Transfer from Car to Crib

I so had this same problem. My baby responds to and mimics clapping, esspesially if its got some rythm. So on drives home I clap a little rythm, this keeps her interested and awake.
I also learned another great trick. I also felt home bound with the two naps a day. I learned that we can skip the morning nap if we do something really stimulating for her and then she doubles up on her afternoon nap. Now we get out more and I get an extra long break in the afternoon at home while she naps.

I try to schedule shorter outings so we can be back before actual nap time - I, too, have a non-transfering napper! I have also kept a book in my car so if she fell asleep, I would have something to do. Kind of nice to be able to read more than one page at a time!

I keep mine awake. I will keep looking back at her and if I see her eyes start to droop I just start touching her feet or talking to her really excited. She usually just starts smiling and looking at me. Then I get home and rush her up to her crib and she passes right out.
Good luck.

My advice would be to pick a schedule and stick to it like glue. Then your daughter will be awake during her awake times, and you can be home in before you know she will be sleepy. For example, my daughter takes a nap at about 2:30, so I make sure and get her home by 2:00 so we can wind down. If there is a class that cuts it too close, I leave early to avoid her falling asleep in the car. Also, I can't shotgun her to sleep, she needs 20 minutes or a half-hour at home to wind down. You can still get out plenty in those breaks between naps, you just have to plan. So for me I will go on an errand with her in the morning, have her back in time for her nap, go to a class, be home in time for the nap, then go to the park, etc. It has worked really well for us. If someone asks me to go to the park with them or to a class and it's during her naptimes, I will decline and try and move the time to her "window". Then she never falls asleep in the car because I only have her out and about during her awake time. She counts on the strict schedule and doesn't get sleepy until right when I expect her to.

Your schedule now revolves around your daughter. My daughter is the same way and has been on a schedule for sometime, she's 15 months now. I don't do anything when it's close to her naptime. I've even missed birthday parties and family events so she can get her nap in, or if it cuts in to her nedtime routine. Try doing your outings either early or after her nap. My daughter only takes 1 nap in the early afternoon. The only other thing I can suggest may seem like a lot of work, but my husband and I have done this many times : ) I keep the car running in the driveway and rev the engine a bit while my husband runs in unlocks the door and gets her room nap ready. He'll take her out of the carseat while I rev the engine a tiny bit, then he rushes her inside and lays her down. I usually run behind with a bottle in case she wakes, ususally works everytime for us, although we probably look ridiculous to our nieghbors : )

Hi B.,

Be grateful for the two breaks that you get during the day. :-) Believe me, this period will end sooner than you think and your baby will drop one of her naps (probably the morning one). I wouldn't worry too much about shuttling around to the various playgroups and gymboree. Those are great and definitely have their place, but they shouldn't cause you stress in trying to fit everything in or in depriving your daughter of sleep that she obviously needs. Do what errands you can (for a while, when my son was smaller, all I could do was one short errand after his morning nap and lunch, and then it was back home for the afternoon nap) and don't worry about the rest. Or, get your husband to help out with simple errands on his way home from work.

You know, a trip to the grocery store can be just as stimulating for your baby as a playgroup--maybe more. Grocery stores are great places to talk about colors and numbers, feel the textures of produce, discuss what's for dinner, and have people coo over how cute your baby is. Sometimes I think us stay-at-home moms feel guilty if we're not going to playgroups. I say only go if it's fun and not something you have to "fit in."

:-) D.

I used to let my daughter sleep in the garage and I would keep the door from the garage to the house open so I could hear her. If your garage is full of stuff, make some room for one car (sell some stuff!) so you can do this. She used to sleep up to 2 hours that way! Of course, I preferred her crib, but sometimes she just couldn't keep her eyes open on the way home.

Hi B.-

That was my daughter completely!! What I did was just make sure that she didn't fall asleep in the car. I would put her in the back middle seat and tickle her or shake her leg at every stop sign. Then as soon as we got home, put her in the crib, so we could BOTH rest!

