My son is 6 1/2 months old. He has been going to a sitter (my sister-in-law) for the past month and a half. When he's with her, he naps well (usually two good naps - 1 to 2 hours each - or sometimes one long nap - 3ish hours). However, when he is home with me and my husband, he fights naps like crazy. We wait for his tired signs, go through his nap routine (same as at my sister-in-law's house) but when we put him down, he cries and screams like mad. Often, as soon as we begin the nap routine, he starts to get very upset. We've tried having him CIO for about 45 minutes with periodic checks from one of us and he can never settle down so we end up giving up. Usually the only way we can get him to nap is for me to nurse him to sleep or in the car. There is the rare time when I can get him down for a nap in his crib but that hardly ever happens anymore. I am beyond frustrated and he is TIRED on the weekends. Help!!
Also, forgot to mention that he goes in his crib drowsy but awake at bedtime and typically falls asleep on his own very easily. So, he can do it!
I nursed my kids to sleep. When that stopped working I rocked them to sleep. I never did figure out how to put them to bed awake until they were at least 2. I would just do what works.
If he goes to your SIL's monday-friday he may not want to nap because he's home with you and he misses you :) How is he at bedtime? Does he fight that too, or is he just SO tired that he passes out? I used to nurse my girls to sleep and they lay them down for their naps. Maybe that needs to just be the way you do it on the weekends?
Maybe you are waiting too long and he's overtired by the time he goes down ? Either way, I absolutely don't agree with letting a six month old infant cry for 45 minutes. I would find a different nap routine, whether it's nursing him down or walking him in the stroller while drowsey and letting him fall asleep in there, but that's too much crying for such a young baby
If nursing to sleep for naps works and he stays asleep for a decent amt of time--then just keep nursing. For my DD, that did not work--she'd just slowly suckle and nap at the same time and wake up easily when transferred. I had to completely change her routine around so that she nursed upon waking and did not nurse to sleep. I think she was just too uncomfortable full of milk to sleep well during the day. Who knows...I then used Baby Whisperer methods to help get her to sleep without CIO. Took time but it eventually worked.
I have daycare children as well--they do this at home to some extent when they sleep very well for me. Kids just know who their moms are:) My daughter was the same way.
