https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:45:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-585779 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:56:20 +0000 Running Elley 585779@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TurtleDoves: LOL your response mayyyy have made me snort...out loud. DH thinks I'm crazy. You are so right about the yoga ball induction trick! I will rethink my methods for baby #2 ;)<br /> @mrskc: I really hope that one day *boom* they'll just be old enough to sleep for hours by themselves. I could set a clock by the 30 minutes E will sleep in the crib.</p> <p>Update: We still haven't bounced! Woohoooooo! Buttt he's still napping for 30 minutes in the crib only. Which led to a meltdown today since he was exhausted. Gah. One day... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-581036 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:47:09 +0000 mrskc 581036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: @Running Elley: The short naps are so frustrating! A only naps 30 minutes too. But if I take him to bed and nurse him, he's slept up to 3 hours before! I usually can sneak away after 45-60 minutes. I really don't think it's such a bad thing to bottle feed or nurse to sleep. They're still so young. I think with age they will become better nappers and be able to put themselves back to sleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-581014 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:35:42 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 581014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: I don't think giving him a bottle before naps is a bad thing. So what? He's your kid...and he needs sleep and so do you.<br /> The problem is him staying asleep...Maybe use a swing.At some point, even after E started sleeping in his crib at night, he still couldn't nap without me holding (&amp; rocking) him. So, we put his swing in his room and used that for naps. I'd sit next to the swing and sing to him and he'd doze off. Then, i'd lower the swing speed to the lowest and leave....lights off.<br /> Eventually he grew out of that habit, but even if he hadn't, I wouldn't mind doing that every time; you've got to do what you've got to do to survive!<br /> also: if that doesn't work maybe try a bouncer (wink, wink..I know you created this ENTIRE thread just so I could come on here and validate that you so should get one) hahaha ;) &lt;3</p> <p>p.s: maybe this is because you did so much of that "bouncing on the yoga ball" induction trick! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-581012 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:31:37 +0000 hilsy85 581012@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: no idea, hopefully they'll get it eventually! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-581009 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:29:24 +0000 Running Elley 581009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: I just don't get it. When he's sleeping on someone he'll sleep straight through that 30 minute mark and wake up smiling and happy. What is it about the crib? He doesn't wake up every 30 minutes at night in the crib (thank goodness!!!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-581005 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:26:55 +0000 hilsy85 581005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: that's definitely a plus!! Argh, what is with our boys and their short naps?! It drives me crazy esp when they're obviously still tired when they wake up... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-580993 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:23:05 +0000 Running Elley 580993@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: He only slept in his crib for half an hour on the nose. :( he was fussy though and I could tell he was still tired. I laid down with him in our bed and he's been sleeping here with me ever since. I honestly think gas woke him up though. He was all scrunched up and tooting when I went in to get him.</p> <p>At least I haven't bounced him at all today. That's got to count for something... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-580983 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:19:20 +0000 hilsy85 580983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: Is he still sleeping? I can usually get L to sleep pretty easily, esp if I nurse him to sleep, he just doesn't STAY asleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-580956 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 19:02:21 +0000 Running Elley 580956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: He does in his sleep but not when awake lol. Silly boy!!!</p> <p>Except now I'm worried about the feeding to sleep thing. Will he never be able to sleep without eating now? Gosh you can never win! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-580947 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:56:32 +0000 mrskc 580947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: glad the tummy thing worked. Maybe I need to try that. Can he roll from back to belly now? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-580938 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:52:03 +0000 Running Elley 580938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@NovBaby1112: I tried him sleeping on his tummy this afternoon and it really helped! Thanks for the tip! I told DH that I will not ever start bouncing any future babies lol. We'll have to find another way! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-580930 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:45:46 +0000 winniebee 580930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: not usually but sometimes. He was truly a 30 minute mapper! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-580913 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:31:54 +0000 Running Elley 580913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: When T was only taking 30 minute naps would he nap longer if you were holding him? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-580858 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:54:25 +0000 Running Elley 580858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I fed him a bottle before both of his naps today (instead of eat activity sleep) and he went straight down! He kept flipping over to his tummy with his swaddle on so I unswaddled his arms so right now he's sleeping peacefully on his tummy (which is making me majorly paranoid) with his arms unswaddled without having to be bounced! This morning he got woken up by a repairman so I'm interested to see how long he naps naturally this time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-580018 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:55:50 +0000 2PeasinaPod 580018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: The swaddle weaning took us about 3 weeks. We would swaddle him with one arm out (different one each time), and he seemed to find his thumb that way. But when we tried both arms several times, he would wake himself up with his arms. I think we needed to try to stick with both arms out for a little longer...he just needed to get used to both of them being out.</p> <p>I also found that once he started sleeping on his side, the nighttime regiment went so much faster. we would put him in his crib...he would cry for a bit, then roll on his side. If his binky was out, we would run up and replace it without him seeing us, and he would go down shortly after that. </p> <p>Naps are just so much harder for us for some reason. I think too b/c we are still on a 3.5 hour feeding schedule that by the time he cries it out and falls asleep, he has to be up 15 minutes later to eat. Otherwise, he's going to bed WAY too late. We never feed him to sleep b/c he's really wound up after he eats. Like Elliot, S is on an eat, activity, sleep schedule. He likes to play unless it's bedtime. He's got that routine down pat! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-580010 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:53:39 +0000 winniebee 580010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: My son would get more and more upset if I checked on him. I had/have to let him CIO if there is any chance of sleep! My son is 9 months and I still give him a bottle before naps and bed. He takes good naps and sleeps through the night (when not sick) so I don't think it's an issue for him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-579960 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:41:55 +0000 Running Elley 579960@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: He just wouldn't stay asleep. I'd put him to sleep and as soon as I set him down his arms woke him up. It was impossible for me to soothe him back to sleep without picking him up and even then he'd be awake as soon as he was set back down. I think cold turkey works pretty well for most people though!<br /> @2PeasinaPod: Wow it does sound like the exact same situation!! Twinsies :) How long did the swaddle weaning take? And when did you switch from one arm to both arms out?<br /> Regarding naps, do you ever give him a bottle right before? I think that's what I'm going to try today (first nap in 15 minutes!) so I'll report back!<br /> @winniebee: I haven't tried feeding him to sleep before. That's what we do at night but during the day he's been on an eat activity sleep schedule. I am going to try switching it up though and if it means nap freedom I'll do it! I usually let him cry 5 minutes then soothe in crib, 10 minutes then soothe in crib and then 15. After the 15 he's still a hysterical mess :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-579931 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:36:41 +0000 NovBaby1112 579931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>so my LO is 3 months, and for the first 1-2 months of her life, she was sooo hard to get down for naps...we had to literally bounce her so hard (she loved the fast/rapid motion) and would go crazy if we just tried to slowly rock her in a rocking chair like a normal baby lol....then when we put her down she would wake up within 30 mins. I realized that in a month when I went back to work, our nanny would have to keep up this crazy bouncing routine, and it just wasn't sustainable as she was getting SO heavy, so I basically just cut the bouncing cold turkey and started a gentle swaying to get her to sleep. she fought it so much at first, but after a few days got used to not so much motion and eventually just gave in to the fighting lol. also, we make her room completely dark and use a white noise machine which helps. what has helped the most (although a little controversial) was putting her to sleep on her tummy, she naps for sooo much longer this way. she has awesome head control and I watched her on the video monitor the first few weeks like a hawk. we do not swaddle her either, we stopped that cold turkey around the same time as she loves sucking her fingers. i couldnt bear to let her CIO, and i heard it is alot harder to nap train than it is to train at night. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-579914 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:33:29 +0000 winniebee 579914@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: I dealt with 30 minute naps from 4 months to 6 months. It was brutal and I tried everything. In the end, he just had to "grow out of it." Now pretty much all of his naps are 1-2 hours. </p> <p>Have you tried nursing/feeding to sleep? How long do you let him cry? If my son won't go down, he woudl cry for up to 15 minutes, but then would fall asleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-579888 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:29:11 +0000 2PeasinaPod 579888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: Wow...are our sons twins? This is our EXACT situation...like to a T with the exercise ball and all. He does STTN for us (10-7), but getting him to go down for a nap longer than 30 minutes is dreadful. Monday was horrible. He cried for over an hour with me trying to