Good luck!

I hear ya, living in a small town outside of large cities, requires me to do a lot of driving. My kids suffered due to all the traveling just to go to the store etc. Everywhere was a 20 min. drive, perfect amount of time to get sleepy and fall asleep, only to be woken up when we arrived. My advice, is cut your losses, or dont go anywhere during nap time. Dont let her fall asleep in the car and perhaps you can get her down once you get home. Im assuming you dont have a garage... that would be my first bit of advice, park in the garage, let her sleep in there. Leave the doors open so you can hear her.

Hi B.. How old is your girl? Some children will outgrow naps in day time quicker than other children. My son stop taking day time naps at the age of 3. When you change you day time activities, you changed your childs sleeping habits. Try scheduling the activities after breakfast and the time you get home for lunch, eating may promote a nap. Or plan activities only in the afternoon after naps. I hope this helps..good luck

I totally agree with S.H.-my kids naps and bedtime routines come first. YES! Sometimes I feel like going stircrazy, but if they nap and go to bed at the time they are suppose to they are well behaved and have fewer tantrums and issues. I make sacrafices for their well being. My kids strive on routine as do I now that I am a mother. Schedule things around naptime. My son sometimes falls asleep in the car if it close to naptime, but I still put him in his crib and if he does not fall asleep right away he just plays and entertains himself before he goes to sleep-he eventually does, but it takes longer.I was neer able to transfer from car to crib it never worked for me. I have a rule and did this ever since they were little-I do not go into their rooms and get them the minute they wake-they stay in there and that goes for naptime-they usually nap from 1:30-3:30-yes both mu kids nap simutaneously-if they wake sooner than 3:30-I let them in their and they just play,but if they are not up by 3:30 I get them up. If a schedule does not work for you maybe make a longer trip or something where they can nap in the car.Good Luck!L.

Is she old enough to feed in the car? I keep my son awake with cheerios, strawberries, pear, bread... any snack that I can hand him bits and he can eat w/o making too big a mess. SIng silly songs, give her books to look at. Ask about cars & trucks you see as you drive...

I had the same problem too. If I were in the car up to an hour before my son's nap, he would fall asleep and then not transfer. So now, I try to be home well before his nap OR do anything I can do keep him awake. Bring a snack for him to eat in the car, play a game with rolling up and down the windows, sing a song, ANYTHING! The best thing is to not be out that close to nap time. It will pass though...it will pass.

All 3 of my kids are/were like this. I work hard to stick by their nap schedules and still get out of the house, but on longer trips, one will sometimes try to sleep. I've sang many songs very loudly and lively as I'm driving down the road in order to keep a baby from sleeping. It's usually worked for my kids. I'm sure I look like an idiot, but at least they get their naps!

Gently get her out of the car, and carry her into the house like a baby (cradled in your arms). If I carry him this way, I have a 50%-75% chance of my son staying asleep. If I carry him upright, he wakes up.

You need to leave well before naptime and hurry while doing your errands. I don't know how old your baby is, so I'm not sure when she's napping, but just try to work your outings in around nap times. I find it helpful to bring a snack, or lunch even, so that if we'll be getting home around naptime, she's already eaten, and I can just wash her hands, change her diaper and put her down for her nap. Hope this helps. :)

My son (7 months old) is the same way. Usually we are not out during nap time but when it does happen I end up taking the car seat directly into his room and into his crib. He then finishes his nap in the car seat instead of trying to transfer him into the crib. And before anyone says that a kid should not be sleeping in their carseat on a regular basis, my son slept in his for 3 weeks straight for every sleeping since he had major facial surgery and had to be restrained so he wouldn't roll over and mess up the surgical site. For us just leaving him buckled in and transferred straight to the crib has been the best option without compromising on his nap time which makes him cranky later. I hope you are able to find some solution that works for you.

