https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:36:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914806 Fri, 01 May 2020 09:58:31 +0000 foodiebee 2914806@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used Taking Cara Babies and I recommend it. Having the rules and framework to follow helped us immensely, because otherwise we were just flying blind and making it up as we went, and we weren't consistent. </p> <p>Napping still took us longer to master, but I agree with @MrsSRS that if she misses one nap, you need to try again in 30-45 minutes. Don't just let her go for the rest of the day without one or you'll mess up night sleep too.</p> <p>ETA The key for us is wake windows, not sleepy signals, as our LO won't show signals but will go down easy if we follow the wake window. If we wait until he acts sleepy, it's too late. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914801 Fri, 01 May 2020 09:09:10 +0000 BadgerMom 2914801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: If you need some rules/guidelines to follow so you know you're doing what you can (I sure know I do in these situations), I agree with previous posters in that I've heard great things about Taking Cara Babies. My personal favorite sleep gurus were babysleepscience.com they're actually sleep professionals with actual medical/scientific credentials behind their name. Good luck! These phases are so hard and certainly compounded with everything else going on right now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914782 Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:30:52 +0000 MrsSRS 2914782@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Or maybe a Magic Merlin suit? That might discourage the playing and toe grabbing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914781 Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:29:49 +0000 MrsSRS 2914781@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@karenbme: once she misses a nap have you tried shortening her wake time to 45 minutes and then doing the nap routine again? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914780 Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:19:46 +0000 karenbme 2914780@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BadgerMom: You’re probably right. We don’t have a video monitor, but the grunting and babbling is enough to tell us with just audio that she’s not sleeping. But once she’s missed a nap she turns into a cranky baby beast, which makes the next nap impossible and it escalates from there. I’m really looking for a way to feel like we’re making progress in stead of having open ended sleep problems that feel like they get worse the more we try to fix them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914777 Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:40:18 +0000 MrsSRS 2914777@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BadgerMom: this is VERY good advice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914747 Thu, 30 Apr 2020 08:34:29 +0000 BadgerMom 2914747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I follow the "you can't make them sleep" all you can do is provide the correct lead up and environment for them to sleep. I think your experience is an example of when the video monitors don't do us any favors. In the "old days" our moms would have assumed if we were quiet we were asleep, and I think there is merit to that idea. It gave us as babies a chance to work through these phases on our own.<br /> I think if you've done all the lead up and environment "right" then you just leave her. She will learn to fall asleep on her own and since shes not crying it's not even that painful for you. Turn off the video portion of the monitor, shes safe and happy. I would STRONGLY suggest doing this at night at the very least since bringing her into your bed is not going to do either of you any favors in the long run and will probably prolong the whole process. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914745 Thu, 30 Apr 2020 07:20:49 +0000 karenbme 2914745@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@oldschooolmama: Thanks for the recommendation. A couple friends did taking Cara babies and recommended as well.</p> <p>@caitcat: I didn’t realize there was a kindle app. Thanks!</p> <p>@MrsSRS: I worry about extinction for my daughter because she’s pretty mellow a lot of the time and if we just put her in the crib she’ll go from sleepy to play time quickly and just lays there playing with her toes and babbling. Her bad naps spilled over to night sleep last night and we tried to leave her in her crib and shush occasionally, but she was awake playing from her first wake up at ~9 until I brought her into bed with us at 1am (I know, bad, but that’s the first time in months and we all needed to sleep). She wasn’t crying, just laying there wiggling around, talking, and playing with her sleep sack. She napped really poorly yesterday, too, so I don’t think the issue is that she’s not tired, but she doesn’t know how to fall asleep yet and is an easy going baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914737 Wed, 29 Apr 2020 20:11:22 +0000 MrsSRS 2914737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you want to fix it fast can you do sleep training extinction method using a two hour awake window?</p> <p>Or:<br /> <a href="https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/baby-sleep-wake-time-formula/" rel="nofollow">https://www.babysleepsite.com/schedules/baby-sleep-wake-time-formula/</a></p> <p>Or:<br /> <a href="https://takingcarababies.com/nap-schedules/" rel="nofollow">https://takingcarababies.com/nap-schedules/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914728 Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:29:21 +0000 caitcat 2914728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Could you download a kindle version of a book, if there's one in particular you'd wanted and just can't get quickly enough? I downloaded a ton of sleep (and later "strong willed toddler") books to a kindle app on my phone in desperation. I find it easier to read on my kindle, but the phone app worked out okay in a pinch. