naps.......help

Aleeca - posted on 02/15/2010

My little one is 10 months old now and I've struggled with this issue since day one. I have to nurse my baby to sleep and if I sneak out of bed to get things done, she doesn't sleep very long. Just today I went ahead and hired a housekeeper. I'm still going to have to do the laundry (baby loves to help pull the clothes out of the dryer) and pick up the toys but it's really going to free up a lot of time to spend with the baby and sleep. Maybe you could look into your budget and see if it would be feasible for you.

Marcy - posted on 02/15/2010

Jamie if you nurse her down and then put her in her crib does she wake up? I used to put my son in his car seat and I would swing the car seat until he fell asleep or I stopped when my arm felt like it was going to fall off. HAHAHA. Gosh, I remember those days they were bitter sweet. If you nurse her down I would suggest maybe putting a nice blanket on the floor and side nursing her if you can. When she goes into a milk coma then you can leave her on the blanket and go about your business.

If you aren't nursing her to sleep and just rocking her I would either put her in a back carrier or a swing. Once you start the whole nursing to sleep thing its really tough to stop. Trust me, I have a 3 1/2 year old who still wants his mommy before naps and night time. Good luck!

Amanda - posted on 02/15/2010

My baby is 11 months old and I still nurse her to sleep for naps...she falls asleep best in our bed and I've successfully started moving her to the co-sleeper for safety now that she's crawling, but if I just try to lay her down or nurse her to sleep in my arms and then lay her down she just doesn't nap...good luck. It CAN be done! Just takes practice. I've also tried napping her in her carrier while I do stuff around the house, but she's just getting too big to do that successfully anymore, plus I don't think she gets a good of sleep with me jostling her around, but it used to work when she was smaller. Good luck!

Emily - posted on 02/15/2010

Babyhawk mei tais I think are a good way to start out with back carries. Lots of people also like buckle carriers like Ergo, Action Baby Carrier, etc.

Jamie - posted on 02/15/2010

I do Breastfeed and that is usually how she falls asleep. Maybe I can start trying that. Lying down with her and sneaking away once asleep. I have a sling carrier and try to do a few things while she is in that, but I have never tried a back carrier. Can you recommend a good one? Thanks for all the input.

Lucy - posted on 02/15/2010

Do you breastfeed? I lay down on the sofa with my daughter and nurse her to sleep. Once she's asleep i creep away and leave her sleeping on the sofa while i get jobs done.

Fiona - posted on 02/14/2010

I agree with the baby carrier notion, great especially once you master carrying them on your back. Once my little man could sit up pretty steady unassisted (about the 5 and 1/2 month mark) we got a swing chair thing on a spring which he can sit and swing in and play with his toys. I have hooks all around the house so I can hang him in it and he can see me almost everywhere I am. Or if I am in the kitchen I pop him in his highchair and we can talk to each other and I can give him utensils to play with while I do dishes or cook or whatever.

I also spent ages trying to figure out his personal routine/body clock so that I could predict when he would nap and for how long and used to be able to count on three 1-2hour naps a day. It took a couple of weeks of laying him down in his bed once he fell asleep before he stayed asleep, but then it gave me time to get stuff done. Only problem with that was just as I thought I had him finally figured out, he changed his routine, so now he is only napping twice a day and unpredictable as for how long each time.

He is a good night time sleeper so I get a lot of stuff done at night. Not so much fun spending that little bit of couple time we get doing dishes and laundry but, oh well. I also try to do little bits and pieces during the day one handed, like dusting or vacuuming while I carry him around and tell him what I am doing or what we are seeing as we go. I also carry the clean laundry to the couch and we sit in a big pile of clothes together as he plays and I fold.

Just some of what has worked for me, but I must say, it doesn't always give me time to do much, I often feels overwhelmed by what has to be done in the house. So really the most helpful thing for me has been to readjust my expectations... so, the dishes sit in the sink all day some days, the floor is a little dusty, the laundry needs doing, so what! These are hours of enjoying my son that pass too quickly and that I will never get them back. So I just try and enjoy him in a messy house or take a walk to the park where I don't have to think about it!

Emily - posted on 02/14/2010

How about a baby carrier? I often wear my baby on my back while she naps.. then I can get the dishes done, do the laundry, etc.