My son was the same way, but I kept trying and eventually he got to an age where he would transfer (13+ months). Up until then I just cut my losses and came inside, or I DID sit in the driveway. I kept a book in the car, and enjoyed "having" to sit and read for an hour. Once the weather cools down, it will be easy to find a shady place to park and relax (or nap yourself)!

i didn't read the other responses, but have you tried taking the whole car seat out of the car? not sure if she'll stay asleep still, but maybe.

Carry her in the house in the car seat and just let her stay in it. We did this many times with my son and it worked. Often we would put the car seat in his crib or on the floor next to us if we were sleeping.

My little dude is 2 and used to transfer extremely easy, but now that he is bigger it just doesn't happen. I have had to plan around my son's nap schedule, and while it isn't the most convenient for me...it's not about me anymore. OMG, did I feel like shut in sometimes, and the world was happening without me. But, then I started getting my Mom to watch my son for some ME time on the weekends or during the week. Even if it was just to get a haircut, shop or get a coffee with a friend.

It's awesome that you are planning all these awesome bonding activities, but take into consideration how this will have long term effects.

How old is your baby????
You are very lucky that she is a good napper, a good sleeper at night, and REGULAR at it.

I understand the home-bound feeling... but keep in mind, that if you "alter" her nap/sleep routines and times... it may be permanent... or she will not be getting a full good rest, as she needs. And it may affect her overall well being.

At this point, you are taking her out for "you" for some social interaction...which is fine. But you need to keep in mind, that if it is near her nap time... this is not a good time to be on the road. And kids don't feel at their best socializing if they are tired.

Some kids just do NOT do the "napping on the road" method very well, nor do they transport well in naps.

For me, my kids are this way... they will NOT nap on the road, will NOT nap anywhere else except in their bed or crib. SO, I adjust my schedule and their activities around their naps. I still do my appointments and errands and outings with them in tow, but not at nap time. Both my kids nap for 2 hours each as well. My son naps in the morning and afternoon, and they BOTH nap in the afternoon at the SAME time after my daughter comes home from school. It's been fine, and we get in our activities, and the regularity is good for them... they don't get too over-tired or fussy, because of it. But, I TOTALLY understand, each Mom and each child/baby is different.

But... you need to see which is more important for you/baby & how you can manage that. Consider what the priority is:

1) your baby's naps and regularity
2) your need to get out (nothing wrong with that)
3) taking away naps for your girl, so that you can both go out... even though she may not be ready to forfeit napping at this age.
4) having a child that is tired from lack of sleep...
5) realizing that your baby does not transport well for naps... and not all babies/children will go back to sleep after falling asleep in the car and then being woken up only to then be put back down again in another location.
6) adjusting your schedule so that outings are NOT planned near her nap time... taking her out near her nap time just negates the whole purpose of a nap and the goal of "making" her sleep.

7) as an adult, once we are sleeping well....and we are woken up by someone or some snoring or noise or crying or whatever... is it "easy" to go back to sleep????? No. So a baby can't be expected to go back to sleep at will either, after being woken up... basically, their REM sleep is interrupted.

I know... I have gone through this too. But for me, my kids naps and needs and their regularity in schedule is important for me, and my kids are also better balanced that way.
Each Mom is different with different situations. Think about what you "really" need to do, what is "best" and what you can't adjust to, or what you can do while also giving your baby what she needs... a good sleep, or having her going out... or altering your schedule.

There will be many tips here... just my experiences with it and my thoughts.

Take care,
Susan

Have you tried keeping her in the car seat and putting her on top of a running washing machine?

Can you prolong the errands til after the nap? Maybe put her down early afternoon so mid afternoon you can do what you need to do?

Pull your car into the garage and roll down the windows. My sister does that with her kids and i know my friends do that too. I don't have a garage and wished i did so that i could do this and not disturb their sleep.
Or what i do is talk to my kids and keep them awake and then put them down as soon as i get home. I will ask them questions while i am driving, do you see this? that? to keep them awake!
Good luck!

We would just let our son sleep in the car seat for his entire nap. We would bring the seat in the house and put it on the floor.