Hi,

I am having some trouble getting my 6 week old baby to nap anywhere but in my arms during the day. He usually takes two 2 hour naps a day and we have been pretty consistent about the timing-he'll sleep from 10:30-12:30, and from 2:30-4:30 (approx. times-they do vary!). The routine started because he has some reflux and I would carry him around upright for 20-30 minutes after he breastfed and he would fall asleep soundly. I loved the feeling of him sleeping on me so usually I just let him for sleep on my chest for these naps. Now it's definitely a habit-not one I am upset about but one I know that we probably should transition out of soon.

I have tried to put him down in his crib both when he's just a little sleepy and also in deep sleep-either way he wakes up crying within 20 minutes.

My plan was to try again to put him down after feeding and cuddling him upright and then just respond just before he cries-waiting nearby. I will then pick him up, hold him again and wait until he falls back asleep. Repeat. Repeat. Am I right in planning this?

I was thinking about trying this in his Pack N Play on our main level (we have 3 levels) instead of upstairs in his crib since I can respond more quickly that way.

He sleep great at night. In fact, he sleeps one good 4.5-6 hour stretch most nights between 9 pm and 2-4 AM. I think establishing a bedtime routine early on really helped. He loves being in warm water and being sung to-so we have been doing a short bath time and singing since he was 2 weeks old.

Just looking for some feedback and support.

Well, you are in the exact same boat as me... everything is the same... only my baby is 11 weeks... it's sort of a funny age because they are sort of all over the place for the first 4 months... my first son was like this too, but bit by bit we got him slowly used to being put down for naps...

That's sort of how we did it with our first son... we'd hold him til he was completely asleep (the kind where you can lift his arm and it just falls back, which means he's totally asleep)... sometimes it would work and sometimes he'd wake up... but after a while they get accustomed to the idea that they may be lying in a crib for a nap... in the book No Cry Sleep Solutions she suggests trying different ways to get used to naps so that you can take them places or get used to different napping places, which is why I think the pack n play is a good idea as well.

You'd really like her book because it talks about this exact issue for newborns, and has a huge section for 4 months plus on how to do naptime, and how to put down a sleeping baby... Here's a link to the section on newborns:

http://www.kellymom.com/pantley/pantley03.html

and here is a link to info and excerpts from the book:

http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth/con...ooks.htm#nocry

Hope this helps! I'm going to be working at this with you, for sure! As we speak, I'm typing this over my little DS who is sleeping as he often does on his breastfeeding pillow! Either that or a sling... I'm slowly starting to put him down so we'll work through it together

__________________








Host of:
The No Cry Sleep Solution
Attachment Parenting

Thanks Jennifer!! I appreciate the links.

I have Pantley's book but I just haven't had a chance to read it straight through-I've been reading certain sections of it as they seem to apply but I feel like I will get more out of it if I read it through completely.

My next step is to print out all the logs and work on those. I'm pretty happy with our nighttime routine, with the length he already sleeps at night and with our general daytime routines but I am sure they could all use improving.

I am also not completely convinced that his 5ish am waking is for hunger as he barely nurses then-maybe 5 minutes then it goes to comfort sucking then falls asleep again.

Tomorrow I am going to try putting him in the Pack n Play for naps and see how it goes. I know it will take several tries and lots of patience...and that I might end up with a crankier baby but I know it's best in the long run. I am sure he will be able to take longer naps independently soon....