https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 14 Jun 2026 02:01:08 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34774 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:33:31 +0000 mrs. wagon 34774@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If she's sleeping fine in her crib at night, I would not worry at all. RJ is a FANTASTIC sleeper all around, but even though we opted to nap train, he still regularly took a car or stroller nap at least once a day. Once he was down to one nap it was always in the crib and it extended to 2, sometimes 3 hours. Sometimes because we're out and about we have to do a car or stroller nap, and it's always less than an hour, which is why I am so strict about going home for his nap-- he is a nightmare by dinnertime if he hasn't had a good nap. I've actually been chastised by moms and non-moms for having to jet off by 11am to get him lunch and to his nap, but I know what's best for him! He just happens to sleep better in his crib.</p> <p>In the end you just gotta do what's best for your family!!! You know your baby best :) Whatever you decide to do, there will always be a bunch of people who believe in the opposite way, so in the end there is no right or wrong way-- you just have to do what you know will work! That was our motto for the first year-- "whatever works". :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34761 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:17:27 +0000 heffalump 34761@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Red: I know you weren't! I asked for advice, and people gave it to me. That's what I come here for, and I appreciate everybody trying to help. I just have to remember that I don't have to take the advice if it doesn't seem right for me and my family. But I'm still glad to hear what everybody has to say so I know what all of my options are. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34758 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:16:44 +0000 Rubies 34758@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Red: I hope you didn't think I thought we were pressuring her - Wasn't my intention at all! (We apologize a lot around here!) :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34743 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:52:07 +0000 Red 34743@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artbee: it definitely wasn't my intent to pressure you, just wanted to correct the misconception that sleep training = rigid schedule. At the end of the day, you're her parent and you do what feels right for you :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34734 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:34:41 +0000 Andrea 34734@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artbee: drives you crazy doesn't it? i hate naps. haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34730 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:31:08 +0000 heffalump 34730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Andrea: Same here! She sleeps 11-12 hours in the crib at night and has no problem going to sleep. We can put her down awake or asleep, she finds her thumb, and she's out. But if she falls asleep in my arms during the day and I put her in the crib, she wakes right up and freaks out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34728 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:28:24 +0000 Andrea 34728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artbee: How does she sleep at night? My LO sleeps 13 hours in her crib at night but won't even sleep for 1 minute in her crib during the day so who knows why?!? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34726 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:26:17 +0000 heffalump 34726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rubies: I know! When we were planning our wedding I'd start every sentence off with, "on wedding bee today..." and now it's, "on hello bee today...." </p> <p>@Andrea: That makes me feel so much better! Today I waited until her eyes were closing in the stroller and then put her into her crib. Two minutes later she was making a ton of noise so I went to go look, she was on her belly. I flipped her over and she had a huge smile and big, bright eyes. And there went her morning nap, she was wide awake! I just don't think crib napping is for us. Plus, my mom said that I wouldn't sleep in a crib either, and I sleep fine now. So I have faith that she will too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34724 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:21:56 +0000 Andrea 34724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artbee: My daughter will ONLY nap in a stroller or car so I am definitely not against it! We have tried everything else (including CIO) and if this is what works then we kind of have no choice if we want her to sleep! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34722 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:19:32 +0000 Rubies 34722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artbee: LOL! Every day I say something about something and my hubs says, "Did Hellobee tell you that?" Hahaha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34718 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:15:53 +0000 heffalump 34718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rubies: aww, thanks! My husband told me it's not the end of the world if she naps in her stroller and my response was ""but everybody on hellobee thinks it is! " and now I realize how stupid I sounded. My baby will be fine and I just need to stop worrying about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34660 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:52:07 +0000 Rubies 34660@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artbee: Even though nap-training worked for me, I'm also a huge believer in doing what works for you and your family. I used to feel so pressured to do all the things people recommended to me that it got overwhelming. You and your hubby will figure out what works for your LO. We're all here to support you! Good luck, friend! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34637 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:30:39 +0000 heffalump 34637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I discussed it with my husband and he's very against nap training, and I don't want to do something he's uncomfortable with. Especially since I'm still unsure how I feel about it myself. So that's out.</p> <p>I think my husband will just go to the gym straight from work. He's been wanting to do that but comes straight home to help me.. but it might be more helpful if he let her nap. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34472 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:53:07 +0000 Red 34472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nap training does necessarily mean that you need to follow a strict schedule (although it would benefit your LO to do so). It just means that you're training your LO to put herself to sleep on her own and not rely on external stimuli (rocking, shushing, being held, etc.)</p> <p>My LO sleeps fine in the car, in the stroller, in her peapod sleep tent, and pretty much anywhere else, largely due to the fact that she's been sleep-trained. For example, when she's in the stroller and I place a cover over the stroller hood (to block out distractions) and tell her to go to sleep, she knows that's her cue to put herself to sleep and that whining is futile cause I'm not picking her up.