https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:13:42 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-training-help-for-6-month-old#post-2104588 Wed, 11 Mar 2015 20:15:03 +0000 Mae 2104588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Littlebit: I hope it helps! My LO was on 4 naps/day until right about 6 mo too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-training-help-for-6-month-old#post-2104585 Wed, 11 Mar 2015 20:14:08 +0000 Littlebit 2104585@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: thank you! That is super helpful. Right now because of his crappy short naps he's napping at least 4 times a day :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-training-help-for-6-month-old#post-2104533 Wed, 11 Mar 2015 19:32:47 +0000 Mae 2104533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can only tell you what we did....</p> <p>If he cries the entire nap what do I do? We set a limit of 30 min crying (combined... so if 10 min crying then 10 min quiet then 20 min crying... we quit). We also had a 45 min limit for total time in the crib before we quit, unless she was clearly very close to sleep. </p> <p>Keep him awake until his next nap time? Or just take him out for a bit and try again?</p> <p>When we were nap training him we would put him down as soon as he seemed tired again, after a reasonable amount of time. Like usually 30-45 min later. Once she was trained if she skipped a nap we kept her up until the next one, although we would usually put her down for it a little early. Although now that we are down to 2 naps if she skips the 2nd nap I do give her a chance to nap again after her next bottle because otherwise she'd be up like 8+ hours before bed which just.... no.</p> <p> Also, do you let him nap like normal the next time (like rocking to sleep) or do you keep up with the nap training for each nap? I don't want to undo anything but I'm scared he won't sleep at all? Is that just the price you pay until he figures it out?</p> <p>We kept up the nap training... mostly. It seemed like rocking the next time would reinforce that if you skip one nap you get rocked for the next. There was only 1 time (I think? possibly 2...) where she skipped the next opportunity to nap. I think those second naps were what REALLY taught her how to nap alone in the beginning. However she was on 3 naps at that point and if she skipped her 3rd nap bedtime was always a mess so for nap 3 if she didn't fall asleep on her own I would go up and immediately rock her to sleep. I'd say she needed to be rocked for like 1/3-1/2 of those naps right up until we dropped the 3rd nap 3 months after we nap trained. But she figured out napping on her own (mostly) for the first two after like 2 weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nap-training-help-for-6-month-old#post-2104498 Wed, 11 Mar 2015 19:00:34 +0000 Littlebit 2104498@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I need some advice with nap training. My 6 month olds naps are a disaster, and they've been like this since he was two weeks old. He is a chronic crap napper. In the last 6 months I can count on ONE HAND the amount of naps he's taken that have lasted longer than 36 minutes. 36 minutes is the longest. They are usually less. These days closer to 25 minutes. </p> <p>He also needs to be rocked down for naps and the majority of the time he'll wake up the second we lay him down. He is obviously still tired when he wakes up. He's whiney, rubs his eyes, yawns, fusses. He's not getting enough sleep. I've played around with his awake times. Putting him to bed early, late.. Doesn't matter. 36 minutes or less.</p> <p>So we are nap training. He's with a sitter during the week because I WOH and she is helping. What we are doing is doing a nap routine and laying him in the crib awake. Leaving him there for a full hour, and doing checks. During the checks we shush, pat his belly, tell him to go to sleep, give him a paci, and leave..no picking up. At the end of the hour we make a big production to signal the end of his naptime.</p> <p>My question is for this weekend when I'm with him all day. If he cries the entire nap what do I do? Keep him awake until his next nap time? Or just take him out for a bit and try again? Also, do you let him nap like normal the next time (like rocking to sleep) or do you keep up with the nap training for each nap? I don't want to undo anything but I'm scared he won't sleep at all? Is that just the price you pay until he figures it out? </p> <p>At the sitters he has been taking a short nap in the car after. She has to drop off and pick up her son from preschool so she cant help it if he falls asleep in the car. I'll be staying home all day when I'm home. </p> <p>Any help or advice would be much appreciated! Today was our first day and he cried both times. Took two twenty minute car naps while she was picking up her son. That's it!</p> <p>ETA: he naps horribly everywhere. Doesn't matter if I hold him, if he's in the swing, the car, the crib. I never get 'good' naps. </p>