I'm looking for some advice about daytime napping for my 3 1/2 month old daughter. My first child was a swing napper until she was almost 6 months old. I told myself I wouldn't get into the same habit with the second one- but it's too tempting when she'll nap for much longer in the swing! She goes down well for naps in the crib, but wakes up 30 minutes later almost exactly. She is swaddled, the room is dark, and we have white noise going. From what I've read and heard, that seems to be a common issue for babies this age. My question is, with more practice, will she learn to nap longer in the crib now or could she just not be developmentally ready to sleep for longer yet? If I thought she would get used to the crib for longer naps now, I'd stick it out. If she might just need to be a little older, I guess I'll stick with the swing for the time being! With the 2 1/2 year old to keep up with, decent naps for the baby are a priority!
Hi! Both of my daughters slept naps in the swing for as long as they fit in it! I had no problems putting them down for naps in the crib after the swing. My girls loved it! I think because it mimics the movement of being in the womb? Anyway, I wouldn't worry to much about it now. I think it will be fine!It's more important they get the sleep they need! Good luck!
Obviously there must have been reasons that you didn't want to get into this habit again. If you are committed to having her sleep in her crib I think you can train her to do that. I think that the 30 minute nap is a learned behavior - its because she's used to sleeping in motion so she doesn't make transitions in the type of sleep well without being put back to sleep by the swing. She can learn to sleep longer. The babywise book usually sees this happen at the 45 minute mark however the solution would be the same. You sneak in right before she usually wakes up for a couple of days and sooth her back to sleep, stick the binky back in, whatever you need to do before she really wakes up. This will help her get over the hump.
I have a 4 1/2 month old and I think most small babies don't nap long. From what I've read, 3 hour cycles for wake, eat, play, sleep are pretty common.
I've also learned too that the swing is great for lulling him into sleeping longer. However for us, at this time, that means he's up more at night then. He simply can't seem to get all the calories he needs if he takes those longer naps (I'm talking more than 2 hrs here). In the swing, he can nap up to three hours! Mostly, he's a catnapper. The first nap to develop is the afternoon one. So keep trying to get her down by 1pm to teach her "it's afternoon naptime".
I'd rather have him awake when I'm awake. Otherwise he wakes every three hours on the dot at night.
Don't worry. She'll start sleeping longer soon enough. I know the swing/car are tempting now.
Hi L.,
If it helps to put your mind at ease, my daughter (2nd child) slept very well in her "punkin seat" -- a plastic recliner -- for SIX MONTHS! As soon as I would put her in her crib, presto! She'd wake right back up.
She liked to be wherever I was, so I'd put her on the kitchen counter while I worked. I'd just carry her around in her punkin seat everywhere I went and she was perfectly content.
Good luck!
"Grams"
from the Pocono Mts. of PA
Is it possible that she just likes to be reclined for sleeping? Do you have a sleep wedge in her crib?
M.
Any way you can get a kid to sleep is a good way. ____@____.com
My daughter was the same way and I let her nap in the swing until she was 9 months!!! Then we transitioned to the crib and it only took two days for her to start napping longer. I'm not sure she would have at 6 months. She slept well in her crib at night, but preferred the swing during the day.
I will do the same with baby #2 if I have to. No harm, no foul. If anything, she got the nap we both needed her to have. :)
My eldest also loved the swing. I couldn't help but put her in it for naps because she was so content. She is now four and prefers to nap in my bed and sleep at night on the couch in the playroom! She's a great sleeper, just stuck in her ways. I figure if she's sleeping well, all is well!
If for some reason you want/need her in her room, maybe try putting her swing in there for naps. That way she is always sleeping in her room. Maybe she'll grow indifferent to where she sleeps as long as it's in her room.
It is so funny how they have prefernces from the get go!
I say go for it, you have to go with what works.Every child is different @ what may work for 1 child may not work for another.I have 4 children and I know what ur talking about. At this point its about keeping ur sanity.
Both of my older sons prefered to nap in the swing until they were about 6 months old...well, I let them nap because it allowed me to get something done for about 1 1/2 hours rather than 30-45 minutes. I think it's fine. I started trying to get them in their cribs both at about 6 months, and they transitioned fine. I would always wake them at feeding time so they'd sleep longer at night, but I say let them nap away...time for some cleaning, a shower, or even a well deserved nap!! Good luck!!!
My advice is to do whatever makes your life easiest. Our kids are only 22 months apart, and it is hard to manage both without wanting to pull your hair out.
If the best sleep is in the swing/bouncy seat, I'd say go for it. At 3.5 months, they are driven by instincts not learned behavior. Both of our kids were swingers (even in Day Care) and both take great naps now at an older age.
Peace of mind is so worth it - I'd say the fact that she's waking-up in her crib is an indication she needs the comfort of the swing (whether it's the womb-like environment or the motion).
Good luck.