</p> <p>Can't recommend it enough :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34351 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:55:18 +0000 Mrs. Bee 34351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>charlie naps in the stroller and car seat fine and it doesn't mess up his crib naps at all. also nap training lengthened his notorious 45 min naps to 2-3 hour naps. i'd try putting her down every 90 minutes. that was the magic number for charlie at that age.</p> <p>but 4 1/2 months is exactly when we sleep trained because his sleep got so bad. they're going thru a lot developmentally at that age, so it's not just a coincidence that your lo's sleep isn't great! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34336 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:48:04 +0000 Maysprout 34336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Can you put her down a little earlier for the afternoon nap. I'm not a schedule kind of person and haven't nap trained so if I know we're going to be out at a certain time I fudge with her nap times a bit. So far it's worked out just fine. If I want her to go down earlier I'll make sure to give her a healthy dose of play time with lots of interaction, then swaddle her (she;s way too big but the swaddling lets her get in sleep mode even though I free her arms within a few minutes now) and give her a nursing. Almost always she's out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34312 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:32:39 +0000 heffalump 34312@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rubies: I do that too. Except I put her on her back and let her roll over a million times. Maybe I will try nap training then. I'm reading a book about it... now I just have to finish it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34310 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:29:23 +0000 heffalump 34310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Yoyo: we can't swaddle because she's a thumb sucker. That's what gets her to sleep. Every once in a while I try a routine, but she's always like what are you doing, I just want to go to sleep! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34306 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:26:09 +0000 Rubies 34306@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@artbee: I found that when our naptraining was down, I could go out and about and have her nap in her stroller long enough to count as a realy nap (45 minutes) and not have it intefere with our schedule at home. I think the key is to really tire her out for the two hours that she's awake. We recently got LO an exersaucer and it has worked wonders. She plays so well in it that she truly exhausts herself! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34304 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:22:34 +0000 Mrs. Yoyo 34304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Haha, you just described Baby Y. The 45-minute naps are the WORST -- I may blog about them. He basically naps 3 times a day ... roughly 9-10, 12-1, and 3-4. Do you have a nap routine? I keep it streamlined, but I swaddle lightly, shhhhhh him and sway, and let him stare at his crib aquarium as he winds down. Usually the eyelids fall within a few minutes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34296 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:10:31 +0000 heffalump 34296@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Yoyo: she wakes up around 7. She takes very short naps, 45 minutes to an hour. Usually every 2 hours.. She eats, then we do an activity until she starts to get fussy, and that's when I put her down. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34293 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:02:23 +0000 Mrs. Yoyo 34293@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh, 4.5 months is when sleep gets screwier anyway :) When is she getting up, roughly, and how long does she stay up between naps? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34292 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:00:49 +0000 Mrs. Yoyo 34292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>^ I've also been a fan of that book. I don't follow it to a tee, but the general principles of how long to go between naps and not letting Baby Y get overtired have worked pretty well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34291 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:59:40 +0000 heffalump 34291@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've thought a lot about nap training but I just don't think it's for us. Our weekends are pretty go go go and I really don't want to change that. As a sahm, I love to get out! As it is now she can sleep in the car or stroller and I don't have to worry about ruining a nap time routine. Plus, she naps fine every other time, it's just the one nap that she doesn't want to take.</p> <p>@RosieGirl: I only put her down when she gets tired, and that always happens to be after my husband gets home.</p> <p>@Mrs bee: she's 4 1/2 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34285 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:49:10 +0000 mrs. wagon 34285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went insane over the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" but ever since I started following it and nap trained RJ, he has been a fabulous napper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34283 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:47:37 +0000 Mrs. Bee 34283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>how old is your daughter?</p> <p>another nap proponent. charlie has been an excellent napper since we nap trained. i am kind of obsessive about his sleep, and even now he often gets 15+ hours a day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34246 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:13:59 +0000 Rosie Girl 34246@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Could you put her down earlier? I don't know what time her dad gets home, but maybe you could get her to nap before he gets there? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34176 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:55:10 +0000 Rubies 34176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Red: Totally second that, Red! Nap-training was making me crazy but it was worth the effort. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34169 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:52:53 +0000 Red 34169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I'm beginning to sound like a broken record but have you tried nap training? Babies are smarter than we give them credit for and your LO has already caught on that if she fights long enough, she can delay the nap. Nap training will teach her that naps are non-negotiable and eventually she'll see that it's not worth her time to fight it.</p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/the-dreaded-afternoon-nap#post-34165 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:51:09 +0000 chopsuey 34165@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO has been resisting afternoon naps too. She sleeps really well during her morning naps though.<br /> For instance today.. She wouldn't go down, so I'm not forcing it. At 8 months, she should be getting 14.25 hours of sleep. As long as she gets around 14 hours total I don't stress.<br /> I figure it's not the end of the world. </p>