Baby naps only in crib
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Baby naps only in crib
Sept 2002
Help- my 9 months old baby will nap/sleep only in her crib. She
takes naps between once to twice a day,and between feedings and
her naps, there is not much time for us to get outside of the
house .I suppose this is not good nor for her development, nor
for my sanity.Any advice?
This is a good thing, in the long run. You won't be driving
around the neighborhood trying to make your child fall asleep
when she's two years old. For now, I know it's a pain. For a
while I felt like I had a tiny window of time in which to get
things done between naps. At 15 months, you can shift to one
nap and it gets a lot easier. Can you get someone to mind the
baby monitor while you go out? Otherwise, you are really better
off organizing your life around the naps, and finding good
projects to do at home while she sleeps. It doesn't hurt her
development in the slightest to be at home while she sleeps, and
it is actually better for her to get good, sound sleep.
Fran
I think a lot of people just plan their schedules around the
baby's naps until they get a little older (like, when they give
up the morning nap around 12-18 months). Can you hold out a
little longer?
Mom
Good for her - that's the best place for her to sleep! You may
not want to hear this, but there are many sleep experts who
profess that stroller naps and car seat naps don't count toward
the healthy amount of sleep your child needs to develop. I
would recommend getting out of the house as soon as your child
wakes up and is dressed. Take a walk, do whatever it is you
want to do, get a cup of coffee and nurse the baby while you are
out. I don't tie myself to the house for their meals (picnics
are more fun for everyone), but I do tie myself to the house for
naps. Then come home when it is time for her morning nap and be
ready to head back out as soon as she wakes up. Repeat again
for afternoon nap. It won't be long (probably another three
months) before she eliminates the morning nap and you'll have
the whole morning to work with. As mentioned previously, you
may want to look at the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
by Marc Weissbluth to reassure yourself that the sacrifices you
are making are indeed in the best interest of your child. Good
luck.
Laura
Your post made me smile and throw up my hands at baby ways. I
have the exact opposite issue. Only rarely will my daughter nap
for me in her crib (she will for Dad). If I wish her to nap I go
for long walks or try and shape an errand or social visit around
a long drive there or back. That's my only break. I would love a
few hours each day at home while she naps. Some days I just have
Mom days where I don't stress about whether she will nap and try
to have a book handy in the car in case she does. I should think
that if you are really feeling cooped up that an occasional Mom
Day or 1/2 day is okay and won't hurt your baby any. You might
try to stretch her nap time and counter your isolation by
signing up for a class that ends half an hour later than she
naps or just when she would go down. Then you might find
yourself driving around w/ a sleeping baby,transferring her to
the crib or make it home and do the usual routine. There are
days when I would do anything if she'd only nap in the crib!
Babies are what they are and are pretty good at communicating to
us what they need! Unfortunately it doesn't always jive w/ what
we want!
Jessica
Being restricted by my baby's napping and eating schedule has
been, for me, one of the hardest transitions about being a
mother. But, I don't think that I can speak highly enough about
the payoff of having a well-rested child. (I am sure that you
have found that most books agree on this subject.) My daughter is
happy, energetic, curious, and resilient (little things that
bother tired children don't bother her) when she is awake and
well-rested. So, let your child nap, and be ready to go when she
wakes up. I have the bag packed and by the door, so that the
minute my daughter wakes up, we can change her diaper and leave.
I often give her snacks in the park, in the car before an errand,
etc, to avoid spending even more time at home. Soon your child
will be taking only one nap per day, which will give you more
flexibility, and I don't think that limiting her experiences in
the meantime will hurt her. Getting good sleep is the most
important thing for children's development, and ensures that the
few times that you do get out of the house, she will gain more
from the experiences by being alert.
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