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914727 Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:22:58 +0000 oldschooolmama 2914727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't but I have had a lot of success with Taking Cara Babies. Highly recommend. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-baby-sleep-site#post-2914713 Wed, 29 Apr 2020 14:29:08 +0000 karenbme 2914713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Has anyone used the resources from the baby sleep site? DD is 6 mo and has decided to stop napping entirely and with both of us WFH with no help DH and I need to do something fast. Our local bookstore doesn’t have any nap books in stock and amazon is saying it’ll take a week to get us something, so the idea of a download sounds great, but I also don’t really trust a random website. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/establishing-nap-routine-at-home#post-2913414 Sun, 05 Apr 2020 08:38:35 +0000 Art Mom 2913414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are in the same boat. Out 30 month old will not nap anymore and it’s messing her up. She is over tired and everything by 5:30. Unfortunately she will refuse sleep and after 30-45 minutes of trying we give up cause she just screams the whole time. Also if she does nap it’s for 20 minutes and then she wakes up crying for 20 minutes for so. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/establishing-nap-routine-at-home#post-2913366 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 09:41:37 +0000 MrsSRS 2913366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What's your general parenting strategy for handling refusals when you ask him to do something and he doesn't want to? Maybe we can start with that and build on it. Also, how do you feel about cry it out? How do you feel about food rewards? How do you feel about screen time? There's lots of options here, but it depends on your parenting preferences. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/establishing-nap-routine-at-home#post-2913354 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 08:18:19 +0000 caitcat 2913354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you think he’d listen to quiet music or a simple audiobook as you first put him down? One of my girls fought naps like crazy around that age, but still very much needed it, and often she’d fall asleep without realizing while listening to a book or nursery rhyme music. </p> <p>I hear you on needing that nap time all around right now! My girls’ quiet time feels more precious than ever these days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/establishing-nap-routine-at-home#post-2913352 Sat, 04 Apr 2020 08:01:06 +0000 meadow 2913352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shybee23: I know it's hard when WFH (I'm in that boat too!!!) But is it possible to get him some outside time in the morning? A long walk (not in stroller) or playing outside in the yard or driveway? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/establishing-nap-routine-at-home#post-2913304 Fri, 03 Apr 2020 15:46:50 +0000 Bluemasonjar 2913304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am here to commiserate and follow along for tips. My 18 month old is the exact same. Napped at school (usually one of the last to wake up) with no issue, weekend naps were usually shorter but since we have been home he refuses. We've let him cry, tried different sleeping scenarios and nothing works. He definitely is not ready to drop the nap either.</p> <p>We've resorted to driving him and our 4 year old around in the car for an hour each afternoon so at least 1 of us gets a break from the kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/establishing-nap-routine-at-home#post-2913301 Fri, 03 Apr 2020 14:51:37 +0000 Shybee23 2913301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS will turn 2 this month. At daycare, he napped from 1-3 like clockwork. On weekends we weren’t super strict about his schedule but when he seemed tired we’d bring him to the bed, rub his back for a couple minutes, and he’d be out for a ~2 hour stretch. (This is also how he goes to bed at night.)</p> <p>Now we are home 24/7 and he has started refusing his nap. We’ve tried doing what we used to do on weekends - lay down with him for a couple minutes and he’d be out - but he just won’t settle. He tries to get out of the bed, or hides under the covers and acts like it’s playtime. We’ve tried putting him in the crib so he can’t escape, but he screams nonstop. We’ve tried letting him bring a book into the crib for some quiet time, we’ve tried rocking him in the glider...nothing is working and I am at my wits end. He is definitely not ready to skip a daily nap - he’s a total mess by 3:30 or so, and last night he wound up dozing off from 5:00-6:30 because he was just exhausted. It’s making it incredibly hard to WFH - on top of missing the 2 hour block of work during what should be naptime, he needs so much more hands on attention all afternoon because he’s so overtired. </p> <p>How do we go about establishing a nap routine at home? Thanks for any suggestions! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2904698 Thu, 05 Dec 2019 15:36:53 +0000 LadyDi 2904698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: That is so great! I'd like to thank myself for reviving this thread, bc that's probably what did it. :wink: </p> <p>Our night sleep has gotten WAY better over the past couple of nights (knock on wood). He's been putting himself to sleep and last night he woke up twice but was able to settle himself back down in 5-10 minutes without any help. Yay! I am hoping things continue to trend in that direction and that eventually it'll translate to better naps (which are still basically crap). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2904695 Thu, 05 Dec 2019 15:28:52 +0000 pachamama 2904695@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: yay!! Naps really do tend to get better! I had similar issues and my guy is almost 11 months and very consistent. No complains with his napping (and I complain about everything!!