https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 02 May 2026 15:33:22 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347363 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 19:40:40 +0000 Mrs Panda 2347363@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FliegepilzHut: I don't think we really had any tricks - just started from day 1 when they're kind of constantly sleepy anyway, I guess. Sorry, no good tips because we could never do it with DD1! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347362 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 19:40:25 +0000 Ms.Badger 2347362@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FliegepilzHut: Yes, at a little after 4 months he started going down awake for naps and night sleep. He always hated the swaddle so we never used anything. His falling asleep on his own completely coincided with his sucking his thumb to self-soothe and there was nothing we could do to facilitate it, it just happened </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347360 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 19:38:24 +0000 pastemoo 2347360@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>though i held my son for many many many naps, and would ask a nanny to as well, i would expect the nanny to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347355 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 19:29:19 +0000 regberadaisy 2347355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@FliegepilzHut: dd1 started around 8 weeks. #2 started around 6 or 7months? I was unemployed. I was so stressed out about #2 not napping the whole first week. Very first day I called to check on her and her teachers said she took her bottles (2nd time, ever) and napped like a champ. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347353 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 19:24:28 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2347353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: How old were your girls when they went to daycare? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347352 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 19:23:08 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2347352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayLou: That's a pretty brilliant strategy! We don't really use a carrier around the house much. </p> <p>@Ms.Badger: At 4 months were you able to put him down awake? Were you using any swaddle, sleep sack, or similar? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347349 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 19:16:56 +0000 regberadaisy 2347349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both my girls needed to be held for naps for a very long time. I tried CIO and all that and it never really worked. When they would cry themselves to sleep it was a crappy 20 minute nap. They have no issues whatsoever napping in their crib at daycare. *smackshead*<br /> I think it's a total mommy clingy thing... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347344 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 19:12:21 +0000 sunny 2347344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I could never get my LO to nap in a crib in the first few months. She either would nap on me while nursing or in the ergo. Occasionally she would have a short nap in the car seat. I didn't get a whole lot done either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347340 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 19:08:11 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2347340@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs Panda: I couldn't put DS down for probably 2 months an have him stay asleep! :meh: How exactly did you do it? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347310 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 18:06:53 +0000 Meridian 2347310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oooh, those days of nap holding!! LO's morning nap was pretty good for a while, so I would hold him for at least 30 mins to 1 hour for his 2 afternoon naps. He would start off in his crib, but I would hold him to extend them. I think we stopped around 7 months when he consistently napped on his own in the crib (but length of time varied all the time). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347269 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 16:55:59 +0000 maddyz 2347269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>And I was just complaining about having a 8.5 month old who only stroller naps... a least I am not holding him.</p> <p>Our nanny has had MUCH better luck then me in putting him to sleep in his bed for naps, but it's still not easy.</p> <p>I think that each relationship that a baby has with a caregiver (mommy, daddy, nanny, grandma) has the potential to be different. The way that I put LO to sleep is different then those others. I try to keep myself open to change and not let past failure and expectations get in the way of LOs ability to change and grow. WAY easier said than done. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347264 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 16:49:15 +0000 Mrs Panda 2347264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have a direct answer to your question, but either DH or I would hold our first daughter for almost all of the naps. It was exhausting and I caught up on a lot of Netflix shows that way. Then, when she started daycare, she would not nap. At all. At six months. Only would nap in our arms. </p> <p>So, before LO2 came along, I made a firm rule to everyone - me, DH, grandparents - no holding her for naps. If she falls asleep in your arms, put her down in her crib! It worked, in that she has always napped well on her own, can fall asleep easily by herself, and is generally a great sleeper. However, I'll admit that I feel a little bit of sadness that napping in someone's arms was never part of her babyhood. I don't think it traumatized her or anything - I just wish we could have done it sometimes without committing to it for every nap and ruining her day care naps.