https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 22:17:18 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-i-start-with-nap-training#post-2782355 Thu, 26 Oct 2017 15:27:15 +0000 kitty 2782355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsBAM: I can get LO to sleep in his crib all night if I want to (in between feeds I mean). I think the theory is that however they start the night, they will be easier to settle that way for the rest of the night. So I guess it could potentially cause an issue later on depending on your LOs temperament but at least in my case I'm just usually too tired to get up for night feeds so I'm kind of leaving that problem for later ☺ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-i-start-with-nap-training#post-2782166 Thu, 26 Oct 2017 09:44:38 +0000 MsBAM 2782166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <br /> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-i-start-with-nap-training#post-2782165 Thu, 26 Oct 2017 09:41:59 +0000 MsBAM 2782165@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jape14: That is true about it not necessarily being sleep training. The only way I get him to sleep now is side lying nursing to avoid the putting down so I was hoping to find another way for him to fall asleep.</p> <p>No, he doesn’t need motion to sleep. Maybe I’ll try the crib and see how he reacts.</p> <p>@kitty: Definately something to consider. But if I’m taking him to my bed half way through the night will we have to address sleep training again later when I want him there the full night? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-i-start-with-nap-training#post-2782164 Thu, 26 Oct 2017 09:41:58 +0000 kitty 2782164@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They other reason they say to start with bed time is because it's meant to be easier due to a greater amount of sleep pressure and the natural body rhythms that make night sleep come more easily. So you can do naps first but it just might be more difficult.</p> <p>We cosleep for part of the night as well, but LO (just shy of 5 months) always starts the night in his crib. Could you do something similar? I adopted a loose baby whisperer sleep training approach which involves putting baby in the crib then staying with him until he goes to sleep then removing yourself over time. It used to take a bit of crying but now he's usually down in less than 5 minutes. I would bite the bullet and go straight for the crib because then you won't have another transition to do, which may not go smoothly anyway.</p> <p>Also, my LO also only naps for 30-50 minutes and the last nap of the day is harder because those short naps can make them over tired. It should improve with age (I remember DS1 was able to nap longer by 6 months). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-i-start-with-nap-training#post-2782162 Thu, 26 Oct 2017 09:35:58 +0000 jape14 2782162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's a little confusing because when you say "sleep training," people generally take that to mean removing sleep crutches with the goal of getting your child to sleep independently. Nursing to sleep and a swing (and rocking to sleep, etc) are all essentially sleep crutches, so by switching to the swing you are just "trading down" sleep crutches. Once he grows out of the swing or it stops working, then you will have to re-train. When we sleep trained, the goal was to set up good sleep habits including falling asleep independently. The other things like longer naps and STTN will follow, but in my opinion/experience, when you get those things without good sleep habits in place first, they don't tend to last.</p> <p>Re: the swing training method, I've heard of that used for kids who can't get to sleep at all without motion. If you aren't already there (that is, if he will fall asleep without motion) I wouldn't go down that road; just something else you will have to undo later.</p> <p>Finally, I do think crap naps at this age are par for the course for many kids. We sleep trained my son at 4 months and his naps still didn't lengthen out until he was solidly on two naps -- but, we also weren't spending a ton of time trying to get him down so I was okay with it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-i-start-with-nap-training#post-2782154 Thu, 26 Oct 2017 09:15:36 +0000 MsBAM 2782154@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LBee: Yes his nap and night time sleep environments are different. I was nursing him to sleep and then putting him in his crib for naps but he started waking up as soon as I put him down. So then I started side lying nursing. But since I put him in the swing the last couple of days, I was so glad it resulted in longer naps. I didn’t have to nurse to sleep in the swing and he would eventually fall asleep with minimal fussing/bit of crying. I agree that it’s not a long term solution. The only way he can fall asleep is nursing so was shocked when the swing worked for him (it’s never worked before). The swing is also in his room so I figured maybe that would get him used to his room. I can try putting him in his crib at nap time and see what happens. </p> <p>I’ve heard about the swing training method of slowly reducing the speed of the swing until the swing is not moving thus supposed to make the crib transition easier? Has anyone had experience with this method? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-i-start-with-nap-training#post-2782148 Thu, 26 Oct 2017 09:04:08 +0000 LBee 2782148@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sleep training in general is used to get you towards your ideal. The swing isn't a long term solution. I would recommend figuring out what you want sleep to look like 6+ months from now (location, routine, etc) and sleep training for that. They say to do nighttime because naps usually just follow suit without having to train once you establish those routines / cues. With that said, consistency is key and it sounds like his night and nap sleep environments are very different. My concern would be that you would go through the process of sleep training and in essence have to completely start over when you decide to stop co-sleeping or your child grows out of the swing. I sleep trained my son and while it was 100% worth it, it wasn't a delightful process. I would try to minimize the amount of different iterations I had to go through, personally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-i-start-with-nap-training#post-2782141 Thu, 26 Oct 2017 08:51:14 +0000 MsBAM 2782141@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi,</p> <p>My LO is 4.5mo. I know they say to start sleep training with bedtime but can I start with naps? My LO takes crap naps, 30-50 min but usually 30min. The last couple days I’ve put him in his swing around his nap time and it worked a couple times with barely any tears. He also slept for over an hour all three times that it worked. Yesterday when I did it for his last nap he cried quite a bit, wasn’t sure if I should let him cry or not. He used to hate his swing so this is a step forward. If I’m doing nap training and use the swing is this ok? Or should I just be putting him in his crib? I really like the swing bc he slept much longer in it compared to his usual cat naps.</p> <p> Also, don’t know if I’m ready to sleep train at bedtime yet bc we currently cosleep and I don’t want to confuse him. Or is it ok to sleep train while co sleeping then switch to crib later? </p>