Need help with nap time!Up until about 3 weeks ago, naptime was very easy. I would put her down after her bottle while she was still awake and she would coo and play in her crib for a few minutes and then drift off to never-never land.
Now, she behaves as though it's a sentence to death by guillotine anytime we put her into her crib during the day. She cries and cries, then she screams and screams. I go in every few minutes to soothe her (not taking her out of the crib) but whenever I walk away she starts screaming more. So I leave for a few minutes - come back and do the same routine to soothe her.. again and again.
This method is most associated with a process called Ferberizing where the child is supposed to eventually fall asleep on the own via self-soothing techniques. It's a comfortable hybird method between Dr. Sears co-parenting (ie never let your baby cry) and straight forward cry-it-out (i.e. only pick up your crying child if the house is burning down and you need to leave).
The problem is she never calms down. In fact, she becomes so worked up that after about 25 minutes she starts hyperventilating and has trouble breathing and at that point I pick her up, calm her down, give her some water and rock her a few minutes until she falls asleep (read: she's exhausted from her tantrum).
But this entire process take about 45 minutes and completely stresses me and the baby out.
Some may ask is she really tired when I put her down and YES is the answer. Lately, she rarely wants to nap during the day since she is having so much fun discovering new skills. But the tell tale signs of eye rubbing and crankiness are there when I put her down.
Is there another way that worked for you or someone you know? An alternate method?
Some may ask is she really tired when I put her down and YES is the answer. Lately, she rarely wants to nap during the day since she is having so much fun discovering new skills. But the tell tale signs of eye rubbing and crankiness are there when I put her down.
Is there another way that worked for you or someone you know? An alternate method?
Posts
3 comments:
Hey Jenn,
What has worked for us...we put Alex down after reading a few books and giving him a kiss and then say good night. We leave and let him cry for 2 or 3 minutes. If he's still crying, we go back in but do not talk or pick him up, just rub his back and shhhhh him for about 30 seconds and do that over and over until he falls asleep (even if it takes 45 minutes). Each day, increase the time by a minute or 2 that you leave for.
We went though that phase for a while after he was sick for so long and we were catering so much to him. Now, we put him down and he cries for about 15 seconds and then that's it.
It's certainly stressful for everyone to let them cry, but it's worth it in the long run to stick it out. That's what worked for us, but every little one is different. Good luck! =)
Will she immediately fall asleep if you rock her first thing? If so, then I'd just rock her. If it makes her happy and you happy, it may be the best option.
Wow, a 15 second cry and then sleep - sounds great to me. The opnly positive to this is that we only have to deal with naptime 2-3 times a week.
At Ana's, she does ok.
So I think routine is the key and Cassie, you are right, I'll do what I have to do to get her to go down and preserve a little of my endangered sanity :)
Post a Comment