</p> <p>Anyway, sorry, pretty unrelated to your questions. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347231 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 16:14:37 +0000 daniellemybelle 2347231@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't hold LO for all her naps through the whole nap... but there was a good while when I would rock/hold her for like 15 minutes, put her down for about 30 minutes, and then have to rock her back to sleep and usually hold her for the rest of her nap, though occasionally I could get her to transfer. So I was basically holding her for her nap with a break in there.</p> <p>I wish I had found a baby carrier/wrap that LO liked enough to sleep in. That would have been a better set up than spending my life in the glider. I would ask a nanny to baby wear but I wouldn't ask her to do the whole complicated deal I did. But to be honest I don't know that she could have been with a nanny at that time. Her sleep routine was taxing (mainly because LO was a sleep fighter and cried a lot even when being rocked to sleep). My mom would do it but that's because she loved her :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347136 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 14:49:36 +0000 LBee 2347136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I walled you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347129 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 14:45:51 +0000 MrsSRS 2347129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was a nanny I held for naps when I could. The baby was the youngest of three, but on days when the older two were at preschool I would hold baby for at least one nap when she was little and not crib trained yet. Or if the older ones were playing peacefully. I also wore the baby a lot so she could nap while we played at the park or while I did laundry or whatever.</p> <p>ETA: I'm typing this while nursing my youngest who is sound asleep... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347128 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 14:45:50 +0000 sarac 2347128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine is three months, and she naps in the swing or in the moby wrap. I could not be less concerned about it, honestly. She won't go to college needing to be held while she naps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347094 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 14:29:13 +0000 Mrs.Someone 2347094@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was lucky, I could usually get DS down in the crib. The only reason I would ever hold him was if we had a rough day and I needed some baby cuddles, or as I called it "working on my milk supply". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347024 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:37:05 +0000 hilsy85 2347024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How do you do this if you also have another child to care for?! MY 3 week old really likes being held for naps and sleeps well that way, but it seems impossible with a toddler at home as well... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347023 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:36:19 +0000 MoonMoon 2347023@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I held him for all his naps. His dad could put him in the swing or on the bed for naps, but I nursed him to sleep in my arms. No regrets! I mean I'm jealous of those whose babies could be put down, but I cherished those early months where he was my little babe in arms. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347021 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:34:33 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2347021@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't want to post this almost but my 10 month old still naps best when held. Dad is his caregiver when I am at work<br /> And he can never set Him down for naps. He rocks and bounces him until he's asleep and then rocks in glider. We have a really big baby and so it's quite a task! He sleeps well at night so it's worth it to us. For me, I hold him when I want him to sleep really well because when I set him down he often only sleeps 30 min. We aren't interested in sleep training, I still nurse to sleep, and we don't use a crib (bed sharing and floor bed). Do I want to get stuff done? So badly. But even when he's asleep independently I creep around our small house afraid of waking him up! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347018 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:29:55 +0000 gingerbebe 2347018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It really depended on his global sleep situation. He usually went down for his morning nap with no issues so that wasn't a problem. (And I always totally prioritized the first nap). If he had a crap second nap, then I would do whatever to facilitate the third nap. I didn't really hold him for naps per se but I definitely had days where I laid next to him in bed holding his paci in while my arm went numb (he could never keep it in and would get angry as eff if it fell out) or side lie nurse so he could get a decent nap in. If he was fighting sleep completely a stroller nap or Ergo nap happened but they were never as long or restorative as a crib nap so those were more desperation things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2347002 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:19:28 +0000 Greentea 2347002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I held her for all the naps! </p> <p>As far as asking the nanny to do that, that might be okay, just make sure you pay her well and don't give her too many chores. When people gave me a laundry list of chores... it does take away from direct time with the children. