CIO for naps...

OK. So today I tried something new...I separated them at naptime, so one could cry and the other could sleep. We saw the pedi yesterday and I said we were having issues with naptime. He was no help! He said, "Some kids need a 30 minute nap one day, another day-no nap. Some need 2 hours. It varies." I KNOW that! However-I also KNOW that Anthony NEEDS to sleep longer! Why? Because he DOES! The problem? It's ON ME! He has me all figured out!

So anyways-I let him CIO for 15 minutes. He was not all out screaming during this time. Usually I can tell if he will fall back asleep by his cries. And it seemed like he might. But he didn't. I couldn't take it anymore so I went in and grabbed him. I then went into the living room and laid down on the couch-with him on top of me watching Baby Einstein. He was out in minutes-and slept for another good 35 minutes-until Nicholas woke up and I had to go get him-thus waking Anthony.

So-is he that smart that he just wants to sleep with mommy? I don't know how to break this cycle! I feel guilty! And being pregnant doesn't help either!

How long would you let him CIO? Or would you just let him sleep the 30 minutes(to the T-exactly what he does. Every single day) and then grab him and let him rest with you? FWIW-they never came into the bed with us when their were infants-even now. They wanted no part of it.

I give up! LOL!

 

You're going to need naptime when the baby is born to get a bit of down time. I'd stick with it now. I always just put them to bed and left them til naptime was over. If they slept, great; if not, fine. You asked if he has you figured out and I think the answer is yes. I would keep them separated if you are able to for now. Put them down at whatever time is normal for naptime and leave them until you decide naptime is over. For us that was 2hrs for one nap a day. They had soft toys/books/etc to keep them busy if they didn't want/need to sleep but they always went down at about the same time and never got up before 2 hrs. It make take a few weeks for him to give up trying since it's worked up til now, but just leave him be and he'll learn that naptime is quiet time in the crib/pnp. When you put him down just tell him, "it's night night time, I'll be back when naptime is over" and don't go back unless you are really needed. And in that case make it short and sweet and back out the door. hth!

 

I got into the nasty "sleep with Aiden" habit a while back. He enjoyed it & so did I, so when it was possible, we snuggled together for a nap (Conner never enjoyed it & didn't sleep well). And when Aiden would wake early from a nap, he'd crash again with me until Conner woke up (thus, also usually waking Aiden).

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago or so & the child is a hellion at naptime. He naps 2 hrs at daycare, but fights nap tooth & nail at home. Due to exhaustion from working overnights, I caved & let him sleep with me. But, not anymore. After a weekend at my parents' where he'd only fall asleep in my arms & I had to VERY carefully put him in his crib, I was fed up. It's obvious. He only wants to sleep by me & has me figured out that I would come to him.

So, these past few days have been horrible. And it's hard for me because I know that if I just let him sleep with me, we'd BOTH get the nap with BOTH need (you need one, too...you're pregnant!). But, I need to break this cycle. Doing CIO with Conner is easy...it usually only takes 1-2 days. Not Aiden. He's stubborn & I expect this to take quite some time.

I've always had a rule that they aren't allowed out of their bed at naptime for 2 hrs (well, it started at 1 hr & has gradually increased as their naps increased). Even when I did allow Aiden to sleep wtih me, I held firm to the 1 hr rule, since he very rarely would not fall back to sleep with a little crying at that point. Both Monday & today, it took 10-15 mins of screaming til he fell asleep (or so I think he did). Monday he slept 45 mins & proceeded to cry off & on for an hour until I got him out. I went in ONCE & told him it was still time to sleep & laid him back down. Today he woke up after an hour & proceeded to cry on & off an additional hour til he was let out (again, I went in). I KNOW he's capable of a 2 hr nap & I KNOW he was tired today (we ran around the playplace at the mall for an hour & he was falling asleep on the car ride home). He's just THAT stubborn. So, neither of us slept & we're both crabby now.

I will say that while he does scream VERY LOUDLY, I never let him go more than 30 mins without checking on him. That being said, he usually will simmer down for a while in there & give me hope that he's fallen back to sleep (stinker)!

I'm at my wit's end for us not getting sleep so I'm going to stand firm on this until he goes back to sleeping normally & in his crib. I hate it because I know it's my fault for allowing him to sleep with me (I should've known...my stubborn Mama's boy), but we'll work through it...I hope!

Hang in there. Pick a time frame & stick to it. You can gradually lengthen it. However, when he wakes & you take him back to you to snuggle/sleep, he's going to know that will always happen & he won't break that habit. Hopefully he's less stubborn than my Aiden & it won't take too long for you to get everything all straightened out.

My Ped also said kid's naps vary, but I KNOW that Aiden's mood & behavior are WAY better with a nap AT LEAST 1 hr 45 mins long. Anything under that & he's a bear. You know your own kid, so go with your gut!

((((HUGS))))) I'm fighting a nap-fighter right here with ya!

 

I might be mean, but I turned off the monitor and checked on him about every 1/2 hr. eventually (after yelling for up to an hour) he started napping again. I feel like that was around 1 yr., but memory is fuzzy. If he knows you are not coming in for him. He'll conk out. But that's me and not everyone can handle that and not every kid can handle that. IF YOU think YOU are getting PLAYED by him, then try it.