to make her nap in it!

Iggly Tue 27-Nov-12 19:13:51

What time are you napping? I struggled if too late and they're too tired more than if not tired (rare).

With my second I became more relaxed. Didn't care where she napped, as long as she did. So most naps were in the sling (0-4 months), then pushchair (4-6 months) and from 6 months a mix of cot and pushchair. She's nearly 1 and naps are rarely an issue.

Iggly Tue 27-Nov-12 19:18:16

Pushchair naps happen if she's well fed, well wrapped up -blanket and (imagine how cold you get sitting in this weather - a coat and flimsy foot muff isn't enough - plus snooze shade. She also has to have background noise so a busy road helps.

ImogensMumJess Tue 27-Nov-12 19:28:29

My dd (14 weeks) will only nap on the move, n the car/sling/pram consequently she is quite a good sleeper at night... Her other favorite place to sleep is on me!! So counting some blessings and watching for tips!!!

Madallie Tue 27-Nov-12 19:38:59

Minicc - the waving thing is so funny! Sounds like my dd!

Thanks for the advise/ideas Iggly. DD is always well fed, warm and comfy in her pushchair. We don't have snooze shade but our pushchair has the equivalent attached. There's always background noise - I know she would never nap in silent setting in pushchair. It's just a mystery to me how she doesn't nod off when she is clearly tired. I would if someone was pushing me around!

Our routine is -

6.30/45 - nap
3/3.35 hours after waking - nap 1 (9.30/45)
3/3.25 hours after waking nap 2 (2.00
3/3.5hours after waking - BT - usually 7(depends on nap succes)

What do you think?

Iggly Tue 27-Nov-12 19:45:02

So is it the lunch time nap which is the issue?

Try and keep the morning nap a bit earlier - around 9.
Second nap around 1.

At this age, naps should ideally be at set times - something about the internal body clock switching around 9 months so set times suit babies better than having set gaps between naps. Then she's more likely to nap on the go?

Madallie Tue 27-Nov-12 20:01:52

Ok, thanks Iggly. I'm just worried that DD will not be tired at 9 but ity's worth giving it a go.

Thanks again

LillianGish Tue 27-Nov-12 20:08:55

How do you cope with more than one dc? The second one fits in with the first! And it's amazing how easily they take to it. I was exactly like you with dd - trying to establish a routine. When ds came along I used to leave him to get on with it while I was busy settling dd. He just learned to nod off on his own - where ever he was.

forevergreek Tue 27-Nov-12 20:30:01

We used to do am nap in buggy ( the 9.30 one for 30-45 mins), and pm nap in cot (1-3pm). Any other naps in buggy so when they were v small basically all naps in buggy except after lunch long one

But... We have two children close in age so the afternoon nap always more convinent at home in cot as we didn't have a double that reclined for two children ( mainly buggy board)

Would this suit you? I quite like the nap at home tbh as give Me quiet time not me shopping/ At friend etc so can get dinner cooked during nap for the eve, then chill a bit. The mornings they sleep in buggy even if at home as then portable if I decide to go out. Also means they t used to sleeping in cot and buggy. We always lay buggy down though ( bugaboo cameleon so not umbrella style), and cover with a muslin cloth

forevergreek Tue 27-Nov-12 20:34:18

Also used I do set times as sometimes at say 9am they don't seem overtired but at 10am way too tired and then 10am is too law to start nap really as wouldn't be tired or 1pm nap..

And then if the naps didn't happen like that and they we're left and finally fell asleep at 11am they would sleep until 1pm, then need another nap at 5ish which would ruin bedtime and continue for days.. Hence the two set naps smile had two naps until 17months. Now one

DinosaurSchool Tue 27-Nov-12 20:38:37

With dc1 and dc2 they would sleep anywhere at all. Napped at home or in the pushchair as I needed.

Along came dc3 (12 months old now), she has pretty much since birth refused to sleep in the pushchair unless she is totally exhausted and even then she's up after 45 mins. In her cot she'll sleep for 2 hrs. I think its because she likes sleeping on her stomach.

Anyway, I now enjoy the cot-nap too. I relax and get things done around the house. She does only have one nap a day though so I'm glad of the chance to sit down!

EndoplasmicReticulum Tue 27-Nov-12 20:38:50

Yes, I tended to come home for naps. The consequences weren't worth it if they missed out, and because my children were close in age they both napped. As did I, often.

DinosaurSchool Tue 27-Nov-12 20:42:53

Also, with more than one dc: if they're passed the age of napping then its a great chance to spend some time with the older ones. Or next time you could get one that sleeps anywhere.

minicc Wed 28-Nov-12 12:41:48

Madallie- did a full am nap in the buggy this morning! Tucked her up, snooze shade on and I walked liked a demon for an hour. Woo! Any luck your end?

Madallie Wed 28-Nov-12 15:04:06

minicc - gald you had success! Well didn't go out at nap time today but after yesterday I'm too worried too.

DD had 1hour am nap (10-11) in cot then we went Xmas shopping for the rest of thre day. I thought she's bound to nap at some point in the afternoon for at least 30mins - wrong!

She stayed awake from 11am-6.40pm - the earliest I could get her in bed.

She went straight to sleep so I was hopeful and thought it obviously doesn't matter if she misses occasional nap! - Wrong again! She woke from 11pm-1.15am, then at 5am (although did go back to sleep- thankfully!). She doesn't often wake fully in the night and never for over 2hours. It's very frustrating!

Might try am nap in pram next time as she does usually go down well for this one! Hoping she'll learn to at least cat nap in there.

Madallie Wed 28-Nov-12 15:47:08

Oh and today, we've only had a 30min nap in her cot in the pm!

Join the discussion

Join the discussion


Register now