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2904619 Thu, 05 Dec 2019 11:51:52 +0000 Umbreon 2904619@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LadyDi: hi again. I have another update for you. Literally a day after I replied to you, he slept really well during the day. His naps were an hour to an hour and a half long. The next day, same thing. We had a busy weekend, where his naps had to be in the car, and he regressed a little bit as the next day they were only 30 minutes long again. But yesterday, he had another hour and a half long nap.</p> <p>I've done nothing differently, I feed him before he goes to sleep. Sometimes he goes in the crib awake, sometimes he falls asleep eating. So I think there is hope, things seem to be getting better for me now! He's 8 months old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903886 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 20:24:21 +0000 pachamama 2903886@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both my sons were unreliable nappers until probably 6-7 months old. 30 mins just like your guy. So frustrating but I think it's normal, they're still so young. We always napped 9am, 12 and 4 then switched to 930 and 230pm naps around 7 months. With my 10.5 month old, he'll be good for a few days then short. But he's definitely getting better. I was also adamently against CIO but he could *not* put himself to sleep. It was horrible and legit ruining our lives, so we did CIO around 6 months. Now he usually sleeps 7-7 straight 🙌 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903861 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 12:52:27 +0000 Umbreon 2903861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@foodiebee: I think his nighttime sleep might be a regression, with teething is another Factor. He has no teeth yet, but I know they're coming.</p> <p>He's never napped well though, so I think that's just a quirk of his. I'm hoping as he gets older it'll just get better. There has been some improvement with some slightly longer naps lately, but I've just gotten used to the short naps!</p> <p>I track his sleep, and he gets enough sleep in a 24-hour period so there's that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903856 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 12:19:00 +0000 foodiebee 2903856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: Do you think he's going through a sleep regression? We did Taking Cara Babies's SITBACK technique and it worked well for us, not CIO but some fussing. My DS (5 mo.) is a crap napper too and sounds just like this thread. He has weeks where he'll nap for 1-2 hour stretches and then weeks where it's all 30 minutes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903842 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 10:48:34 +0000 Umbreon 2903842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LadyDi: I'm sorry! I do leave him in the crib longer than the 30 minutes that he sleeps. He's pretty content when he wakes up, I'm not sure if yours is. I usually leave him in the crib 15 to 30 minutes. I've been lucky a few times that he's put himself back to sleep, but usually he just talks to himself and plays with his hands. But at least I can finish my cup of coffee haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903838 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 10:08:32 +0000 LadyDi 2903838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: damn that is really not what I was hoping you’d say! I know DS is still really little so I think I’m going to give it another month before I take any drastic measures. He’s my third and my first two were able to catch on to self soothing pretty quickly so I’m kind of at a loss with this one! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903830 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 08:10:36 +0000 Umbreon 2903830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LadyDi: unfortunately naps did not really improve. He still only sleeps 30 minutes at a time. However I do get the occasional longer nap. Maybe every second day he will have a nap that's longer than 30 minutes. It will range from 45 minutes to two hours!</p> <p>My LO does not seem to tired at the end of the day though so that is a difference. We did start putting him to bed earlier, he goes to bed at 7 and he will usually sleep until 10:30 to 12:30 before he wakes up the first time. His night sleep has gotten worse since I originally posted this. He wakes up three to four times a night.</p> <p>I just don't have it in me to sleep train and have him CIO. For a while he was putting himself to sleep for naps, I could put him in the crib awake and within 7 minutes he be asleep. That doesn't work as well anymore, not sure why.</p> <p>I wish I had better news for you. Sometimes if LO has a bad night I'll let him sleep on me for the nap but these days it still ends up being 30 min only. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2903772 Tue, 26 Nov 2019 15:53:59 +0000 LadyDi 2903772@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: my DS is 5 months old and has the same nap habits as your LO. Just wanted to follow up and see what worked for you or if naps naturally got longer on their own. I know my DS is exhausted in the evenings bc he’s not sleeping enough during the day. I’m holding him for a nap as I type this. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2897326 Thu, 19 Sep 2019 14:44:03 +0000 bhbee 2897326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Umbreon: that’s awesome! Not all kids are bothered by light by my son always really benefited from blackouts (still helps him settle at 4) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/5-month-old-and-naps#post-2897301 Thu, 19 Sep 2019 10:37:57 +0000 Umbreon 2897301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Okay so he has been sleeping about 45 minutes now. This is a record!! </p> <p>I hung a dark sheet over the curtains to make it extra dark. It's also cloudy today so its darker for that reason too. He is currently sleeping in a crib in our room, so I put pillows on my side of the bed under the blanket to make it look like I'm sleeping there. </p> <p>I'm not sure if the darkness or the illusion of me sleeping there that's helped him sleep longer.</p> <p>I feel so good. I actually got to finish a cup of coffee this morning!! </p>