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2346995 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:12:48 +0000 CakeLady 2346995@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With DS we would put him down in his crib to sleep and when he would inevitably wake after 30-45 minutes we would rock him back to sleep and hold him another hour or so to extend his nap. We'd do this for most or all naps. We only had a nanny from months 3-6, but we had him do it too. </p> <p>FWIW now at 17 months DS takes one 1.5-2.5 hour nap a day in his crib on his own. No holding necessary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2346988 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:09:01 +0000 beloved 2346988@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All of them and I don't regret it one bit. And he has still been a good crib sleeper ! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2346987 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 13:08:04 +0000 Ms.Badger 2346987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>J was exactly like this around 3 months. I typically tried putting him down for one nap, knowing it would be crappy, so i could get exactly 1 thing done (typically shower). I would hold him for 2 naps everyday (or walk him in the stroller, which was another nap "crutch" for him).</p> <p>Our nanny started with him at 12 weeks. The first day I told her what I did (held for naps, went for long walks) but I guess she still thought we expected her to get things cleaned up etc and put him down for all naps which ended with him napping like 40 min total. I straight up told her to hold him for all naps and she did with no issues. he still didn't nap well (he'd rather sleep on Mommy, which is cute but annoying). Luckily, J's naps do not affect his nighttime sleep at all and he still slept well at night.</p> <p>He started napping on his own, in his crib just after 4 months (when he started sucking his thumb). Still not a great napper (usual naps are 40 min, he rarely naps 1-2 hours). But the nanny still sometimes holds him for his naps because I think she likes it (what's not to like, a sweet baby sleeping on you when you have no other things to get done).</p> <p>So, my advice, hold him for whatever naps you can/want to, but try putting him down to nap every once in awhile to see if he's "growing out of it" and if you hire a nanny for sure ask him or her to hold him for naps. I did mention to all the nannies I interviewed that he was a crap napper so they knew what they were getting into :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2346973 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:58:33 +0000 LindsayLou 2346973@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Being held or worn is currently--and had been since about 3 weeks--the only way my 10 week old will nap. She needs the sleep, and I need to get things done, so we make it work. She's on about 3 naps a day right now, sometimes 4. </p> <p>To get errands run, I usually plan to leave the house right when she seems to be ready for a nap. I get stuff ready, nurse her to where she's almost asleep, put her in the car seat and go. Usually she's almost asleep by the time we get to our destination and she falls asleep in the carrier after a few minutes of walking around. I figure if my baby will only nap on me, and prefers when I'm up and moving, then I might as well get out and get stuff done.</p> <p>I used to be a nanny and don't think it's at all unreasonable to ask a nanny to hold for naps. Nannies don't want babies to be tired and upset and will usually do whatever necessary to get baby to sleep happily and well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2346952 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:44:12 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2346952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catomd00: @babynumber1: @Bubbles: Thank you! The whole idea of a nanny is still pretty novel to me...I'm hoping I'll learn quickly (in a positive sense!)! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2346941 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:39:11 +0000 juli7 2346941@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I held my daughter for at least her morning nap until I went back to work when she was 15 weeks. Sometimes I would hold her for afternoon naps too, but only if I didn't need to nap myself or get stuff done. Some days it was hard, but I don't regret doing it - I miss bouncing her on the exercise ball and binge watching TV! </p> <p>She started daycare at 15 weeks and it took about a month before she would nap for more than an hour there. They did hold her when they could, but obviously not for two hours every morning like I did. It was a really hard month, but in retrospect, I'm glad it forced her to nap on her own. Now she naps better at daycare than anywhere else. </p> <p>I think it is reasonable to ask your nanny to hold your child for naps, provided it isn't a nanny share or anything like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2346934 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:35:59 +0000 FliegepilzHut 2346934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Applesandbananas: I hear you on that...I've just been so hopeful (unrealistically, I guess) that I might have two hands to do things-- like laundry!-- any time besides when DS is happy, awake, and able to sit contentedly in a bouncer seat for a few minutes. Whatever it's worth, he seems to wake up calm and happy, even when I set him down (though it took a while to get there--not sure if that was a learned skill vs. just a question of maturity)...it's just WAY too short! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-held-baby-for-napshow-many-and-other-questions#post-2346916 Fri, 06 Nov 2015 12:21:45 +0000 Bubbles 2346916@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I held DS for all naps until 5 months. His night sleep was still rubbish, I did it because otherwise he wouldn't sleep and if he was awake he was usually crying :sad: By 5 months I felt like I was going crazy from lack of space, so I did a very gradual transition to cot napping.</p> <p>I've never had any sort of child care provider, but I don't see why you couldn't ask a nanny to hold him! </p>