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I've posted a little bit about trying to get babies to nap without letting them cry it out, and based on advice I've gotten from this board, I've been working with my 11 month old son to get him to nap on his own. I was worried he'd still need to be nursed and rocked to sleep when I open my daycare, and I know that's just not feasible.
It took a good month to transition him, but I did it slowly... and it worked! For the last 2 weeks, all I've had to do was put him in his crib, say "goodnight, I love you," and leave. He fusses for the 30 seconds it takes for me to walk down the hall, then I pause and can hear him start babbling and playing. He will play for anywhere from 2-20 minutes, and then when he's tired, he just lays down and goes to sleep! And when he wakes up, he happily plays again! Obviously, I don't just leave him in there
but it's so much of an improvement over him crying whenever I would bring him near his crib (which he used to do).
What worked for us was a combination... first, I stopped nursing him to sleep. We still nurse, but I stop before he falls asleep. I also began just sitting with him in the chair but not rocking. Then I would lay him down in his crib awake, and he'd cry, and I'd keep telling him "goodnight," and I wouldn't leave him alone to cry, but I wouldn't rush right over and pick him up and rock/nurse again. Having him turn off the light switch helps, and so did introducing a lovey.
I'm so relieved!
It took a good month to transition him, but I did it slowly... and it worked! For the last 2 weeks, all I've had to do was put him in his crib, say "goodnight, I love you," and leave. He fusses for the 30 seconds it takes for me to walk down the hall, then I pause and can hear him start babbling and playing. He will play for anywhere from 2-20 minutes, and then when he's tired, he just lays down and goes to sleep! And when he wakes up, he happily plays again! Obviously, I don't just leave him in there
but it's so much of an improvement over him crying whenever I would bring him near his crib (which he used to do).What worked for us was a combination... first, I stopped nursing him to sleep. We still nurse, but I stop before he falls asleep. I also began just sitting with him in the chair but not rocking. Then I would lay him down in his crib awake, and he'd cry, and I'd keep telling him "goodnight," and I wouldn't leave him alone to cry, but I wouldn't rush right over and pick him up and rock/nurse again. Having him turn off the light switch helps, and so did introducing a lovey.
I'm so relieved!
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