Infant Napping...Continued

[Miss Lindsey]

So I was reading the "Infant napping 101", and it inspired me to be a bit more consistent and firm with my babies napping. I have a 5 month old and a 6 month old, and an 8month old. A few questions:

CIO...is it too young?
How long is appropriate?
How do you handle it when they wake up after 20 minutes? CIO again?

Trying to put the 5 month old down awake today...she's MAD!

[marniewon]

I'd love to hear the answers to these questions myself. I have a 3 month old who only sleeps in a swing at home (even all night long) and I can't do that here. So....he will ONLY fall asleep if i'm rocking him, and the minute I put him down he screams. He will only fall asleep by himself after 20-30 min of screaming. I feel like I shouldn't let him cry so long, but I can't rock him to sleep and then rock with him all during his nap each time. After yesterday (screamed most of the time that he was here, even when I was holding/rocking him) I was really close to terming him. Still am. Just dreading the conversation with dcm.

[Danielle]

I don't even think of CIO until the child is past a year. I had a child that did CIO at home. He was about 15 months at the time. What I did was tell him every 5 minutes for 15 minutes or so that nap time was soon. Then put him to bed...lights out, comfy blanket, and turned a lullaby CD on. I sat at the door so he could see me and I could see the other kids. Anytime he whimpered, I whispered "shhh I'm right here, go night night." Never took longer than 15 minutes (normally 5) for him to fall asleep. If he had started crying, I would have done the same thing. Longest he'd cry would be half an hour. Then I'd get him up and try again half an hour or so later. I have no time limit for naptime. When they wake up, they wake up. I have 2 (my son included) that doesn't take naps anymore. They (and any that wake up early) have quiet time. TV, books and puzzles.

[Danielle]

I'd love to hear the answers to these questions myself. I have a 3 month old who only sleeps in a swing at home (even all night long) and I can't do that here. So....he will ONLY fall asleep if i'm rocking him, and the minute I put him down he screams. He will only fall asleep by himself after 20-30 min of screaming. I feel like I shouldn't let him cry so long, but I can't rock him to sleep and then rock with him all during his nap each time. After yesterday (screamed most of the time that he was here, even when I was holding/rocking him) I was really close to terming him. Still am. Just dreading the conversation with dcm.

Do you have a sling (like a Maya wrap)? Try swaddling him. Then put him in the sling and walk around (just take care of the other kids) while patting his back. A ring sing is great b/c once he's a sleep, you can hold him with your arm while you loosen the sling. Then slide him out and lay him down. It takes a little practice but it works very well.

[Miss Lindsey]

Danielle-That would be great if he was my only one. I have 2 babies, 6 months and 5 months...and I can't carry one around to get him to sleep and feed/diaper another one at the same time. If I was just caring for him, that would be the solution...but honestly, if you're putting your baby in daycare, the chances he'll be carried around all day are pretty slim. I hold and cuddle as much as possible, but with 4 kids...nap time needs to be a little more self-soothing.

[Jewels]

I'd love to hear the answers to these questions myself. I have a 3 month old who only sleeps in a swing at home (even all night long) and I can't do that here. So....he will ONLY fall asleep if i'm rocking him, and the minute I put him down he screams. He will only fall asleep by himself after 20-30 min of screaming. I feel like I shouldn't let him cry so long, but I can't rock him to sleep and then rock with him all during his nap each time. After yesterday (screamed most of the time that he was here, even when I was holding/rocking him) I was really close to terming him. Still am. Just dreading the conversation with dcm.

Do they know how hard this is on you, I ask because my son only slept in his swing until 5 months of age, he had horrible reflux and it was the only way he would sleep......and he was a daycare boy, and I was so worried about him at daycare, the provider wasn't worried said he'd be fine there.......of course not true, it was like with you, I tried everything I could to help her, I offered to bring his swing everyday, or even help her pay for one, she ended up going out and buying the matching papasan chair, and he slept fine, I know this was technically not right according to the daycare law, but neither her nor I cared, he was a baby and needed to sleep, Then when my son was 5 months, I sleep trained him to his crib, and he was perfect for her after that.
I know were not supposed to let them sleep in swings, But I think if I had a baby like my son, and thats what the parents did I would do the same.