Ok to nap in swings?

My girls are 9 weeks old. We've FINALLY seemed to start some kind of morning-mid morning routine... After the 8am-ish feeding, they take turns playing on their mat/tummy time toy and then they get fussy and want a nap. However, they want to nap in their swings. I don't really know how that started...they just always fell asleep in the swings, so i guess one day I started it so i could take a shower, and noticed they were both out. They seem to sleep longer while in the swings. When they are lounging in their Boppy pillows or in bed during the day, it's just 20 minute cat naps. Am I starting something really bad here by doing this long morning nap in the swing? I know they will grow too big for the swings someday, and then what will I do? Was it an easy transition (those moms who did this)???

 

QUOTE(anemo @ Jun 25 2009, 10:38 AM) [snapback]1368208[/snapback]
My girls are 9 weeks old. We've FINALLY seemed to start some kind of morning-mid morning routine... After the 8am-ish feeding, they take turns playing on their mat/tummy time toy and then they get fussy and want a nap. However, they want to nap in their swings. I don't really know how that started...they just always fell asleep in the swings, so i guess one day I started it so i could take a shower, and noticed they were both out. They seem to sleep longer while in the swings. When they are lounging in their Boppy pillows or in bed during the day, it's just 20 minute cat naps. Am I starting something really bad here by doing this long morning nap in the swing? I know they will grow too big for the swings someday, and then what will I do? Was it an easy transition (those moms who did this)???


I am a big fan of swing napping. I was very resistant when they were young but finally gave in and never looked back! Mine napped in swings exclusively starting about 3-4 months (I would totally do it at 9 weeks without a worry!) The took all naps in swings from then until 7 months when we did CIO at night and then naps. DS also slept in his swing about half the night. The naps were long and regular and just beautiful really. They always went down at night in their cribs, so once we did CIO to keep DS in his crib all night, the transition to cribs for naps was a piece of cake. No regrets at all using the swing - it kept everyone well-rested and sane. I always thought it was more important THAT they sleep than WHERE they sleep.

 

No it's not really bad to take a nap in a swing! The swing just about saved my life for 3months, the girls slept all night in them for the first month or two because of reflux and all naps were taken in them till they decided at 3 months they were just too nosy to sleep in the swing in the lounge. If your concerned about them getting too used to the motion just switch the swinger off or down when they are sleeping. We still have the swing set up in the lounge but they never ever snooze in it (wish they would somedays) they would rather play so we didn't really have to transition.

 

Heck honey, right now, wherever you can get the to sleep is the best place for them to sleep! I used to joke that if the girls wanted me to stand on one foot and dangle myself off the roof so they'd nap, I'd do it! You're doing fine!

 

H#ll, yeah, it's OK.

We actually did most naps in the stroller until they were about 6 months old (when it got too hot to stroller at mid-day!). When the weather was too bad for strollering (though that was rare, because we did it in the rain too), we used the swings. They transitioned fine to the cribs and it wasn't a big deal.

 

Mine are 3 months - they started liking the swings about a month ago. They nap in the swings every morning for a 3-hour nap - they will nap in crib but it takes a long time for them to go to sleep and then I only get 45 mins. It is a lifesaver since they are crappy afternoon nappers. I think the sleep is important, so any way it can be achieved is the key. Good luck.

 

Do what you have to do to survive at this point ^_^ if it's for them to sleep in swings then so be it! I started introducing more 'structured' naps [as in slowly getting them used to napping in their room together] after 4 months.

 

My two slept in swings for naps and DD for night for awhile and around 4-5 months they grew out of being comfy to do this and wanted to stretch out when they slept. I've definitely had a lot of sleeping/sleep places issues and at 5-6 months they started loving their cribs with no major push from me. No crying fits either. From day one i've been doing whatever I can to keep everyone happy and rested as possible. Everything seems to fall into place when they're ready.

At some point they started taking shorter naps in the swings and not looking as comfortable. At that point I started trying to get them in their cribs more. I'd get them to sleep first and then put them in (which some people say is a no-no but it worked for us...they're starting to go to sleep on their own now...7 months tomorrow). I say do whatever works to get them sleep and help you rest.

 

Not at all. You have to do what needs to be done so you can get break and they'll take a nap. In the early days (under 3 months) I could get both of them to go to sleep in the swing and it was heavenly! Eventually as they got older, they figured out my plan and it did not work as well, so that was when we transitioned to sleeping in the crib for nap time.

 

Evan was happiest napping in his swing for a while. Around 12 weeks I started putting both boys down in their cribs for his morning nap. James took to it right away but Evan needed to transition. We compromised with him napping BESIDE his crib for a while (in the swing) but it got him used to the nursery. Then after a while he was fine in his bed.

 

AGREE 100% Whatever it takes right now!

 

I agree with PP....use the swings for whatever they (and you) need. Naps, fussiness, just to be in. We spent many a nights on the couch as well because sometimes they just slept better in the swings. Don't feel bad for doing that ... the swings were a God send for us, too. I'm not sure how else we would've made it through. As for the transition .. ours was good. We just gradually stopped putting them in there so much and then it was like they were never in them so up to the attic the swings went. Do whatever you need to do to get through these first few months and hang in there... it will get easier! Good luck!

 

Max & Lily napped in their swings strapped in until they were about 8 or 9 months old. Then Lily tried to escape her straps. The swings were gone after that. They also napped in their bouncy seats strapped in. They were always supervised during these naps if it wasn't in the crib. We figured a nap is good no matter where they take it, just keep an eye on them if it is not in their crib.

 

Sleeping in the swings won't hurt them! If it's working I say keep doing it. Eventually they'll be too big for the swings. Mine slept in swings and had no problem not sleeping in swings, they're 20 months old now and when they go to the play room they still play in the swings even though they are clearly too big for them now.

 

ABSOLUTELY.... I did this until mine we re 6 months. That's what kept me sane!

 

Mine slept in the swings for naps until they were about 4 months old and then one day they just weren't all about it any more. Don't feel guilty about it at all.

Since I've been on summer break, they have gotten used to sleeping in the big bed with me for their morning nap (because I need it too!!)... this is a habit I'm much much more afraid of....

 

Mine took EVERY nap in their swings until they were over 6 months old when I finally started putting them down in their cribs. I started with only one swing and was using the bouncy seat for the other and quickly learned that they slept great in the swings and not so much in the bouncy seat. So, after I bought two swings, they took great naps!!

 

Absolutely fine! Emma actually slept in her swing all night until about 3 months old! The transition wasn't bad at all.

 

I would go insane with out the swings!! We go through some serious batteries!!

 

Mine napped and slept at night in their swings from time to time due to reflux. We went cold turkey without issues at about 4 months.

 

Ours slept overnight in their swing to be upright when they were sick. So naps are a-okay in our book.

 

My girls are 4 months old and one of them naps in the swing every morning! We pop her in there after her morning bottle and she usually looks around for awhile, admires the mobile, listens to the music and eventually falls asleep there! We only have one swing, but it's kinda her morning routine and it works so I'm afraid to switch it up!

 

Ditto.....mine slept all night and for all naps for several months in them and I felt horribly guilty the whole time! But the ped and my mom both said it was fine. Tried to do online research to make sure, there is none, they are fine now, almost 17 mo old! It def gave them longer naps...both were colicky and it helped there too!

Do whatever works!