let him CIO, and then he was just exhausted an overtired. When he sleeps on one of us, he sleeps soundly for well over an hour. So frustrating. </p> <p>We have weaned him from swaddling. That was tough at first, but he got used to it. We do still use sleep sacks, just leave his arms out. We went with one arm first, then both arms out. It took quite a while though! </p> <p>We have noticed that since we stopped swaddling him, he'll go down great for us at night. He finds his thumb, rolls to his side and self soothes. He just can't quite figure that out for naps yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-579866 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:25:56 +0000 hilsy85 579866@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: hah that's awesome!! So he CAN do it! I think when we do it, we'll do it cold turkey--maybe over a weekend where we don't have anything to do. I know it's going to be crappy....we'll definitely use a sleep sack though, to help keep him warm/so his legs don't get stuck in the crib. What was disastrous when you did cold turkey? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-579851 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:23:58 +0000 Running Elley 579851@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: How are you planning on swaddle weaning? We need to do it like...today haha. Last night E rolled onto his tummy in his swaddle 3 times while he was asleep (I seriously wish he'd roll over while conscious but...at least I kinda know he can lol). I tried no swaddle cold turkey yesterday and it was a huge disaster. I think I'm going to try swaddling with one arm out first and then both and then maybe eventually one day he'll just be in a sleep sack! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-579833 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:21:54 +0000 hilsy85 579833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: ha nope, I haven't done it today...I've rocked him to sleep for all his naps! I also feel like it's not really fair for us to do because he's still swaddled, so if his paci falls out he can't self soothe. So I might actually wait til we unswaddle, which we'll probably do sometime in the next month. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-579818 Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:19:04 +0000 Running Elley 579818@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: Have you started yet? That's what I keep hearing that I need to do but yesterday I let him cry for half an hour (with checks) and he seemed very worked up and not remotely close to soothing himself to sleep. Elliot also cries so hard that it seems like he's starting to choke on his saliva and it makes me super paranoid! I'm interested to hear how today goes for you! I hope it goes well! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-577986 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:09:38 +0000 hilsy85 577986@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had our 4 month appt today and talked about this with the pedi...LO also needs to be rocked for naps. She basically told us that we need to put him down in his crib pat him, and walk away. She said he could cry/fuss up to a half hour; at that point, we should go get him and start over again in an hour. I think we're going to try this tomorrow...not sure I have the stomach for letting him cry though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-577666 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:59:00 +0000 googly-eyes 577666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice but my LO did the same thing.. Would ONLY nap in the swing (and OCCASIONALLY the car or stroller) until about 4 months... Somewhere between 4-4.5 mo it just clicked. Hugs hugs hugs. And I hear ya about the embarrassment. I cried during the holidays since we spent the whole time battling with LO to nap at relatives' houses... But like my MIL told me, when you have a baby, you just sometimes need to say, hey, I have a LO..seeya later! I'm learning from this thread it wasn't ony my LO!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-577624 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:47:19 +0000 yellowbird 577624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: my LO was the exact same way. I discovered bouncing her on an exercise ball worked around ~8weeks old. Before that she wasnt napping at all! She would wake up at 30 minutes on the dot.</p> <p>She started taking hour long naps within the past few weeks. She's 5.5 mo the old now and usually will either take an hour long morning or afternoon nap, with all other naps still being 20-40 minutes, and I still have to bounce her to sleep :( </p> <p>I have found that she's a lot easier to put down after bouncing lately, maybe it's just a phase they have to row out of? We swaddle weaned around 4.5 months because she learned to roll over. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-577369 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:24:57 +0000 Running Elley 577369@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: I think I'm going to try it. I'm just at my wit's end! I think if it works it's worth it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-577363 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:23:38 +0000 MamaMoose 577363@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: I given in to feeding her to get her to sleep. I don't care if it makes things harder later. When she's gone six hours and barely slept I do what I need to do to give the poor girl some rest! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/i-need-serious-help-with-my-45-month-olds-nap-sleep#post-577351 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:21:14 +0000 MamaMoose 577351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Running Elley: @travelgirl1: We are headin home to visit family and I'm dreading nap times. I know she'll already be difficult because she'll be in a new environment surround by new people. I think there will be lots of nursing to sleep in our future!! </p>